CHAPTER 69: CHAPTER 69: THE PROFESSOR’S FAVOUR

Zaeryn’s eyes rounded as realization settled in.

’Professor Tiffany.’

He had completely forgotten about his school professor who held one of his secrets. And it wasn’t just any secret. Actually, it was the kind that could get him into yet another serious situation, like the one he had with the council.

The pressing reality of the Citadel, the shock of his powers, and the dramatic family reunion had completely erased the small, but critical, detail of his looming academic disaster.

He was supposed to meet his professor, Tiffany, after hours to discuss the "favor" she wanted in exchange for her silence about the forbidden codex. If he didn’t, and Tiffany reported him, he would be in serious trouble.

"She says you were supposed to come in today, you had an agreement of some sorts," Ysmeine continued, a smirk forming and widening. "What agreement did you have?"

Zaeryn’s mind raced. He couldn’t tell her the truth. Not only would admitting he was reading a banned book get him in trouble with Ysmeine, but admitting he’d been caught and was now being blackmailed into a private meeting with a predatory professor would probably send her into full-blown mama-bear mode.

Ysmeine was known for being very protective and in this situation, he’d see a side of her that was very different from her usual playful self. He stammered for a moment, trying to come up with a plausible lie.

"An agreement? Oh, that. It’s nothing, really. Just... extra credit."

Ysmeine tilted her head, her smoky green eyes scrutinizing, "Extra credit? And that requires you to meet her after hours? My darling Zaeryn, your charm is impressive, but I wasn’t born yesterday".

"Yeah, he’s lying," Ravena stated flatly, her green eyes narrowing on him. "I can always tell. He gets this stupid, earnest look on his face like he’s trying to convince himself as much as us".

Zaeryn shot Ravena a disapproving look, silently scolding her for not defending him and instead siding with Ysmeine.

Ravena grinned mischievously, "Am I right, or am I right?" She teased.

Ignoring her, he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. There was no point in lying.

"Fine. She caught me with a book I wasn’t supposed to have. A banned book."

Ysmeine’s expression showed a hint of worry, her voice dropping a few degrees. "A banned book, Zaeryn? You know how dangerous that is".

"I know, I know. I was just curious! But she said she wouldn’t report me if I... agreed to meet her," he admitted, trying to make it sound as innocent as possible.

Even Ravena was surprised that he was reckless enough to have in possession something like that, "Zaeryn, that’s stupid."

"Okay, Ravena, if you’re not going to be on my side, just shut up, please."

"No, I will not. If you’re going to be dumb, it’s my job to make sure you’re called out for it." She winked playfully. "So what’s in the book? Something about a male, mysteriously getting godlike powers and making all the women in the world his servants?"

Zaeryn rolled his eyes at her taunting words. "No, it was nothing like that. It was just a book about magic. A history book, really."

Ysmeine frowned, walking toward him with purpose. She was still a picture of lethal elegance. Her aura was all steel, but even so, she had a beautiful face. "I can’t believe you would do that". Her disappointment was evident.

For a male to be caught seeking forbidden knowledge was a crime that would be looked at by the highest authorities because it was seen as an act of rebellion. While males couldn’t get magic even if they tried, this was one of those rules that was enforced harshly to make sure men never tried anything else.

"What exactly did she want to talk about, during this ’meeting’?" Ysmeine asked, her voice dangerously calm.

Zaeryn gulped as he imagined Tiffany wanting to do some naughty things with him. "I don’t know. Probably she wants me to do something for her in return for not reporting it to the administration office."

"The nerve! That’s not a negotiation, that’s a threat! She’s blackmailing you, Zaeryn, and hiding behind a professional title to get what she wants. And I think I know what she wants." She had always known Zaeryn’s charm drew both disdain and desire, some benign, others predatory. Her instincts screamed the latter was true here. Whoever this professor was, Ysmeine suspected her motives ran deeper than academic authority. "I won’t let you face her alone."

Zaeryn blinked, taken aback by her intensity. He’d never seen her this angry, this unrestrained. "Whoa, calm down. It’s not a big deal. I can handle it. And I’m sure she is not blackmailing me."

She stopped pacing and turned to face him, her hands on her hips, her posture radiating dominance. "No, you can’t. What if she is up to something? Why else would she want to meet you after school hours?"

"I know how this looks, but trust me, Tiffany is not trying to harm me. She’s the nicest professor I have. She probably just wants to lecture me about it, not blackmail me. She even helped me out of trouble once before."

