CHAPTER 179: DETENTION

Andria’s POV

We got back to Ashwood before the night was far gone.

The school gates creaked open as the guards recognized Sir Kaelric’s car. They stepped aside immediately, bowing low, but I could feel their eyes trailing the small procession behind us.

Jackson and Liara.

Sir Kaelric stepped forward to meet the guards, "How did you permit two students to leave the school premises without a school permit. They aren’t alpha successors, and there wasn’t a royal decree."

"But Sir Kaelric, the she-wolf behind," he said, pointing to Liara, "showed me a badge and a necklace belonging only to the royal family.

She said she was a princess and her father demanded her attention. She showed me a message that she claimed her father wrote to her, so we had no other option than to let the princess go."

"That’s so silly, a costly assumption, anyone can forge anything. I’m not saying she isn’t the princess, but messages can be forged, documents can."

And as he said that, I couldn’t help relating. I mean, my whole identity in Ashwood is a lie, all fabricated.

"You are so lucky nothing happened to any of our students; you would have faced the consequences," Sir Kaelric said.

Jackson still wore that stupid, arrogant smirk on his face, and it was pissing me off.

Ashwood was quiet, too quiet. The walls always seemed to hum with life even at night, especially now with the extracurricular activities ahead. But tonight was different; the lights were turned out, and everyone had returned to their bed.

I looked up at the sky, and there was neither a star nor a moon; the night was dark, and underworld creatures enjoyed walking in this kind of night.

Sir Kaelric’s stride was firm, unrelenting, his aura cold enough to make the air sting. The Alpha successors followed behind him in silence, each one tense, unreadable, and pretending not to notice the others.

The tension from earlier in the day was gradually returning. It was as if they were slowly remembering that they weren’t supposed to be together at this point.

Sir Kaelric turns to Liara and Jackson, " You two will be spending the night at the detention room, the major offence room. Because all the offences you have committed or are being accused of are major.

You kidnapped a fellow student, tied her under the table with a charmed chain, in a chemistry lab and put her in fumes so that she could choke to death. That’s attempted murder.

You forged a message to obtain a permit so that you can go party with underworldlings. You are so lucky...I repeat that there were no vampires amongst you; if not, you would have been punished for treason too."

I couldn’t believe that Sir Kaelric could be filled with so much compassion, but still mandate her punishments to the extent of sending her to that detention room to spend the night.

The one Tracy and Larissa had once been locked in before being sent to the underworld.

Liara stiffened beside Jackson, her eyes snapping toward her brother. "You can’t be serious," she said, her voice cracking.

"This is for... for criminals, not for... K..Sir Kaelric, you know I can’t stay here. I just wanted to have a bit of fun, and these underworldlings aren’t that bad."

"Not for royals?" Kaelric’s tone was cutting. "Then perhaps you should have thought of that before sneaking out of school to attend a club crawling with demons and black witches."

Liara’s lips parted, her voice trembling. "I... I didn’t know..."

"Didn’t you?" Kaelric stepped closer, his voice sharp enough to slice through her excuses.

"You harassed a student, forgetting a princess’s obligation, and mingled with those sworn enemies of the kingdom," he said, turning to look at Jackson, and then back at her.

"You will stay here until your case is brought before the school council tomorrow. The law respects no one, and if you fall short, you face the consequences irrespective of your status."

Jackson scoffed beside her. "You are treating her like a prisoner, Sir Kaelric. She is your blood, punish me instead, you know I put her into this," he turned around to look at all of us.

"You all know I put her into this, so let him punish only me."

I wondered what was going on in Jackson’s mind, for him to speak like this suddenly; he must have a plan under his sleeve.

Kaelric turned to him, gaze steady and glacial. "And that bloodline comes with responsibility. Something you wouldn’t understand, rogue prince, and stop the act, I can see through it."

Jackson smirked faintly but said nothing more. His eyes darted toward Liara, and for a moment, something like guilt flickered there. Or maybe it was the illusion of it; if I didn’t know who Jackson was, I would have thought it was the former.

Liara’s face twisted in disbelief. "Brother, please..."

Kaelric’s expression didn’t waver. "I’m not your enemy, Liara. But until we find out what spell or manipulation has been placed on you, you will stay there, both of you."

He turned to one of the guards. "Take them with me to the detention room."

The guard bowed. "Yes, sir."

Jackson chuckled. "You think you can keep me there, Sir Kaelric?"

Kaelric didn’t even glance at him. "Try me."

They moved towards the direction of the detention room, when I decided it was high time I returned to my apartment. I turned to face the path that led to the dormitories, and I noticed the alpha succeed had turned too.

We walked together in silence towards the dormitory, but not too long; the tension between us grew, and soon we were walking separately, although we were heading towards the same direction.

I stopped at the junction that led to the girls’ apartment blocks. They went the other way, towards their apartments. I breathed a sigh of relief.

The anxiety that came with the tension between us was almost crippling. I’m glad we have parted ways. Though the three of them lived together, they didn’t walk beside one another.

For a moment, I thought of calling out to them, maybe we could talk this out and end this friction between us, but I didn’t, I didn’t know tonight was the best time to do that; we were all exhausted.

So I just watched as they disappeared down the hall, their silhouettes fading into darkness.

Then I turned and made my way back to my apartment.

By the time I got there, the clock in the hall read 2:47 a.m.

Mel was waiting on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, a mug of tea in her hand. The moment she saw me, she stood, eyes widening.

"Aria! Goddess, where have you been?" she said, her voice a mixture of relief and irritation. "I thought something bad had happened to you again."

I managed a small, tired smile. "Nothing bad, Mel. Not this time."