COBALT: The Red Phantom (Book One)

Chapter 24: A Midnight Stroll (Part 1/3)

          Káel awkwardly opened the door with his left hand, the familiar face on the other side only greetable with a grimace.

          It was Horus, slicked back hair and a dressy uniform squeezing his form to somehow make him look more posh than usual.

          Káel gave the connection some time to process, juggling between his arrival being a coincidence or the product of past actions. 

          Was he the one Vera was hiding from?

          Káel bit his cheeks harder, trying the think over the thought as a smile forced its way onto his face. But all it took was replaying the sight of Vera wiggling under the frame and he was done. The laughter flooded through his tensed muscles, unable to escape his clenched jaw and falling out his nose in a full forced snort. 

          Horus backed away in disgust at the display, Káel's laughter decimated with a string of coughs as he winced at the spearing pain in his ribs. 

          "Sorry," Káel choked, his dried throat burning as he clenched the pounding pain in his ribs. "Had to sneeze but I didn't want to. By the way, I didn't mean to put you all through a frantic search last night. Really didn't think anyone would care.

          "Care isn't the appropriate word, it's a legal matter, but I suppose if you die from your own stupidity the school wouldn't be held responsible." Horus relaxed, nodding his chin for Káel to get on with it. "Tell me, what happened?"

          Káel gave Horus a superficial smile, flashing his wrapped up arms. "Well, I was minding my own business when I was attacked by a mob of unforgiving shingles."

          Horus cocked an eyebrow, suppressing an eye roll as his voice deadpanned. "Never mind, I do not have time for casual chatter with you. Is Vera Strylaz in there?"

          An evil smirk spread across Káel's face. "No, but I'll pass on the love letter."

          "Your humour is yet again in poor taste, I would never do something so silly. You have no useful information, so I shall make my leave," Horus growled, his stern tone melting with a strangely childish smile as he leaned in to whisper. "I hope the bed is comfortable."

          Káel's mouth hung in confused silence, his eyebrows slowly rising at the words that had come right out of Horus' mouth. "Uhh..."

          Horus rolled his eyes, idiot heavy in the air as he made his leave and Káel slowly closed the door. He immediately locked gazes with Phantom, the man's reaction to the spectacle unclear until he spoke. "Maybe he meant Firehead."

          "I hope so."

          "If only it was legal to punch his smug little face," Vera huffed, her cheek awkwardly squishing into view as she glared at the door.

          "In all fairness, I did give it a good whack already."

          "It obviously wasn't hard enough," Vera growled. 

          "Was he the one you're hiding from though?" Káel whispered, grinning as Vera's face squished into a disgusted glare. "Did he ask you out and you're scared of turning him down?"

          "No, he's not the person," Vera whispered, her voice sharp enough to make Káel cringe. "Keep talking like that and I'll make your hair even darker."

          She smiled as Káel paled, slipping her face back under the frame as a knock sounded on the door again.