Orison | Celeste Academy Series BK #3

Chapter Sixty-One ۞ Confrontation

Valeriana followed Corvan closely as they trod through the warm sands of the Ash Canyons. Gavin's men were on patrol, searching for the escapee, so they had to tread carefully and avoid drawing attention to themselves.

"Where are we going?"

"The big tent."

"What do you mean by big tent?" She asked. "There are lots of big tent around here, in case you don't see."

"The biggest one, obviously." He said. "That's where the leader of this group resides. If you can't tell me where they are, I might as well ask him myself."

Valeriana unwittingly swallowed so hard it made a comical noise. Her eyes were wide with panic and fear at the thought of the impending confrontation between the two. She didn't realize she had closed her eyes and sighed so loud Corvan gave her a look of mild confusion.

"What?" He asked.

"Oh . . . nothing." She lied.

She didn't swear to Gavin she wouldn't tell Corvan. However, of course, if Corvan found out himself, that was out of her power. Valeriana wasn't in any position to intervene. Besides, this confrontation was something she looked forward too. A lot.

Secrets had to be kept to get the plotline moving.

Damn. She now could relate to Lord Aeron. That guy knew a lot of things he didn't tell anyone because he found them 'amusing'. Now that she knew what was happening, it was like a movie she was experiencing firsthand.

No wonder those bastards liked to play schemes like this.

"I don't want to turn into the next generation's Lord Aeron." She muttered, but then smiled.

"Valeriana." Corvan eyed her impatiently. "What are you doing?"

"Um . . . nothing. Nothing."

"I really cannot trust you."

"W-what do y-you mean?"

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her with him. They cut through the streets fast that her legs were barely able to keep up. Valeriana's heart made a leap for her throat and stuck itself up there. It hammered, as though trying to break free from her body. Her eyes were wild like a deer's as she stared up at Corvan. Did he find out? If he did, good lords . . .

They stopped within a small space between two buildings, cutting through one street to another. It provided shade from the sun and was a lot cooler place than anywhere else.

"You are absolutely scatterbrained when it comes to situations like this. I will not have you give away our presence, so do me a favor and stick close. I cannot have you getting lost, dimwit."

"Asshole, why call me a dimwit?" Valeriana huffed, offended by his name-calling.

"You do not recall how you started it?"

"I don't remember calling you anything since a while ago!"

"I'm talking about when we first met."

"What?" She put her hands on her hips, her voice in a whisper-yelling mode. "You're telling me I did the name-calling first? Bastard! You called me obstinate and stupid and a commoner, of course I'll call you a stuck-up, idiot prick! Don't turn the situation around!"

He put his finger on his lips and gave her a reprimanding glare, making her shut up. She hadn't realized her voice turned up higher at their argument. "We do not have the luxury of arguing right now."

"Really. You call arguing a luxury?"

"In situations like these, yes." He paused, looked around briefly, and checked out the immediate vicinity for their pursuers. "Stay here, I will need to enter alone."