CHAPTER 176: EVALUATION TEST [2]

"So how do I get in now?"

Alaric muttered the words to himself, slouched on a wooden bench near the cobblestone path.

The academy gates loomed maybe twenty feet ahead.

His head tilted back, eyes half-closed against the late afternoon glare.

Guards still patrolled the perimeter.

He’d counted rotations. Which meant jumping the wall wasn’t easy, not without getting spotted. And walking through the front gates? That’d mean questions. Too many questions about where he’d been, why he looked like he’d crawled through a warzone, what happened to his uniform.

More trouble than it was worth.

"Damn it."

The words came out flat. Tired.

He let his head fall forward, rubbing at his face with both hands.

His gaze drifted upward.

The sky was starting to turn orange now. The sun sinking toward the horizon, dragging long shadows across the grounds. Gold light painted the academy’s towers, making them glow like they were on fire.

It was pretty.

Also meant he’d been sitting here too long.

A breeze picked up. Somewhere behind him, leaves rustled.

Alaric’s jaw tightened.

Think.

His thoughts churned. Maybe wait till dark? No, curfew patrol gets tighter. Bribe someone? With what money—

Suddenly he stopped, as a movement caught his eye.

A chestnut-brown haired girl in staff uniform walked along the pathway. She carried a toolbox in one hand. Maintenance crew, probably. Heading back inside after some repair work.

Alaric blinked.

Then grinned.

Well. Yeah. Got an idea.

He pushed himself up from the bench. His boots hit the cobblestone as he started after her, closing the distance with quick strides.

"Hey, wait!" He called.

The girl stopped and turned around slowly.

Her eyes swept over him and took in the torn clothes, the blood stains, the general disaster of his appearance.

Her expression didn’t change much.

Just... cautious. The look someone gets when a stranger approaches asking for something.

She didn’t say anything. Just waited.

Alaric slowed his approach. Stopped a few feet away. Kept his hands visible, non-threatening.

"I need a little help."

His voice came out casual. Easy. Like this was a normal request and he wasn’t standing there looking like he’d lost a fight with a forest.

The girl’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"What kind of help?"

Alaric shifted his weight. Ran a hand through his hair.

"Look, I’m a student here." He gestured vaguely toward the academy. "I had to step out earlier for medical issues and needed to see my doctor off-campus."

The girl’s expression didn’t soften. Her grip on the toolbox stayed firm.

He continued, words coming faster now. "On my way back, some wild beasts jumped me near the forest edge. Honestly, it happened so fast..." He indicated his shredded clothes. "I lost my permission letter in the fight. Guards won’t let me through looking like this without it."

Her eyes tracked over his torn shirt again. The bloodstains. Lingered on a particularly nasty rip across his shoulder.

Calculating.

"So..." Alaric offered what he hoped was a harmless smile. "Would you let me come with you? Just through the gates. Once I’m inside, I can head to my dorm, get cleaned up. No one needs to know."

Silence stretched between them.

The girl shifted the toolbox to her other hand. "You got your student identification?"

"Yeah, of course..." His hand went to his pocket.

His fingers found the small leather holder then he pulled it out.

The academy seal was still visible on the front, but the leather was scratched, corner bent. He flipped it open.

The identification card inside was intact.

He held it out.

The girl leaned forward slightly. Didn’t take it from him, just examined it where it sat in his palm. Her eyes flicked between the card and his face.

"Guards check these at the gate," she said slowly. "Why not just show them that?"

"They do check them. But in this state?" He gestured at himself again. "They’ll want to verify with the headmaster’s office. File an incident report. Questions about where exactly I was attacked, why I was alone, did I report it to city patrol... And many more things."

The girl’s jaw worked slightly. She understood. Bureaucracy. Hours of explaining. Possibly disciplinary action for leaving campus.

"And you’d rather just... slip in quietly."

"Exactly."

Her eyes narrowed again.

She glanced back toward the gates. The guards were visible in the distance, still maintaining their patrol pattern.

Then she looked back at him, and agreed. "We’ll enter through the staff entrance," she said quietly.

Hope flickered in Alaric’s chest. He kept his face neutral.

"The guards there know me," she continued. "They’re used to maintenance coming and going. But if they ask, you’re my assistant, helping carry equipment."

"Sure. Yeah."

She studied him for another long moment.

Then sighed. "And once we’re through, head straight to your dorm. I don’t want trouble."

"No trouble. Promise."

The girl reached up, unfastening the clasp at her throat. Her blue cloak came free, she pulled it off in one smooth motion and held it out.

"Here. Cover yourself with this. You look like you crawled out of a grave."

Alaric blinked but took the cloak.

He shrugged off what remained of his own tattered cloak, let it drop to the ground. Pulled hers around his shoulders.

The girl was already turning as she started toward the side gate.

Alaric fell in behind her.

Then they reached the side entrance of the academy.

Two guards stood stationed there. They straightened slightly as the girl approached.

She didn’t slow down. Just shifted the toolbox to her other hand and smiled.

"Evening! Got the irrigation system fixed finally, what a mess that was." She spoke cheerfully. Then jerked her head back toward Alaric without breaking stride. "Had to bring an assistant this time, couldn’t carry all the tools myself."

The guard’s eyes swept over Alaric briefly. Took in the blue cloak.

One guard nodded. "Long day miss?"

"You have no idea, my back’s killing me." She laughed, already moving past them. "I’m gonna sleep for a week."

"Night then."

"Night!"

And just like that, they were through.

Alaric’s shoulders loosened slightly. He kept his pace matched to hers.

The girl led them toward the back of the dormitories.

When they reached the corner where the path split, she finally stopped.

Alaric reached up, unfastened the cloak. Pulled it free and held it out.

"Thank you."

She took it, draping it over one arm. Her expression had softened somewhat, less guarded now that they were safely inside.

"It’s fine." She said, her lips quirked up slightly, teasing. "You are actually a student here, right? I don’t wanna get caught helping some terrorist infiltrate the academy or something, that’d be really bad for me."

Alaric shook his head his, laughing lightly. "Don’t worry, I’m not."

She giggled. "Good, because you owe me now."

"I know." He nodded. "I’ll make it up to you. Promise."

She shifted the toolbox to her hip, then extended her free hand. "By the way, I’m Elena."