The Shadow Within Me

Chapter Forty Two - Study

Crystal Raine Meadows

After we ate lunch, Rayleigh ordered the boys to clean the dishes or none of them would be able to bring home a take-out.

Calyx of course didn't participate as he continued roaming around that special room while reading some book.

"He's always like that after we eat or even if he comes here not to eat, he mentioned that when he reads after eating, he'll remember it more," Rayleigh whispered, so I flinched before glancing at her on my side.

I slightly blushed because she must've noticed that I was staring at Calyx intently, "A-Ah, I see," I replied, so she just looked at me intently.

"You can start reviewing now if you want, sorry for taking your time for cooking," Rayleigh sincerely apologized, so I shook my head at her.

"Don't be, I finished quickly with your help plus we still have a lot of time before the training hours," I smiled at her, so she giggled before pinching my cheeks, which surprised me for a moment.

"You smile so beautifully, did you know that?" she claimed, so I furrowed my eyebrows at her while shaking my head.

"You smile beautifully too, we all smile nicely," I defended, but she just shook her head while patting my head.

"Someone might point it out someday," she smiled before telling me that the reviewers were on the far corner of this room.

She sounded like Jenny for a moment, I just sighed because I missed her so badly. I wonder if they'll talk to me today or even tomorrow?

Shaking my head, I decided to pace towards that far corner to look for that reviewer. I will never miss this chance of being here.

It must be destined for me to be here to review and read lots of information that I might need on the pre-examinations.

The whole place was just really bigger than the first floor of our house back there in the Woods residence. A lot of bookshelves filled with many ancient books are placed around the corner waiting for me to read them, but I can't be distracted, I have to look for books that are included in our examinations.

I arrived at a corner where it's a bit far from them, it was really quiet and it feels like I'm the only one reading inside of this room.

My hands pointed at the labels to help me look for the drawers where the reviewers are located, "Let's see, this one...um...no, Aha! This is it!" I beamed before deciding to grab some ladder because it's located on the sixth shelf.

After placing the ladder in its rightful place, I started climbing up and decided to open the drawer. I didn't notice that I was too high up while I was searching for those reviewers.

"Found it!" I cheered and looked below, my eyes widened after seeing how far I was from the ground.

I lost my balance due to my sudden realization and gasped when I lost my grip on the ladder. I closed my eyes and didn't bother to scream because I was too terrified to even do it.

After closing my eyes, I waited for my body or head to ache after I fell, but that's what I didn't feel. I felt a warm hand wrapping around my waist as if it was helping me to stand up.

"Woman, is there any place where you do not fall in my presence?" I was thankful after hearing that voice. I don't know why I felt relieved that he was there for me, he should stop doing this, or I'll start relying on him with these kinds of things.

Calyx has been the one who's always saved me from all the troubles that I've been in inside this university. I will always be grateful to him for that.

I slowly opened my eyes and noticed those red glinting eyes looking at me intently, I can't really stop admiring these eyes of his.

"Tss, am I talking to some here? Hey woman," he called, so I flinched before looking at him intently, "I'm talking to you, are you deaf?" he coldly asked, so I just shook my head before smiling at him.

"T-Thank you, I-I was expecting that no one would catch me this time," I almost teared up while smiling, so he looked surprised for a moment as he averted his gaze and moved away from me.

"Tch, which reviewer do you want?" he coldly asked while looking at the papers that I was holding, he stole them away from my hands before reading them.

He threw those away that surprised me for a moment, "H-Hey! I need those!" I complained, but he just glared at me.

"I thought you were smart? Why are you grabbing that when you heard that it's not included in our exams?" he hissed, so my eyes widened before checking those papers again that he threw away from us.

He's right, we don't need this information on our pre-examinations, "T-Thanks, I didn't notice it," I mumbled while scratching the back of my head.

"Here, this is what you need to review," he coldly gave me a bunch of papers before he decided to grab the ladder away from me.

"And don't ever touch this ladder, this is mine, I'll cut your hands off if you touch it," he threatened, so I furrowed my eyebrows at him.

He's really brutal sometimes, jeez. I just shook my head and decided to review those papers and write them in my notes.

Luckily, there's a study table on the corner, it made things much easier for me to write more in my notes.

On my peripheral view, Calyx was also roaming around beside my table before sitting on the window near my study table.

I don't know why I felt happy because he looked comfortable in my presence as he sat improperly on the edge of the windows.

"What are you looking at?" I flinched when he talked, he's still reading the book, so how did he notice that?

"I'm not dumb not to notice it, you've been staring at me way too long, focus on reading," he ordered, so I was really surprised at what he said.

I didn't say anything! How on earth did he know what's running on my freaking mind? I just shook my head and continued reading.

Time runs so fast when I get bored of reading those reviewers, my head is overloaded with information and it isn't good to add more.

Students must know their limitations and they have to rest their brains sometimes. I decided to stand up, stretched my joints, and noticed that Calyx was sleeping on the edge of the windows with a book covering his face.

