DELONIX [COMPLETED]

Chapter 35

Red POV

Uncle J's words about maintaining my cover echoed in my mind, but I couldn't help but question their practicality. Was I supposed to just sit there and stare at Xavier, pretending to understand a language that felt as foreign to me as ancient hieroglyphs?

"You're joking, right?" Xavier's expression shifted to one of genuine confusion when I confessed my inability to comprehend fully. Realizing my mistake, I quickly clarified that I came from a place where reading was a struggle, and I hadn't acquired the necessary skills.

"I'm very serious," I asserted, meeting his gaze head-on, determination burning in my eyes.

"Well, it seems like this book is of no use to you anymore," Xavier remarked dismissively, ready to abandon the conversation.

Hell no, I wasn't leaving without at least attempting to find a solution.

"Wait!" I reached out, grabbing the end of his uniform as he turned to leave, causing one of his eyebrows to quirk up in anticipation of my next words.

"You mentioned that this book has a sort of life to it, right?"

"Yeah... It doesn't ex-" he began, but I interrupted him.

"You also said it allowed me to touch it, which suggests it might have a connection with me," I ventured, unsure of where my thoughts were leading me but allowing my instincts to guide the way.

"What are you implying, Green eyes?" Xavier sat back down, allowing me to continue touching his uniform.

"What if I ask the book to translate into a language I'm more familiar with?" I proposed, excitement tingling through my veins.

Without warning, he tapped my head with one of his sharp fingers. "Hey! What was that for?" I protested, rubbing the spot where he had lightly struck me.

"Just checking if you're going crazy or if I'm the crazy one for listening to your wild ideas," he retorted, his tone laced with a hint of amusement.

I sighed, feeling slightly exasperated. "You still don't get it, Fangs."

He let out a resigned sigh of his own. "This..." Xavier pointed towards the open book, "is an ancient tome that predates the establishment of this school. It's been here for centuries, if not longer."

"Has anyone ever tried asking it, though?" I inquired, my curiosity piqued.

"No one has touched this book in ages, let alone asked it anything, so I can't say for sure," he replied, a note of intrigue creeping into his voice.

That's great, right? It meant that I could be the first to try. What harm could it do?

I decided to stop bombarding Xavier with questions and focused my attention back on the book. I pondered a more effective way to appeal to its sense of cooperation.

"Um... Mr. Ancient Book, I know I requested you to open, but you see, I can't understand the language written here. Could you please..." My words trailed off as the book abruptly closed, leaving me feeling deceived.

"Um... I think you might have upset it," Xavier observed, his voice laced with concern, leaving me to ponder whether I had just angered an age-old, mystical book.

As anxiety coursed through me, the book suddenly reopened, its pages fluttering as if caught in a gust of wind, and then it stopped again. This time, the words were not in Latin or Greek, but in my mother tongue.

English.

"It seems to have taken an interest in you, Green eyes," Xavier remarked, shock evident in his voice as he stared at the English words inscribed on the pages.