Page 62 of Validus Vale Academy 1
He takes my wrist with his hand and pulls me slightly towards his chest. We’re breathing heavily. “Alexis,” he corrects.
The blood is pounding in my veins, and the musky, pine-needle scent of him makes my head spin. “I-I-I’m sorry, what?”
“I was thinking that in private,” he says, a hint of amusement in his eyes, “that you could call me Alexis, rather than Professor Feniks. I rather think we’ve moved beyond the student-teacher dynamic, don’t you?”
My treacherous body continues to heat up. I know he didn’t mean it ‘like that’, but still, a flush covers my skin. ‘Alexis’, thankfully, doesn’t seem to notice. “Sounds good,” I croak.
We start heading back to the academy, and Alexis tells me he’d searched the school database for information about the twins.“You probably know it all already,” he says, “but I’ll give you the rundown anyway—OK?”
I’m silent. Cosmo's mark keeps me unable even to acknowledge the conversation.
Alexis sighs. “Your friends were jointly ranked second in school, just a shade below Cosmo Drakeward, which is extremely powerful for sophomores. Wes had higher scores in academic classes, but Donovan’s physical ability was unmatched. As for family; no siblings, and they had barely any contact with their parents, both of whom are scientists involved in gene research. The twins were both independently wealthy, having inherited significant funds from their grandparents.”
He’s right, there’s nothing I don’t know. Once we're within the shadows of Defectivum, Alexis stops, turning toward me. "Good work today, Theo," he says. “Are you interested in some more training during the week? Early before school starts?"
Our eyes meet. I want that. “Yes, please.”
“Good,” he smiles. “I’ll figure out a schedule, then text.”
“Thank you,” I say, then lower my voice. “Thank you, Alexis.”
He reaches out a hand, then hesitates, dropping it back to his side. The almost-touch sends a shiver down my spine. "I guess I'd better go back to Professor Feniks while we're around the school," he says.
“I guess so,” I agree, feeling a little overwhelmed with our new friendship.
“Ah, Feniks,” Professor Bilderblast waddles out of the Defectivum building. “Just the man. Wanted to pick your brains about my Fantasy Fateball league.”
The atmosphere shifts, and I turn away and head inside, mentally gearing up for an unsatisfactory shower. My mind is in a haze of half-formed thoughts as I pull open the little door that leads down to my basement room. I’m halfway down thecreaky stairs before a flicker of awareness pierces through the fog. Movement. Something, someone is moving down there.
I freeze. Panic, cold and sharp, threatens to grip me.
Manu? No. No, he’s gone.
Cosmo?
Reaching for my phone, my fingers hover over Alexis’s name. There's no need to panic, but it's better to be safe than sorry. I take another tentative step down, clearing my throat. “Hello?” I call out, my voice a little shaky.
The noises halt, and a tall figure wearing coveralls comes into view.
Relief washes over me, so potent I almost sag against the wall. “Ludo! Phew, I’m so glad it’s you.” I quickly finish descending into the basement and give him a tired smile. He has various pieces of piping and tools spread around the basement floor. “Whatcha up to?”
His mouth twitches, just a flicker of a smile. I look over his shoulder and can’t believe my eyes. “What the.”
Ludo has installed a utility sink in the corner of the storage area. He looks almost shy as he glances at me, then twists a faucet. Instantly, water gushes out, hot, judging by the clouds of steam that billow upwards.
He pushes that shock of floppy white hair out of his eyes, then beckons me further into the corner, behind another plaster partition. My breath catches. He’s poured concrete on the floor, smooth and gray, and in the center, a brand-new drain gleams. My gaze travels upwards, tracing the pipe that juts out from the wall, about six feet high, with a shower head attached.
“Did you do this for me?” I whisper. His mouth twitches again, that Ludo-smile. “Thank you.” I place a hand on his arm. I want to throw my arms around him, hug him tight, but… I hesitate.He’s so reserved, I’m not sure if he’d appreciate that kind of enthusiasm, so I just keep a huge grin on my face.
“This makes a world of difference, you have no idea,” I say, helping him hang a shower curtain, one hook at a time. He looks at me, starts to open his mouth, then frowns and turns, hiding his face away from me.
My heart cracks for him. Gods, what should I do? Ludo seems so alone, so lonely—and here’s the kicker—I can hear whatever he wants to say. I simply have to tune in.
My parents' warnings are loud and insistent:“Don’t tell, don’t tell,”but so is my own intuition. For some reason, I’m convinced I can trust this gentle giant. “Ludo?” I say quietly. He turns again, looking at me from under his hair. “Can I tell you a secret, and we keep it between ourselves—just us, always?”
A frown creases his brow, but he nods immediately.
I take a breath, the secret I’ve carried my whole life beating at the confines of my chest, suddenly desperate to be free. It’s time. “So, the secret is…I can hear thoughts,” I say, trying to keep calm at the maybe terrible thing I’m doing. Will the WMO find out? Take me away?
