With warm water pouring over his face four hours later, Rafel heard Percival call across his section of the chamber suite to the bathroom. "Are you going to tell me where you were last night?" Rafel sighed and rinsed his mouth.
He shut the silver tap over the porcelain bowl and walked out. He was rubbing a towel over his head when he heard Percival enter his bedspace. Rafel dropped his hand. "What!" He chastised. And then proceeded to question his blond roommate about his own love life. "Dude, I just woke up.
Give me a break. Besides, don't you have yourself to worry about. Like, when was the last time you got laid?"
Rafel was of the opinion that if Percy had a lady, he would quit bugging him so much. Percival only leaned against the curve of the partition wall and trained gilded irises on him. Rafel ripped out his drawers and searched for a clean shirt. Percival's eyes reminded him too much of his cousin, the Queen.
The former queen.
He had gotten no word from Giselle since that night of the Titans ascension from the boiling sea. If his dear friend were still alive, he wouldn't know; her, and Annabelle. He just hoped they hadn't burned. He hoped to Fortuna.
"You came in at 3am last night. Our meeting ended at one," said Percival. Rafel didn't turn as he gruffly replied, "which is why I don't need you to be bugging me so damn early. I only got few hours of sleep before the fucking bell tower came tolling. I don't need to tell you where I've been, because I'm not hiding anything. I got sidetracked, that's all.
I don't why it concerns you so much."
"You are the Apollyon," Percival explained simply. "Our best chance of toppling the reign of the Usurper rests on you."
"Then as the Apollyon, I order you to stand down," Rafel muttered. He certainly wasn't about to tell Percival that those two hours he'd been MIA were spent ramming up the intense body of a Fourth Year demigoddess. A flash of the female soldier's hot nudes entered his head and Rafel cursed as he banged the drawer.
"Fuck. Where did Naamah keep all the fucking black shirts she laundered for me?"
Percival walked over and calmly drew out the last rung of the closet. He pulled from within a pile a neatly folded ebony jacket with gold-hoop buttons. He held it out to Rafel. "Here you go." Rafel grabbed it off his hands. Percival turned and began to leave, but paused at the marbled wing. "And for the record, from now on, I've become your guard.
Your protector. You aren't going to as much as chuck a shit without me being there. It's called tough love."
And with that, Percival vamoosed. Rafel charged at his statement with unacceptance. "Oi! I didn't ask for a fucking bodyguard."
"Yeah? You should have thought of that before you accepted to be the leader of the Children of the Crow," came the long, amused voice.
"Fuck you, man."
"See you at breakfast!" Rafel heard the door slam.
He was left alone to dress and pulled on the coal blazer. The majority of his classes for the day were in the level of the shadow world tower, so he had to go with the colors of [Raven Arc]. As the only bi-magical student in the elite magus academy, Rafel knew he'd need to read harder and train twice as much. Thank fuck he had a pretty good start at warfare early in life.
But he wasn't thinking of the other assessments that might be lined of for today.
No.
No one did.
The bells rang again, and Rafel quickly moved to rise. He told them of his choked schedule. "That's my cue. I've got Potions and Poisons now. And a reading of Mahorr the Malevolent scripts later at noon. I will see you all at dinner, yes?" The long table of friends smiled and nodded.
Rafel was halfway to his feet when a beautiful, slim hand blocked his way. It touched, very gently his shoulder.
Rafel followed the golden skin, and cascading hair on the upper arm to the bombshell features of the student president. Ever since Erika had become his partner at the ownership of Spinazolla's, she had become quite endeared to him. And if she wasn't so into pop culture, she would admit her crush openly to him.
"Miss President." Rafel said back down.
"Look at you; all glowing. I bet you have the best study partner this test week." Mikhail added with a salacious wink.
Erika ignored the Rocasian royal. She turned those riverine blue eyes of hers to him. Where Cora's iris were like ice and killed frost, Erika's were more of the sky: fair and azure. No wonder she was a Griffin. Standinf very close to Rafel's seat, she held out a painted flyer and spoke to him about the coming sporting event.
"I imagined you and your clic haven't heard. . ."
When oblivious looks met her eyes all round the table, Erika continued, "huh, just like I thought. Anyway, that's why you have me. The Spring Games start at week's end. How haven't you heard? I made an announcement this morning, and banners are all over all the gym and playing courts. It really is—"
Mikhail charged in. "THE SPRING GAMES! OH MY GOD!"
Rafel tried to tame his ire. "Can someone please tell me what the fucking Spring Games is?"
"The most anticipated fun fest of the year. Full of wet t-shirt contest and a chance to lock in trysts with several hot bikini models, while cashing in huge on bets." Mikhail's eyes radiated open greed and lust. Rafel could almost see the coins chinking and busty babes in his eyes. Erika held up her hand, curtly interrupting: "He just managed to keep out the real deal from it.
It's no surprise the only thing he cares about it making money and draining his balls."
"What else is there?" Mikhail laughed. Rosa hid hers, when Erika scowled in contempt.
"The main event," she went on hard, "is the games that shall be taking place during that period. Yes, there will be lots of fun and party time. But more significant, all four Arcs of our prestigious magical academy will get to combat for the Sun Trophy by having their chosen representatives participate in field events.
You know the like: arena fighting, mud wrestling, swimming with alligators, bull taming, dragon riding, archery.
The Spring Games usually last a fortnight, unless there's a tie, and then it extends. The first event has been set by the school board for the Sabbath evening; with the Hunt. Theme being the Great Hunt of Athena. Your various Arcs will have more information." Erika waved her long hair in the way she always did. "I've got to go now. I have Caelestes Historia.
But good luck in the hunt."
And with that said, Rafel watched the knockout Miss President sashay out of the cafeteria, her pink-purple heels clapping and clapping.
Spring Games? thought Rafel. Nice ring. Though he would have to finally choose an Arc. Throughout the rest of the day, and even as he joined with a group to mix a Malady elixir of the death fever in [Potions and Poisons] lab, his mind kept going to Erika Burgess' pretty pink lips, and how they had pouted the words, 'Sabbaths evening. The Hunt of Athena.'