Draven was completely captivated. He sat beside Silas, his gaze tracing the lines of the younger man's handsome face. He'd had partners before, both men and women, but he had never felt this restless, this magnetic pull toward anyone. It was an entirely new and unsettling territory.
A pointed cough broke the silence. "Silas," Kael said, leaning forward with a conspiratorial air. "I already consider you a friend. So, I think it's only fair I share my secrets with you, too."
Silas was confused. What secret could Kael possibly have that he felt compelled to share?
Kael extended his right hand across the carriage for a handshake. Silas, though hesitant, reached out and took it. Kael immediately gripped his hand with exaggerated enthusiasm, shaking it firmly while pointedly watching Draven's face darken with jealousy.
"Are you going to blabber nonsense," Draven snapped, his voice tight with anger, "or are you going to tell him the secret? Because if you don't, I will."
And just like that, Silas understood. He understood the eye-fighting from before, Kael's strange behavior, and Draven's simmering frustration. This "secret" was something Draven wanted him to know, and Kael was just drawing out the drama.
Kael sighed dramatically, finally releasing Silas's hand. He looked at Silas, his playful demeanor fading into something more serious. "Let me introduce myself again, Silas."
He paused for effect.
"I am Kael Aetherion, the young master of the Aetherion ducal family."
Silas's eyes widened in genuine surprise. He instinctively looked to Draven for confirmation. Draven simply gave a solemn nod.
"Then… what are you doing here, Count Kael?" Silas asked, recalling that the heir to a duchy typically held the title of Count.
A broad, mischievous grin split Kael's face. "Don't use that name! I ran away from home because I felt like it. Even my family doesn't know I'm here in the Valerius Archduchy." He leaned back, looking immensely proud of himself. "And even if they wanted to find me, they'd have to go through the Valerius Archduke himself to get to me. Aren't I smart? Hahahahah!"
He tipped his head back and started laughing, the sound echoing crazily within the confines of the luxurious carriage.
Draven rolled his eyes, his voice dripping with annoyance. "Don't believe him, Silas. He just didn't like the person his family arranged for him to marry."
"It was an engagement!" Kael snapped back, his laughter dying instantly. "An engagement! Not a marriage. I don't even know the girl, just that she's from some Margrave's family. That's why I ran away."
Silas listened quietly, a sense of understanding dawning on him. He was also from a noble family, the Valerius Archduchy, no less. He knew the suffocating pressure of duty and arranged pairings all too well.
He could only imagine how much pressure Kael must have been under to take the drastic step of fleeing his home and title. It wasn't just about disliking a person; it was about fighting for the freedom to choose your own life.
A blush crept up Silas's neck. "I… also have secrets," he admitted, his voice trailing off, "but…"
Before he could finish, Kael cut him off, his tone surprisingly gentle. "Hey, we all have secrets. Just because I shared mine doesn't mean you have to share yours. Just know that you can trust us. You can share your burdens with us if you ever want to."
Then, his mischievous grin returned. He leaned in close to Silas, theatrically putting a hand up to block Draven from view. "I also know Draven's secret," he whispered loudly. "Want to hear it?"
Before Silas could even process the offer, Draven launched himself across the short distance between them. He clamped a hand over Kael's mouth, his own face a mess of panic and embarrassment as he looked at Silas. "You don't need to say anything, Kael," he said through gritted teeth. "I'll tell him myself."
Kael's eyes crinkled above Draven's hand. He knew the look on his friend's face was dangerously serious. He had been about to blurt out that Draven was completely smitten with Silas, but he could see now that Draven wanted to be the one to say it.
The tension in the carriage snapped.
Silas looked at the two of them one struggling, one looking mortified and a genuine, happy laugh escaped him, bright and clear.
"Hahahaha… you're both like children!"
The easy camaraderie in the carriage made the hours fly by. Eventually, Silas felt the smooth motion slow to a stop. The carriage door swung open, and Kael peered outside, a grin on his face. Silas followed his gaze and caught his breath. Perched high on the mountainside stood a magnificent castle, every bit as grand as his own home, its towers disappearing into a thick, swirling bank of fog.
"Looks like the other teams are back, too," Kael said, sounding amused. Draven grunted in agreement.
Silas looked at him, confused. "What other teams, Kael?"
"Did you think we were the only ones out recruiting?" Kael replied. "The academy sends teams all over the continent to find promising students. You're about to meet them."
Understanding dawned on Silas. He looked out and saw dozens of other, similar carriages also pulling to a stop, disgorging students from different lands and cultures. He stepped out of the carriage, gave Kael and Draven a nod, and went to find his place among the crowd of his fellow newcomers.
