COBALT: The Red Phantom (Book One)

Chapter 19: Stranger Danger (Part 1/4)

    —————   

Hey guys, sorry about the long spell of silence. As you can see, I'm not as dead as you might think, just relieved to have finished four midterms in a row, and completely overhauling this scene.

Enjoy, I'll probably be able to update a little faster in the next two weeks.

    —————   

          Truvius rubbed his eyes, clenching his jaw to keep a yawn from escaping as he blankly stared at the text of his book. He didn't know when Káel planned to wake up, and not wanting to miss his chance at taking a step closer in debunking the mystery of his roommate, he hadn't slept a wink.

          A shuffle broke his dreamy trance. Káel was shifting in his sheets with a tired stretch.

          This was it.

          Truvius straightened, quietly placing his book to the side as Shriek waddled off his pillow to hop onto Káel's night stand, two sets of eyes drilling into the drowsy teen as he leaned up. 

          "Morning," Truvius blurted, a delayed smile curving on his face as Káel struggled to register his roommate, giving him enough time to notice a stretch of bandage covering his hand. "Sleep well?"

          Truvius kept back a grimace as Káel scrunched his brow in confusion.

          That sounded creepy.

          He waited for his roommate to lazily slip out of his covers, grabbing Shriek before the bird could fly at Káel's exposed back. "So... any plans for today?" 

          Káel squinted over his shoulder, lingering on the hissing blue bird Truvius was restraining with a hug. "I'm going for a walk." 

          "Sounds like a great idea, I'll come with you."

          Káel scooped some clothes into his arms, shooting the wall a quick glance before sizing Truvius up with a tired tone. "I'm going to run as well."

          Truvius went a little red at the jab. Although he hadn't shown the best endurance during combat class, a lack of exercise hadn't been the source of it. He just couldn't breath sometimes, especially when it came to Cobalt's merciless stairs.

          "I can run... kinda." Truvius folded his arms as Káel sized him up again, suddenly wondering if there wasn't a ghost tailing him at all, and he just had a problem with keeping his eyes still. "Seriously, you'll get lonely running outside all alone."

          He mentally slapped himself again as Káel's eyebrows dropped.

          That one sounded even worse.

    —————   

          Vera watched as Cinder dive bombed off her head, doing a loopity loop for the hundredth time as she patiently sat in wait for Káel. It was Latos custom to arrive early, which obviously didn't translate into whatever earthly customs Káel was running on. He was five minutes late and counting, and she was getting tired of sitting in the grand hall staring at the massive pillars and vibrant paintings of warlords. 

          Her nose scrunched as she stared at the emerald eyes of her least favourite warlord. Poised on the back of a massive griffin named Fauce, with a carved silver plaque garnishing its feet. She couldn't make out the curving letters from her distance, but she knew exactly what it said nonetheless.