I just smiled at the sight of him before deciding to look for some entertainment books. It might help me relax with what's going on right now inside my brain.

My eyes noticed a dark shelf near the study table. I didn't notice it probably because I'm too busy filling up my mind with the information I need for the pre-examinations.

I slowly paced over there to check what's inside that shelf, "The books of wonders," I read and it's written in dragon language. The book of wonders...I heard those books are really rare and dangerous sometimes.

Shaking my head, what will books do to harm you? I smiled before deciding to open that dark shelf, it's locked and the key is just dangling right beside it.

After opening that huge case of the shelf, it revealed to me some glowing, rare books that are unfamiliar to me.

My whole body was shaking with excitement that urged me to touch every single one of them and read them until I went crazy.

It's just strange that they're all written in dragon language. Luckily, I've managed to learn some of the basics symbols and sentences.

"Book of Elements, Light, Death, Shadow, D-Desire?" I furrowed my eyebrows after reading that book. I curiously grabbed it away from its designated position and noticed that it was a glowing red book with a golden lining on the edges.

"Woah, this looks um, rare?" I smiled and checked it out when I heard a small noise on the back. I glanced on my back and noticed that the book that was covering Calyx's face fell that irritably woke him up.

He slowly roamed his eyes around our surroundings and noticed me, he glanced at what I was holding and his eyes widened.

"W-Why the hell are you holding that?!" He looked sleepy a while ago, but now he looks like he's in a rage.

"H-Huh? What's the problem? Is there something wrong with this book?" I curiously asked before deciding to open the first page of that book.

"No! Don't f*****g open--" it was too late for him to warn me as a strange light appeared after I opened that book and it all went black.

Calyx Nyxerian Paraiso

"s**t! How can you be so stupid!" I ran over there to catch her from falling on the ground after that strange light appeared.

I immediately checked what book she opened and sighed in relief when I noticed that it was just the book of desire.

She's lucky she didn't grab the book of death or it'll be the end of her life, why are they keeping these freaking books here?!

I immediately took that book with me before placing her on the chair next to the study table, "Calyx? What's going on over there? Did something explode?" I heard David Ronin yelled, so I hissed before looking at the front.

Luckily, we're a bit far from where we ate a while ago, it would buy me some time to wake her up, "Nothing's going on, just leave me alone!" I screamed, so I just heard a laugh from the far corner.

"Don't keep Crystal to yourself!" he teased, so I glared at the bookshelves on the front, that i***t is insane.

Shaking my head, I looked at the unconscious woman beside me before looking for that secret place where I go here to be not bothered.

After seeing those strange-looking shelves, I took the odd book away from the line and it created a creaking sound that revealed to me the opening towards a secret room.

I've been into many passageways of this university for me not to know about this place. After it opened enough for us both to get through, I went inside and waited for the shelf to close.

The torches inside lit up the moment the secret doorway closed. I glanced on my side and saw that the woman was still sleeping peacefully.

I just heaved a deep long sigh before deciding to pace towards that place. It didn't take me a while to reach the bottom of it as I reached the room where I study on my own.

The color of the walls was beige while the floor was white-tiled. It wasn't huge, but it's enough for two people to fit in. There's a sofa, a small chair, three bookshelves, a small fridge, and two study tables.

I carefully placed her on the sofa and took out the book I kept in my pocket, "Let's see what clumsiness you have right now," I commented even though I knew she couldn't hear me.

My hands caressed the book and opened the first page of it, the book only effects once, if the second person opened it without the first one solving its one problem then the book wouldn't take effect.

Which was an advantage to help someone instantly. I read the first page and my face scrunched up in confusion after reading what's in it.

"Beware, do not open this book unless you want to conquer your deepest desire," I read, "Once the victim woke, people around her will have to suffer to fulfill his/her desire," I glanced at that woman again.

She's breathing calmly and there's nothing odd going on about her, "Is this some kind of sick joke?" I just shook my head and flipped the pages of the book. I stopped when I noticed something important.

"Beware, if the desire isn't fulfilled, life will be eaten up and he/she will be banished in this world, like they never existed," I mumbled before looking at that woman.

"What are your desires? You don't want to be banished here right?" I claimed before closing that book.

My heart aches at the thought of her being banished from this world. I'll freaking burn this book if that happens.

I paced towards her before kneeling on the front of the sofa just to look at her intently, "Wake up, we have to immediately fulfill all your desires and there's no goddamn book you'll ever touch from that shelf ever," I hissed while scratching the back of my head.

My eyes stared at her peaceful well-being, she looked like an extraordinary being sleeping on the sofa. My hands unconsciously reached out towards the hair that was on her face.

"You're lucky you're in trouble," I whispered before combing some strands of her hair. I don't know why I'm even doing this.

Shaking my head, I stopped doing those things before patiently waiting for her to wake up.

To be continued…