CHAPTER 290: 290-HE SPEAKS

Clementine:

After my conversation with Miss Rue, I asked her about Bodhi’s diary and what he meant by ’the loved ones watching and betting on us.

Just as she was about to answer, her phone buzzed with a notification saying everyone was returning to the main hall.

We didn’t have time to talk about it, so we rushed back.

By the time I had just lain down on her bed, I heard footsteps approaching her office.

The door swung open, and Mr. Rick stood there, looking as if he had tried to sneak in and catch me doing something wrong.

"What happened, Mr. Rick?" I asked, giving him a small smile.

"Nothing," he replied wryly, probably disappointed he hadn’t caught me.

"I think I’m feeling much better," I said, getting off the bed.

"Now? Now you’re feeling better? After everyone’s done doing your task?" he remarked with a hint of sarcasm.

I knew I could have said plenty to argue with him, but instead, I chose to smirk.

I knew that one silent smirk would be enough to give him sleepless nights.

As soon as I walked upstairs, I noticed that everyone had already showered and was waiting for lunch.

I walked steadily toward them, feeling their eyes on me, then decided to grab my tray and sit at a separate table.

"See? She’s so arrogant. She didn’t even thank you guys," Oriana remarked.

At that point, I knew she was filling their ears with poison. I didn’t care. They could think whatever they wanted.

I knew I had a big ego, but I was fine with that. It wasn’t like they deserved an explanation.

As for Ian, he sat alone at another table, tapping his foot against the floor.

"Let’s enjoy the lunch. Some of you worked really hard today," Mr. Rick taunted.

"Indeed," Miss Lenora added, giving me a judgmental glare.

I focused on my food, ignoring her comment.

There was a part of me that felt broken, but another part, curious and alert, had started to piece things together.

I had learned a lot about the academy today, and a few things had genuinely unsettled me, especially the revelation about the headquarters in the North.

Why hadn’t they told us about it? Why hadn’t they mentioned the other doors that could be used to return from the North?

It would have helped the Crusaders who were left behind when the train departed.

That thought led me back to Bodhi’s words, his claim about ’the loved ones watching and enjoying as they bet on us.’

"She’s right," Troy muttered under his breath, his voice pulling me out of my thoughts.

"You should at least be grateful to us. Thank us for taking care of you all night and filling the buckets for you," he said, staring straight at me.

I could feel everyone’s eyes on my face. They had already irritated me enough, so I decided to return the favor.

"Well, I’m not grateful," I replied flatly. "I didn’t ask you to take care of me. I would have survived anyway. I always do."

I watched their expressions twist in disbelief.

"See? Now do you believe me?" Oriana chimed in.

I ignored her. They had let her manipulate them, and I’d had enough.

I wasn’t going to try to convince them she was lying about me.

If they couldn’t figure that out themselves, they didn’t deserve an explanation.

They all kept glaring at me, waiting for me to say thank you, but I finished my meal and stood up from the chair.

I carried my dishes to the sink, washed them, and walked out of the hall, heading back to my room.

I didn’t know they were planning to take things even further, but the moment I neared the room, Haiden stormed toward me, forcing me to stop.

Then came Troy and Yorick, stepping inside, and last was Oriana, a strange smirk curling on her lips.

I could already tell they were up to something.

As soon as I entered, the four of them stood in a line, staring at me. Oriana looked like their leader.

"You know what? I don’t have time for this," I remarked, watching their faces fall, almost like they were disappointed I said that.

I turned to leave.

"Hey, you! Who do you think you are?" Haiden shouted after me.

I raised my middle finger in response and kept walking.

I headed outside toward the field, needing some space to think about the secrets I had uncovered with Miss Rue’s help.

There were still things we needed to discuss, especially whether there was a way to completely clear out the North.

If that were possible, maybe the suffering of so many young Crusaders would finally end.

Then my eyes caught a Lurker in the distance, and I wondered if they had been taken from their families and changed somehow, stripped of their feelings. A bad thought began to form in my mind, maybe the real monster wasn’t the North. Maybe it was the academy itself.

As I wandered quietly through the grounds, I noticed something.

It was Ian.

He was moving suspiciously, glancing back at the academy while heading deeper into the woods.

Something in me said I should follow him, so I did. I trailed behind until I froze in place.

Ian had stopped in front of a Lurker, standing face to face with him.

"What is it?" Ian demanded, his hands on his face, looking tense.

I couldn’t understand why he was talking to a Lurker. Didn’t he know they couldn’t speak?

But then, to my shock, the Lurker started to chuckle.

In that moment, I swear my soul left my body.

"Let’s not act like you wouldn’t want to hear what I found out," the Lurker hissed at him.

That was the second time I felt shivers run through me. The shock was so strong that I just stood there, staring, my mouth going dry.

"What do you want?" Ian snapped, sounding irritated.

"A lurker—" the Lurker suddenly stopped talking.

This time, when he turned around, his eyes went straight toward me, right behind the tree where I was hiding. Ian followed his gaze, and our eyes met.