Love Never Dies by Pelaam

Love Never Dies by Pelaam

Author:Pelaam [Pelaam]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: JMS Books LLC
Published: 2020-08-16T16:00:00+00:00


Chapter 18

The group were escorted back to their quarters. No one spoke on the way, and Midnight felt increasingly guilty about his deception as Tresilian remained solicitous the entire way back.

“Well, I intended to bathe, so I hope no one tried to disturb me.” Dryden went into his room, slamming the door behind him.

“Why don’t the rest of you come into my room for a minute?” Aurora held open her door, then looked at Midnight. “If you’re well enough?”

“‘M fine.” Midnight couldn’t meet her eye as he walked past her.

Once everyone was inside, Aurora sat on the bed with Dru beside her. George stood like a sentry in front of the door. Voltaire paced back and forth like a tiger in a cage and Tresilian continued to fuss over Midnight, who needed to be honest with his friends.

“Sorry, Voltaire, Tresilian, everyone.” Midnight hung his head. “I’m not ill as I claimed. But I thought it expedient that we got out of there before things turned nasty. Although I had the feeling that both Tullia and Maximus would have been quite happy to watch a fight.”

“You did the right thing, Midnight.” Voltaire patted his shoulder. “I don’t believe they trust Ferdinand any more than I do. But, of course, he’s had their ear a little longer, and doubtless says the things they’d like to hear, too.”

“Just what is the story with you and Ferdinand?” Midnight threw up his hands in frustration. “He sounds willing to side with the Atlanteans. Anything to…to get at you.”

“It’s rather a sad tale really.” Voltaire sighed as if staring into a past only he could see. “We were childhood friends. We were sent to school as soon as our parents could be rid of us. The proper thing to do, of course. We were two terrified boys with the ponderous weight of parental, or rather patriarchal, expectations on our shoulders. There are times when I wonder how we ever made it to adulthood.”

“What happened?” Midnight asked, his voice soft.

“I found I enjoyed academia.” Voltaire smiled at Midnight and began his customary pacing, gesticulating as he spoke, as if trying to release a build-up of energy. “Not at first, of course. But to my ever-growing relief, I found that the lessons weren’t as bad as I’d imagined, and I didn’t struggle to assimilate or retain what I was taught. And to much the same degree, the same was true of Ferdinand. At least, so I thought. But as hard as he tried, he never surpassed being second to me.” Voltaire stood still and his shoulders sagged. “And that situation, over the years, became…intolerable for him.”

When Voltaire fell silent, Midnight looked at Tresilian.

“Ferdinand cheated.” Tresilian shrugged. “Seemed he’d been doing it for a while but was incredibly careful about covering his tracks. If he’d succeeded, well, the school would probably let it slip past for sheer audacity. But he didn’t and the school had no option but to give him the choice of leaving under his own steam or being asked to go.



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