Jo and I wait at the park benches while Tressie has gone to take Cronan's exam. Because more than half the students are retaking that exam, no classes for the rest of us.
I tell Jo the information Hayden shared with me in the morning regarding Yates.
Whether Hayden and I will really get to be together in the end or not, it is imperative we know everything we could about our unusual bond. Once I ascend, all hell will break loose. I have no doubt my father will try to kill me for having a werewolf Alka. No doubt.
I'll have to learn to protect myself, and my bond with Hayden. If Yates and Ivana are true, then maybe we can find out how they got away with being each others' soulmates. How did that even work?
Hayden has found out where Yates was originally from. A small town called Jahov, about 200 miles north of Bolrent.
Even though I'm utterly free and have time to make the trip, Hayden is tied up tight with his work.
Everyday he's gone before I wake up and returns after I've gone to bed.
I never realized titles came with buttload of work. On the contrary, I thought all the heads and chiefs had it easy. I now respect my headmistress and head sorceress even more.
Tressie is soon here with a smile plastered on her face. She'd dead sure she got at least one of the three spells right. Just not sure which one. I don't bother her explaining the definition of "sure," and let her enjoy her confidence of doing the exam well.
Conan might've failed a lot of students in the first exam, but he is lenient in grading them during the last one. I'm sure he also wants most of them out of his hair already.
To celebrate, we decide to have lunch at one of our favorite cafe and head out of The Academy.
"Riva." An unfamiliar voice calls out my name. A tall good-looking boy, not much older than me, is standing near a car at the front of the gate.
I exchange looks with my friends and by their response, it looks like they don't know who he is either.
He comes over. "It's nice to finally meet you, Riva. You look more beautiful in person."
"I'm sorry, who are you?"
"Val Theodore."
I begin to panic. But I try to calm down my nerves so Hayden's mate-getting-scared-radar doesn't beep.
Val is an important person, and comes from an influential family, in the Whitestone Province. Even though I didn't knew how he looked, I knew his name, even before my father mentioned him.
At the time, with Trick being hurt and father burning my application papers, I forgot what father told me about Val.
But now that Val is standing in front of me, I'm beginning to feel the weight of another burden I'll have to deal with.
"Mr. Theodore. I'm sorry, I didn't knew you were coming."
"It's okay. I'm glad I caught you before you left. Can we talk?"
I look at my friends. "You guys go first. I'll come later."
Jo and Tressie leave us, with their smiles from before gone from their faces. I'm grateful to have friends who share my pain, but, it's hard to see them hurt. The longer these problems won't leave me alone, the longer my friends will worry.
Val drives us to a nearby restaurant for coffee. While waiting for our orders to come, Val says, "I'm sure your father told you about me."
I nod.
