The Black Necromancer-Book 4

Chapter 22

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Chapter 22

                Romulus rapped sharply on the door that led to Arulan’s chambers with his knuckles. Taking a nervous breath, Kayla clenched her hands into fists, letting her nails dig into the palms of her hands. It was almost as though they were prisoners; Romulus and Kathryn stood at the front and back of the trio, making escape impossible. Not that there was anywhere to run if they so had the desire.

                Beside her, Dahlia and Troy were practically playing a game of cat and mouse. Every few seconds, one of their gazes would flicker to the other and then away as if they were afraid of being caught out. On the few occasions that their eyes did make contact, the duo would blush furiously and immediately look away.

                Kathryn had guarded her sarcastic tongue for most of the journey up, thanks to Dahlia’s charm. Romulus had let them walk in silence; they knew that they had to be brought to Arulan whether they liked it or not.

                The silence was almost unbearable as Romulus pushed open the door and ushered them inside Arulan’s chambers. Kayla hadn’t known it before, but she desperately missed the sounds of Troy and Dahlia’s usual banter. But now that Troy had seen Dahlia’s heart’s desire, every secret that she wanted to keep hidden had been laid out for display. It was enough to make anyone embarrassed.

                When they entered, the room was lit by the glow of several flickering candles and the fire in the fireplace. Arulan had his back to them and was talking to a shadow spirit whose form was rendered almost invisible by the shadows by the fireplace.

                “Arulan,” Romulus called out. “Kathryn and I discovered Kayla, Troy and Dahlia at the entrance to the tunnels under the school.”

                Arulan turned around as the shadow spirit dissolved into thin air, leaving no trace that she had been there. Worry lines were etched deeply in Arulan’s face; he appeared to look more tired and older than he had only a few hours previously. He sighed, evidently displeased by their lack of cooperation to abide by the rules.

                “Kayla,” he scolded, in a reprimanding tone, “You know the rules; I’m surprised that you would go there, especially in light of Jenna’s recent disappearance.”

                Worry flared in the pit of Kayla’s stomach and she scowled darkly. “It is precisely for that reason that I went,” she snapped. “I had things to investigate there that I needed to prove before I came to you. You might not have given me permission or you would have thought suspiciously of me if I had asked your permission first. That I know for a fact because my own brother doubted my loyalties.”

                She glared at Troy when she said these words; he blanched and two dark red spots of colour appeared on his cheeks. He balled his hands into fists, practically trembling with rage and anticipation of a fight.

                “You didn’t give me much choice!” he snapped. “What where you doing down there?”

                “Nice that you trust me so much,” Kayla sarcastically retorted.

                “I barely know you!” Troy cried, frustrated beyond belief. “I practically know nothing about you, Kayla! I had to find out that you were married to Benjamin by Cedric, of all people! And I had no idea that this Jenna even existed until about twenty-four hours ago! Is it surprising that I don’t know you as well as you think I ought to?”