NOVPUBSelene leaned in, her face inches from his, her wildfire scent enveloping him. ''But you should know,'' she added, her eyes locking onto his with a smoldering intensity. ''I'm good at keeping secrets… and at noticing when someone's staring.''
Raegar's heart thudded, caught off guard by her boldness. ''I wasn't—'' he started, but her knowing smile silenced him.
The beautiful Demoness stepped back as they reached the door to her classroom. Pausing in the doorway, she turned to face him, one hand resting on the frame, her silhouette framed by the light spilling from the room.
''Thanks for the escort, Rae,'' she said, grinning. ''You're gonna have to work harder to keep up with me next time.''
With a playful wink, she slipped into the classroom, her ponytail flicking behind her like a comet's tail. He stood frozen for a moment, a dazed grin spreading across his face as the corridor's chaos swirled around him, her charm lingering like a spell he couldn't shake.
Following that, he shook his head, heading toward the nurse's office so he could feel better. While walking there, a sharp pain tore through his body, prompting him to lean against the wall for support.
The surrounding students glanced at him like he was a weirdo. He took a deep breath and continued. After twenty minutes, he arrived outside the wooden door just as it flew open, forcing him to jump back.
Raegar felt the wind brush past his face just as two boys and a girl stepped out, only to cringe away when they saw his face. He narrowed his eye while walking inside and spotted Nurse Kitsunia sitting behind a desk.
The fox woman looked up with a knowing smile. ''Hello Rae,'' she greeted as her amber eyes glowed.
She suddenly stood up and approached him while continuing. ''How did you get injured again? Looks like three broken ribs along with bruising. Now take off your top so I can examine you closer.''
He hesitated for a moment before complying with Aiko's request, slowly peeling off his shirt to reveal a striking and battle-worn physique. His lean and powerfully built body bore the marks of a life far harder than his sixteen years should have known.
Scars crisscrossed his chest and arms, some faint and silvery, others still raw and red. The sight was a testament to his resilience, each mark a story of survival etched into his skin throughout the past year.
When the older woman saw this, her eyes widened slightly, her gaze tracing the contours of his toned muscles and lingering on the scars. A playful smile curved her lips, and she bit her bottom lip, a spark of mischief dancing in her eyes.
''Well, look at you,'' she teased, her voice warm with admiration. ''Sixteen years old, and you've already got the body of a god. I mean, how do you even manage to look like this?''
The older woman's words hit him like a sudden gust of wind, and Raegar felt a rush of heat flood his cheeks. He averted his gaze, suddenly aware of his exposed skin and her stare. But Aiko wasn't done.
Stepping closer, she reached out, her touch light as a feather as she traced a single finger down the left side of his chest, following the path of a particularly jagged scar. Her touch sent an unexpected shiver through him, and he froze, caught between embarrassment and something else he couldn't quite name.
''You know,'' she murmured, her tone softening as her amber eyes flicked up to meet his, ''These scars… they tell quite a story. But I can't help wondering what you'd look like without them.''
She tilted her head, her smile turning thoughtful, almost curious. ''Don't get me wrong, you're already handsome, scars and all. But there's something about you. I'm dying to see the face beneath all this history.''
Her words hung in the air, teasing yet sincere, and his blush deepened. He opened his mouth to respond but found no words, his usual confidence undone by the intensity of her gaze and the unexpected tenderness in her voice.
Aiko's finger lingered for a moment longer before she stepped back, her grin returning as if she knew exactly the effect she'd had on him. ''Now let me heal those bones of yours so you can go to the library.''
He chuckled just as the older woman started chanting in an unknown language as he felt Light Aether seeping into his body and repairing the snapped bones, punctured organs, and torn muscles.
As she did this, her eyebrow rose. ''How did you get so hurt? Did one of the professors beat you up?''
''No,'' he replied. ''Selene hugged me, and thanks to the assassin's poison, it's weakened my body, causing me to get injured more easily.''
When Aiko heard that, her eyes widened in shock as she exclaimed. ''I forgot! Once I heal you, I'll deal with that horrible stuff. Sorry, I've been busy with paperwork all morning.''
Raegar nodded in understanding as more Aether washed over his frame and mended some of the cuts, seconds later a weird substance appeared from some of them causing panic to well up within him.
''Don't worry, darling,'' Aiko spoke in a low, sweet voice. ''I'll make sure you're okay.''
Following that, he sat there for a while as the fox woman worked her magic on him and got some of the poison out. By the time they were finished, he was covered in disgusting pus, causing ger tail to straighten when smelling this.
''You can take a shower here, you stink,'' she revealed, covering her nose. ''Go now or I'll send you flying out of the window.''
He chuckled at this, but that's when he noticed her Aether had strengthened. He grew curious and questioned while standing up. ''Did you move to the next Tier Aiko? I can feel your aura's different.''
When the older woman heard this, her eyes lit up. ''That's right, very perceptive. Some of the professors didn't know until I showed myself,'' she responded.
After speaking, she stepped back with a warm smile. ''Now you can go shower, I know you have two free classes and the rest will do you wonders.''
Moments later, Raegar nodded and stumbled toward the door Aiko pointed at, prompting him to walk toward it. The older woman watched his toned back with a smile before biting her bottom lip.
''You're unlike any Vaelthorne who has ever sought my favor,'' she murmured.
Her eyes, sharp with curiosity, lingered on him, tracing the lines of his face as if deciphering a riddle. ''You intrigue me, little Blackwood, far more than you should.''
His lips curved into a knowing smile, but he offered no reply, letting her words hang in the air like the delicate notes of a half-forgotten melody. With a subtle nod, he turned and stepped into the private bath chamber.
Marble tiles gleamed under the soft glow of the dimmed Aether lights, and detailed mosaics of vines decorated the walls. A large, claw-footed tub sat at the room's center, its polished surface reflecting the flickering light.
He turned the ornate golden tap, and steaming water cascaded into the tub, filling the air with the soothing scent of lavender and sandalwood oils kept in delicate glass vials nearby, catching his interest.
'Does Aiko use this place? It smelt wild and eastern,' he thought.
Following that, he waited patiently, his thoughts drifting as the steam rose in gentle curls, clouding the mirror above the carved sink. After a few moments, he began to undress, his movements deliberate and unhurried.
He shed his clothes first, letting them fall to the floor in a soft heap, followed by the shirt that. Each piece of clothing peeled away revealed more of the man beneath, not just the warrior, but the enigma who had captured her attention so effortlessly.
Raegar stood for a moment, his silhouette framed against the steam-filled room, the warmth of the bathwater beckoning. He eased himself into the tub, the hot water enveloping him like a lover's embrace, soothing the tension from his muscles.
Reaching for a sponge and a bar of lavender-scented soap, he began to scrub his skin, the lather forming a frothy layer that carried away the day's toil. The rhythmic motion was almost meditative, each stroke a small act of renewal.
But his calm was shattered by a sudden, playful voice that cut through the quiet. ''Need a hand, handsome?'' Aiko's teasing tone danced in the air, laced with mischief.
Startled, he whipped around, his heart leaping into his throat. There, leaning casually against the doorframe, stood Aiko, her figure barely concealed by a towel that seemed to defy its purpose.
The fabric clung to her curves, particularly struggling to contain her ample chest. His eyes darted downward, drawn to the sight before he could stop himself. Aiko's lips curled into a knowing smirk.
''Eyes up here, big guy,'' she said, her voice a mix of amusement and gentle reprimand, snapping his gaze back to her face.
[Sorry for the late chapters, I have a bad migraine that hurts badly after looking at a screen for a while. Things will be back to normal within the next day or two]