Ysmeine’s furious expression softened slightly, though a shadow of doubt remained. She looked at him for a long moment, seeing the sincerity in his eyes. "She helped you? With what?"

"A few months ago, I messed up a project in her class. It was a disaster, but she didn’t fail me. She spent extra time helping me fix it, even though she didn’t have to. She’s a good person, Ysmeine. Really," he insisted.

She let out a long breath and nodded slowly.

"And, she didn’t threaten me. Not really," he explained, a genuine smile returning to his face. "She was just teasing. It’s just her way of... flirting. I guess."

"Flirting? With you? And you’re okay with that?" Ysmeine’s eyes narrowed, a flash of something possessive in their depths.

"It’s just harmless fun," Zaeryn shrugged, though his heart hammered a little faster at her reaction.

"Yeah, harmless fun it is. Aren’t we enough? Do you always have to flirt with outsiders? I’m okay with your relationship with Sage, but I think you don’t need anymore. Apart from her, you already have enough women in your life," Ravena said, possessively.

Her jealousy was evident; she felt it when Zaeryn seemed to be interested in people outside the family, because then she felt like she would have to compete with them for his attention.

"What if I don’t care that you’re jealous?" Zaeryn shot back. "It’s my life, and I’ll do what I want. Besides," he added, a mischievous grin spreading across his face as he thought of his system. "You should be happy that I get laid. It’s how I get stronger."

Ysmeine sighed, tired of their bickering before it even started, "Stop it you two. Zaeryn, you really should choose your partners wisely, and I have a feeling this Tiffany is not the one for you."

"Well, I’ll still have to meet her and make sure she doesn’t report me."

Ysmeine’s jaw tightened at that. "I’m going with you," she declared, her voice firm. "I’m not letting you go to meet her alone. What if she is like that Daphne woman? She will try to manipulate you."

"Daphne is not manipulative," Zaeryn replied quickly, realizing that having Ysmeine intervene would only make things worse with Tiffany.

"And you can’t go with me. I’ll be fine, with Arya and Mireille who will accompany me. They’ll make sure nothing happens. I’ll even be careful not to fall for her charms if she has any," he teased, trying to lighten the mood.

"Trust me. I can handle it.".

Ysmeine hesitated, then gave in with a sigh. "Fine. But you will tell me everything, understood?"

"Understood," he promised.

"And when are you going to meet her?" she asked.

"Now." He said.

"Okay. For now, you should come here and give me a hug." She playfully said, pulling him close.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing his face into the warmth of her chest. The softness beneath him made him crave more than just a hug, while her scent, a mix of floral perfume and something uniquely hers, filled his senses.

"You know, you’re my favorite person," she murmured, her voice soft against his ear.

"And you’re my favourite person too." He responded.

"Am I? I thought that was Sage." She asked.

"No, you’re in a league of your own. You always have been," he murmured, holding her a little tighter.

Ysmeine chuckled softly, tilting her head to rest her chin on top of his. "That’s good to hear. Because I’m not sure I could handle losing my favorite person to a professor who is trying to blackmail him." Her voice was playful, but the underlying worry was impossible to miss.

Zaeryn pulled back just enough to look her in the eyes, a playful glint in his own. "Don’t worry, nothing will take me away from you."

He kissed her lips before pulling away, feeling grounded and ready to face whatever Tiffany had in store for him.

After a quick shower and getting dressed, he found Arya and Mireille waiting by the front door.

Mireille’s expression was all professionalism, clearly showing her displeasure at being assigned to watch him and ensure his safety.

Arya, however, was different. She smiled warmly when she saw him. "Hi, Zaeryn."

"Hi, Arya," he responded in kind.

"Ysmeine told us you’re going to school? The cruiser is ready," Arya said.

Zaeryn nodded, stepping past them to inspect the sleek vehicle outside. It was a familiar sight, and he had to admit, a comfortable one. Still, he wondered if arriving at school like this, accompanied by two War-ladies, would attract too much attention. Was that a good thing or not? He didn’t know.

He climbed into the cruiser, followed by Mireille and Arya. Mireille took the front seat at the controls, while Arya sat next to him, smiling. "Hey."

"Hey," he replied.

The academy was nearly deserted when they arrived. The air was still, and the only sound was the faint hum of the building’s climate control system.

Zaeryn convinced Arya and Mireille to wait outside while he entered Tiffany’s classroom. His heart pounded with a mix of anticipation and nerves as he pushed the door open, the soft click echoing through the silent hallway.