TBATE | PROVIDENCE

Chapter 04 - My Dear Apprentice

CAERA DENOIR

It's been over a week since I returned to the past. A lot has happened in the last few days. My reunion with Sevren didn't go as planned, considering he had already left for the Ascenders Academy two days ago. Still, I felt relieved at the fact that he's alive and that we'll have lots of time to catch up with each other in the future.

Scythe Seris is not yet suspicious of my behaviour, but knowing her intuition, I know it won't be long before I have to tell my mentor everything. We had already decided that it would be prudent to include her in our future plans, but it would also help me to convince her to send me to Dicathen. Maybe then I could finally be able to reunite with Arthur.

Arthur...

My mind has become conflicted with the plethora of emotions running havoc inside me over the past few days. All of my memories of Arthur came flooding back to me.

The time we spent fighting alongside each other inside the Relictombs, as fellow-colleagues at the Central Academy, his disappearing after the Victoriad, and my failed attempt to pursue him inside the Relictombs.

Then, finally meeting him after two long years after his battle with Agrona. I still remember the time when he felt so strong yet so vulnerable in my arms. But, somehow, my mind keeps going back to our final moment before the ritual spell activated.

—'I love you, Ascender Grey.'

Why the hell in the name of Vritra was the spell activated so early? He might not have even heard me because of the surrounding tremors. I felt the blood rush to my face, thinking about my failed confession.

Urgh... maybe I should've just kissed him instead.

At least he would have known there was a woman madly waiting to be with him in the future, but I knew it wasn't right to burden him with all my feelings, given the circumstances and his state of mind. He finally had a chance to save his family. Love can always come later.

Also, the fact that he had a lover once... was painful, to be honest, but it never stopped me from expressing my true feelings for him. I never wanted to be his equal, but rather someone he could trust and rely upon, whenever he felt like he was straying away from his path. If only he knew how badly I yearned for him.

I realise I'm being selfish. Heck, who am I even kidding? I want him all to myself as long as he feels the same way. But staying away for such a long time... he wouldn't just forget about me, right?

I sighed deeply, admiring the carved ring Arthur had given me as a parting gift.

“Lady Caera, you've been sighing a lot lately. It's bad for your skin, especially for a lovely young lady like you.” Nessa snapped me out of the daze, working the scented soap into my hair and massaging my scalp.

“I swear to Vritra, I'm really getting annoyed by these daily dinner invitations from highblood nobles of Vechor and Sehz-Clar. Even father is now reluctant to reject each one of them.” I grumbled, closing my eyes gently, a familiar suffocating scent of flowers and spices emanating from the 'calming candles' in the bathing room bombarded my senses.

“I don't see there's any problem in making new friends, Lady Caera. Who knows? Perhaps you could even find your soulmate, unless... you already have someone special in your heart.” I felt myself go red in the cheeks from Nessa's tease as I sank myself a little deeper into the bathtub. Once again, I was trying to focus on the combination of scalding hot water and sweat as my dead skin was topped prettily with aromatic froth, sending the bubbles floating.

Noticing the embarrassed look on my face, Nessa continued her tease. “So there's finally someone lucky enough to catch our young lady's attention. Would you like to tell me about him?” I was about to deny her to prevent any unwanted rumors, but a sudden voice interrupted us.