A group of senior instructors came together and, with a powerful, unified chant, pushed open the colossal main gates of the academy. The students were then herded inside, where they were assigned rooms in the dormitories. The standard arrangement was three to a room; a private room required a payment so exorbitant it was out of reach for most.
Silas received his key and room number and was about to head off when a firm hand landed on his shoulder, stopping him. He turned to see Draven standing there, his expression uncharacteristically serious.
"Silas," he began, "I have a suggestion."
Silas nodded, waiting. Draven's face was tinged with red, a clear sign of his embarrassment, but he pushed the words out anyway. "I have my own courtyard here at the academy. You could… stay there. If you want."
The offer hung in the air. Silas could feel his own ears burning. He shook his head frantically. "No, I mean… I just entered the academy. I want to make some friends, and it will be easier if I live in the dorms with everyone else."
Draven's hopeful expression fell, and Silas could almost see the heartbreak in his eyes. He clearly wanted to keep Silas close, but his sincerity had been met with a polite, logical refusal.
Seeing the disappointment on his face, Silas quickly added, "But Draven, I do need a different kind of help from you."
Draven's face lit up instantly, a huge smile replacing his wounded look. "Just say it. If I can do it, I will."
"Do you know how to get experience?" Silas asked earnestly.
The question shifted Draven back into instructor mode. "By fighting," he said seriously. "If you want to gain experience, you can use the academy's gymnasium or the challenge grounds. But the experience points you'll gain there are minimal. Until…"
Silas leaned in, his interest piqued. "Until what?"
Draven's voice dropped, becoming graver. "Until you raid a dungeon."
"A dungeon?" Silas repeated. "Are you talking about a secret realm with monsters in it?" His knowledge of such things was patchy, drawn from the vague memories of his past life. Having been sheltered in his family's castle since birth, the practical, dangerous structures of the world were a mystery to him.
"Yes," Draven confirmed, nodding. "Exactly. And they are ranked by danger. There are S-rank, A-rank, B-rank, C-rank, D-rank, and E-rank dungeons."
A serious look crossed Silas's face. "I want to go to a dungeon."
Draven immediately shook his head. "Absolutely not, Silas. Dungeons are incredibly dangerous. Even to attempt an E-rank dungeon, you need a full party of at least ten people around level five or six. You're only at level one."
Silas's determined expression crumbled. He looked up at Draven, his eyes wide and glittering with a look of pure, pleading disappointment. It was a devastatingly effective tactic.
Draven's resolve melted under the assault. He let out a long, defeated sigh. "Okay, okay! Fine. I'll take you to an E-rank one. But," he said, his voice becoming stern again, "you have to promise me you will follow my orders once we are inside. No arguments."
Silas's face lit up, and he nodded eagerly.
A faint, relieved smile touched Draven's lips. He reached into his pouch and produced a small, ornate key, pressing it into Silas's hand. It was the key to his own courtyard. "If you change your mind about the dorms," he said, his voice softening, "you can come to my courtyard. Anytime."
And before Silas could form a rejection, Draven turned and disappeared into the bustling crowd of students, leaving Silas alone with the warm metal in his palm.
Silas looked down at the key, a tiny, secret smile playing on his lips. He liked Draven, too. More than he was willing to admit. But he didn't want to drag the instructor into the complexities and dangers of his own life, and so he kept his feelings locked away. In the quiet of his own heart, though, there was no denying it, Draven was the prince who had, against all odds, made his heart flutter.
Silas found his way to the assigned dorm room. Inside, a boy around his own age was already sitting on one of the beds, clearly waiting for his new roommates to arrive.
Silas was just about to offer a greeting when the footsteps of the third resident sounded in the hall. The door swung open, and the final roommate stepped inside.
Time seemed to freeze. Silas's face was a mask of pure shock. The newcomer stared back, his own eyes wide with disbelief.
"You idiot!" Silas finally yelled, breaking the silence. "What are you doing here at Argent Spire?"
The guy snapped right back, his voice equally loud. "You dimwit! You actually left home without telling anyone? I swear, I'm going to contact your parents right now. They'll have you turned into a decorative piece of furniture and locked away for good!"
A victorious smirk spread across Silas's face. "Heh. You'll be disappointed this time. I'm completely recovered. My parents allowed me to leave."
The anger on the other boy's face instantly vanished, replaced by stunned silence. The fight drained out of him, and his expression crumpled. He took two quick strides and threw his arms around Silas, hugging him so tightly it was hard to breathe. Sobs wracked his body.
"Silas… you idiot dimwit…" he choked out between tears. "You're finally… you're really recovered? I'm so happy for you."
Silas's own composure cracked under the raw emotion of the hug. He felt his face flush with embarrassment and awkwardly patted his friend's back. "Stop it!" he hissed, his voice tight. "Can't you see someone else is right here?"