Page 99 of Academy of the Wicked, Year Two
"At least one member of your group must appear in the image," Professor Valerian adds calmly, the additional requirement landing like a calculated response to Damien's premature exit. "Which should provide an interesting challenge to those planning simply to copy historical documentation."
Students immediately begin forming groups, chairs scraping against the floor as alliances solidify with practiced efficiency that suggests such assignments occur regularly.
Through it all, Zeke remains blissfully unconscious beneath my blazer, completely oblivious to the activity surrounding him.
I remain seated, observing rather than participating in the frantic negotiations unfolding around us. Instinct tells me Professor Valerian has designed this task with a deeper purpose than a mere academic exercise, and rushing to form alliances without understanding underlying objectives rarely leads to optimal outcomes.
As the last students file out with varying degrees of confidence and confusion, Professor Valerian approaches our desk with measured steps that somehow convey both authority and consideration simultaneously.
"Mr. Hawthorne," she addresses me with formal precision that suggests an awareness of my dual identity without directly acknowledging it. "Do you require additional clarification regarding the assignment?"
"How long do we have after leaving this classroom?" I ask, practical consideration taking precedence over theoretical concerns.
"One hour from your departure," she specifies, gaze moving to Zeke's sleeping form with an expression that mingles exasperation and reluctant affection. "Though your classmate seems in no hurry to begin."
I lean back in my chair with deliberate casualness, one arm draped over the back in a posture that suggests complete comfort with current circumstances.
"Then I'll wait for Zeke to finish his nap," I state with a casual shrug that belies the protective instinct this decision represents. "We'll tackle the assignment together once he's rested."
Professor Valerian raises a single eyebrow, expression suggesting reassessment of whatever conclusions she'd previously drawn about my character and motivations.
"You're willing to sacrifice precious assignment time for your new...friend's comfort?" The slight pause carries weight of curiosity rather than judgment, a genuine interest in motivation that doesn't align with typical ambitious student behavior.
I maintain a casual demeanor while choosing words with careful precision.
"You don't move a cat when they're nestled in peace," I explain, the statement carrying more truth than she could possibly realize. "It's bad luck. Besides, he clearly needs the rest."
An unexpected laugh escapes Professor Valerian – a rich, musical sound that transforms her features from academic severity to something warmer and more approachable. The change reveals a glimpse of someone younger and less constrained than the professional persona she typically projects.
"Indeed," she agrees, genuine amusement lingering in her expression. "Though I suspect there's more to your consideration than mere superstition."
She moves toward the door with that same measured grace that somehow suggests dancing even in ordinary movement.
"I'll leave you to your vigil, Mr. Hawthorne. The classroom will remain unlocked until you choose to depart."
With that final comment, she exits, leaving me alone with sleeping Zeke and a room full of questions regarding the chalice's true nature and its connection to Faerie's current restrictive circumstances.
I settle more comfortably into my chair, studying Zeke's peaceful expression while contemplating this unexpected windfall of information. Elena's instructions to find the chalice now carry additional context that both clarifies and complicates my mission.
If the artifact truly possesses healing capabilities as some legends suggest, its potential for saving my sister remains valid motivation.I knew to some extent but this just confirms once more that its the answer to healing Elena.However, its alleged connection to the Headmaster and subsequent theft introduces political complications I hadn't anticipated navigating.
The Stellarum Archive must have more answers to this.
Seeking an object at the center of interdimensional conflict between Faerie and Academy leadership represents risk beyond mere rule-breaking. If caught pursuing the chalice, I might face accusations of attempting to complete the original theft rather than merely borrowing the item for healing purposes.
Zeke stirs slightly beneath my blazer, a small sound escaping that falls somewhere between a human sigh and a feline purr. The noise draws my attention back to immediate concerns rather than theoretical complications.
His features appear younger in sleep, the tension I hadn't fully registered while he was awake now conspicuous in its absence. Dark smudges beneath his eyes suggest chronic exhaustion rather than simple afternoon tiredness, further evidence supporting growing suspicion that his circumstances within the academy involve hardship beyond ordinary student experience.
The "homeless street cat" taunts from other students, his lack of resources for purchasing food, and the resigned acceptance of bullying – all paint pictures of someone existing on the margins of academy society despite the apparent connection to extraordinary resources like the Abundance Tree.
Why though? What’s with all the self-sacrifice? What’s the grand purpose?
I find myself studying the remarkable structure of his face more carefully than propriety might allow if he were conscious. His features carry an unusual blend of delicacy and resilience – high cheekbones and pointed chin creating a framework too angular for conventional beauty, yet somehow perfectly balanced when considered as a whole.
Those extraordinary eyes —currently hidden beneath long lashes that cast subtle shadows across his cheeks— represent the most obvious indicator of his non-human classification.
Their unique coloration and vertical pupils marked him immediately as something other than standard paranormal categories taught in classification texts.
