Page 80 of Validus Vale Academy 1
“The basement stairs are a fucking death trap." I get up and start poking underneath the treads as a knock sounds from above. “Expecting company?" I ask, quickly straightening up.
“Wait here, I'll go see who it is.” She puts a finger to her lips. “And keep quiet. Probably best not to advertise that I've got a professor in my bedroom, even if he is just a pretend one.”
Good point.
She contradicts herself two minutes later, though, by leading a man into the room to meet me. He's so huge that the tiny space seems like a dollhouse. Gods, is he seven feet tall?
"This is Ludo," Theo says. "Ludo, this is Alexis Feniks."
I narrow my eyes at the giant. When Theo mentioned the janitor had long white hair, I'd expected someone elderly. Not a man who looks my age, or even younger. What kind of 'friendship' do these two have, really? The giant, dressed in gray coveralls, is completely expressionless. "Nice to meet you," I say, trying to sound casual. "I was just checking on Theo. She's, er, not feeling well."
Ludo doesn’t reply, just shifts his head slightly towards Theo. She rolls her eyes at her enormous janitor. “I’m completely fine,” she tells him. What is she playing at? Turning back to me, she has a determined look in her eye. "Listen, Alexis, we can trust Ludo. He can help us. Ludo knows more about this place than anyone else.”
“Is that right?” I can’t stop the scowl on my face. “You’re the Validus Vale expert, then, Ludo?”
He doesn’t reply, just looks down at me from his infuriating height.
Theo tuts. “Yes, he is. Ludo’s lived at the academy since he was a boy," she explains.
"Then why doesn’t he say so himself?" I sneer, my gaze fixed on Ludo. "Cat got your tongue, big man?"
Theo hisses angrily. "Alexis! Don’t be so rude." She pauses, then adds, confusingly, "No, no, it’s not alright." Giving me one more glare, she says, "Ludo doesn’t speak."
Oh. That does make me feel like a bit of a shit. But it doesn’t mean I trust him.
There’s another strange pause.
"No, stay, Ludo,” Theo says, then turns to me. "I'm telling Ludo everything, and you can't stop me,” she says in a surprisingly firm voice.
The little baggage starts spilling everything—how her 'friends' Wes and Donovan have disappeared, and so has my cousin, that’s why I'm faking being a teacher,
“STOP!” I bark and reach out an arm, trying to get her attention, but the giant’s fist clamps over mine, crushing it in his vice-like grip.
"Ludo, put him down. He’s just nervous. Alexis doesn't know you like I do.” Theo pulls Ludo’s hand away, and I shake out my hand.
“And just how well do you know this janitor?” I spit out. She's only been here a couple of weeks. He could be a WMO spy, a Bratva member, or anything for all we know. She's too trusting.
“I don’t know what you’re implying, Alexis, but I don’t appreciate it,” she flashes back, with a furious expression.
My eyes go between her and this Ludotalonmies. He cocks his head to one side, meeting my stare with heterochromic eyes—both are utterly unreadable. Theo bites her lip, her gaze flickering to me, then away.
She seems almost in…turmoil.
“I know I can trust Ludo…" she starts, her voice hesitant, then stops again, her brow furrowed, clearly agonizing, caught between a rock and a hard place.
"What is it, pulu?" I ask, my voice softening, letting the concern bleed through. "You can talk to me." Anguish flickers in her eyes.
"Can I, though?" she whispers. The doubt stabs me in the guts.
"Haven't I proven that?" I demand, my tone heating slightly, defensiveness flaring. But even as I say it, I feel shame at my lies of omission.I haven't shared all my secrets. Not yet. Not thedeep ones.I instantly make a mental vow to do so as soon as it’s safe.
Theo's shoulders slump. Ludo’s hand hovers over her shoulder for a moment, as though he’s going to touch her, but then thinks better of it. Good choice. I suppress a surge of primal irritation—mine, not yours, you dumb animal—and force my expression to remain neutral.
Theo sighs deeply, looking at me with clear, resolved eyes. "I guess I can trust you, too. Anything to add, Ludo?"
A few seconds later, she turns back to me. "Ludo says he’ll break every bone in your body if you betray me.”
“I’m not going to betray you…but how?”
