Apprentices: Third Quarter

Unwanted

Fifteen minutes later, Ahmose comes back with Lucian and they both get to hear about my idea. The idea about letting the living membrane starve. I can tell that they’re hesitant about it, and I get a feeling that they’re hesitant because I’m still present.

Before I can say anything to convince them that this is a good idea, Cyrus pulls me aside with a meaningful gaze in his eyes. “I was just about to charm them,” I grunt at him, making him send me a pointed look.

“I’m sure you were. But as long as you’re here, they won’t warm up to the idea,” he tells me straightforwardly. I open my mouth to protest, but before I can even take my breath, he already interrupts me, saying: “Trust me, they won’t. I’m not against you being down here, but they are. I need you to leave now and not come back.”

I stare at him in shock, wondering why he just said that. Did I do something wrong? Did I say something? Okay, I wasn’t the nicest to that Lucian guy, but that’s just because he was treating me badly in the first place! “Look, if my big mouth is a problem, I can keep quiet,” I tell him slowly, trying to earn my place here.

His mouth gets tugged up in the corners, letting me know that I’m amusing him. “I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but it’s not your big mouth … Once for change,” he remarks.

“Hey!” I protest, making that smile appear on his face now. But in the next moment, it already fades a little. I glance over his shoulder to make eye contact with Marcus, who's already watching me in a worried way.

“I need you to understand that the Elite aren’t very welcome to outsiders. They prefer to work alone. You can see that they’re not even working together with the warrior witches,” he tries to reason with me. But all he does is make me furrow my eyebrows.

“But they’re working with you,” I observe, trying to figure out what makes him different from everyone else. He’s a newcomer too. He’s here even less time than any of those warrior witches.

“They’re working with me, because the Elite always needs to have five members. It has been like this since the beginning. They have no other choice but to except a new member,” he explains. I find that hard to believe. “Look, the lesson is off today. In the following days, I might be able to make some time for you, but not much. I need to help them solve this, okay? The whole Seminary depends on us,” he keeps talking.

“I get that, Cyrus. What I don’t get, is why you won’t let me be here to help. You know that I come up with great ideas, if you just let me-”

“I can’t. I’m really sorry, but I can’t. And you have the exam week to worry about. I can’t ask you to give your energy into solving this problem too,” he interrupts me gently, but his voice is showing determination. This is his last word. That’s what he’s letting me know now. He didn’t want to humiliate me in front of the others.

I straighten up, not wanting them to see that this is hurting me. Not being trusted in a situation like this. “Okay then. Are you going to let me know when our next lesson is?” I ask, trying not to get my feelings involved.

But the moment the words leave my mouth, his expression shifts into a pitiful one. Damn. Too late. The emotions are coming in three, two, one. I have to bite the inner part of my lower lip. Hard. To prevent it from trembling. “I will. Good luck with the exams. I know you’ll do well,” he then says in an even softer tone, but I don’t say much more.

I nod, murmur a thanks, then meet Marcus’s gaze. He knows something’s wrong, but I don’t give him the chance of questioning my mentor about what he said to hurt me. I already walk over to the Elite, putting the brightest smile on my face. “It was really nice to meet you all. I hope I was helpful at least a bit. I won’t be bothering you anymore,” I tell them, waving my hand goodbye.

They all greet me back, except for Lucian, who murmurs something in the lines of ‘about time’ into his chin. However, I’m not in the mood to argue, so I pretend I didn’t hear anything, then walk away with Marcus by my side. I don’t even take a single glance at my mentor as we leave the scene. No matter how tempted I am, because I swear I can feel his gaze burning at my back.

“What just happened?” Marcus wants to know, and I repeat a short version of what Cyrus said to me. He keeps frowning for a few moments, then asks me something that makes me wonder what he actually thinks about my new mentor. “Do you trust this guy?”

I look up at him, watching him for a long moment, before responding to his question. “I’d trust him with my life,” I let him know in a deadly serious tone. He stares down at me, then nods.

“Okay. Then I trust him too,” he finally replies. But something about his tone doesn’t let me stay calm.

“Why are you asking me that? Has he given you a reason not to trust him?” I wonder, making him grow quiet for a moment. Oh. I hit the nail on the head, didn’t I? What is this about? He has to tell me, he can’t be silent now.

“No, it’s just that … He doesn’t like me,” he starts, making me freeze. So he picked up on that, didn’t he? Damn. “And I think the reason behind that is because he wants you for himself,” he then concludes, surprising me so much, that I trip over my own feet. Marcus grabs me just in time, so I don’t land straight on my face.

“Why in the darkest depths of hell, would you think that at all?” I wonder as I finally pull myself back on my feet, staring up at him in shock. I’m glad he’s not having a jealous rampage, like Jake, but I didn’t expect Marcus to be jealous at all. I mean, he’s so chill and so damn hot. Why would he feel insecure next to my mentor?

“Well, he’s young and attractive,” he begins, making my gaze darken. “You can’t deny it. And he’s also charming. I could see women standing in line in front of his door,” he continues, his eyes glistening in an almost playful way.

I let out a long sigh, then grab him by his collar and pull him down, so we’re eye to eye. It’s not like I can properly see him in the faint light that our phones give away, but it’s enough to make eye contact.

“Listen to me. He could be a Greek god for all I care, and he’d have absolutely no effect on me,” I murmur in an alluring tone, making his lips curl up into a smirk. It’s a little white lie, but it doesn’t harm him.

“Oh, really? So, you’re saying you don’t find him attractive at all? Not even a little bit?” he continues in an almost teasing way, surprising me so much, that I’m unable to come up with a good response.

I end up shrugging and saying: “He’s not my type.” Oof. Okay. Big fat lie. He’s totally my type. But Marcus only chuckles and starts flirting with me. Under the infected wards, in the middle of a forest, he decides to flirt with me.

“Then what is your type?” he asks in a suggestive tone, making me hold back a lecture. Just play along for his sake, Evelyn. You just dodged a bullet there.

“I’m looking at it,” I murmur, earning myself a deep, passionate kiss. I can barely breathe, but for all I care, this boy could suffocate me, and I’d still be left wanting more. I moan into his mouth as his hand finds my breast, kneading it softly in his hand.

Finally, as he breaks the kiss, I find myself gasping for air. He’s still holding me in his embrace and he’s smirking at me in amusement.

“We should really take this elsewhere,” I suggest, making him let out a long sigh of relief.

“Finally, some sense from you.”