Pride x Familiar (44 page)

Caprice’s eyes met mine but her expression
didn’t change, remaining dull and emotionless as usual.

For a moment I worried she knew about Friday’s
encounter with Caelum, but I couldn’t tell from just looking at
her.

I tried not to turn away in a hurry as I walked
into the classroom.

#

(Caprice)

Caelum’s return to class surprised a lot of
people, but apparently our homeroom teacher wasn’t one of them.

But I wasn’t just surprised. I was shocked.

He wasn’t bothered by the looks he garnered when
he took his seat at his smart desk.

I gave him a flat stare but he just smiled and
shrugged nonchalantly.

That was the first surprise of the day.

The second was a surprise for the rest of the
class, but unfortunately not for me.

On the contrary, it was the beginning of the
waking nightmare my school life was about to become.

Our homeroom teacher, Ms. Fauntine informed the
class that we had a transfer student from Phelan Academy joining us
today. While a flurry of whispers erupted, she called out to the
new student who was standing out of sight outside the
classroom.

A few seconds later, the transfer student
stepped in and I felt my stomach sink even though I knew who it was
all along.

I closed my eyes and shook my head inwardly.

I heard his voice and felt a wave of resentment
flow through me.

Somehow I kept my face clean of any
expression.

“Hello there. I’m Jaxon Deneve afil Raynar. I’m
transferring into Galatea and hope to get along with all of
you.”

I opened my eyes in time to see him smiling
brightly at my classmates.

Silence followed, and his smile faded after a
few seconds. Then he sighed loudly and shoved a hand into a trouser
hip pocket while he ran his other hand through his hair. “I guess
it’s going to be a tough year.”

I debated hiding under my desk, or throwing it
at him.

Before I could do either he caught sight of me
and brightened. “Hey, Cappy you’re here too. Great.” He ignored Ms.
Fauntine who was about to suggest a seat in the back. Picking up
his school carry-bag he strode over to me. “Cappy, this is great. I
thought I was going to be all alone in a new class with no friendly
faces.”

He looked genuinely relieved.

I bit my lower lip, wanting to shut him up.

Then I sensed Caelum’s gaze on me. I looked at
him sideways.

He was watching me and Jaxon, and his eyes were
the coldest I’d ever seen them.

I felt a chill run down my back, and felt my
expressionless façade begin to slip away.

Jaxon spoke in a low voice. “So…you’re in this
class as well.”

I realized in a heartbeat he was talking to
Caelum.

Caelum fixed his gaze on Jaxon. “Is that a
problem?”

The latter smiled and shook his head. “Nope.
You’re not a problem for me at all.”

The air between them picked up a chill.

Neither of them broke eye contact.

Neither of them showed any sign of backing
down.

I stood as smoothly as I could, and cleared my
throat. “Stop this. Stop it right now.”

Caelum ignored me, and a cruel smile spread
across his lips.

“Welcome to Galatea Academy,” he voiced coldly.
“I hope you enjoy your stay, however short it may be.”

Jaxon’s brow furrowed for a heartbeat. Then he
gave me a look that Caelum was sure to catch.

“Oh, I think I’m going to really enjoy it here.”
He smiled at me with undisguised desire, and it made me
uncomfortable.

By now it was clear to everyone in my class that
something was afoot. Or rather, something was amiss between the
three of us.

At least one girl found it interesting.

“Looks like a love triangle.”

Her words were like sharp needles stabbing my
heart.

#

(Caelum)

Homeroom ended with the announcement that
medical exams would begin on Wednesday.

This was the case for the academies that
throughout Pharos that had an Aventis – and Familiar – student
body.

In a Regular school, part of the examination was
geared at testing students for their compatibility to the Symbiote.
They were held twice a year: a few weeks before the middle of the
year – before the end of first semester – and a few weeks before
the end of the year. This allowed any students that joined a Pride
enough time to bond with the Symbiote, then make the arrangements
to transfer to one of the five academies that catered
almost
exclusively to the Aventis. As a result, it wasn’t uncommon for an
Aventis academy to have students transfer at the beginning of
second semester, or at the beginning of the new school year.

At Galatea and its four sister academies, the
examinations emphasized testing the harmony between the Symbiote
and the host. Was there a degree of rejection? Was the Symbiote’s
condition less than optimal? How well was it healing the host, and
boosting said host’s physical abilities? How well was it attuned to
the host body?

In order to perform the exams, mobile medical
centers rolled into the Academy grounds. They were large buses,
double-deckers in fact. Galatea had a dedicated medical room, one
apart from the nurses office, but the sheer volume of students
attending the Academy would have overwhelmed the facility. As a
result, these mobile medical centers were used to bolster the
facilities and churn through the three thousand students here at
Galatea.

I concentrated on my class lectures, but chose
not to dial up the learning aid on my visor-headset to the limit. I
needed to do some of the work and not rely on the gear provided to
get me through the day. Surprisingly, I was able to manage just
fine despite Jaxon Deneve finding himself a seat to Caprice’s
right. That left her sandwiched between his table and mine.

When lunch break came around, I excused myself
from Caprice, even though this would leave her in Jaxon’s clutches.
She barely held onto her emotionless façade as acknowledged me with
a nod.

I felt like I was running away from him –
running away from a confrontation over Caprice.

It twisted my innards, but I’d made a promise to
the Countess.

And so I backed away from a fight I sorely
wanted to win.

#

(Caprice)

Lunch break.

Caelum left the room before me.

I had no idea where he’d chosen to go, and I
regretted not asking.

But with Jaxon sitting beside me, I found it
hard to keep up my usual persona.

I found it hard to look at Caelum.

I left the classroom a couple of minutes after
he did, and hurried to meet up with Maya, Constance and Rina who’d
been summoned to the Student Council President’s office.

Unfortunately that bastard Jaxon followed me as
he too had been summoned.

I had the feeling he would have ignored the
summons if I wasn’t attending the meeting.

Jaxon asked, “Hey, are you going to show me
around later?” He walked a few steps behind me. His longer strides
made it easy for him to keep up with me.

“Find your own way around,” I growled,
struggling to keep my emotionless mask in place.

“Come on, Cappy. Don’t be like that.”

I snapped. My anger and frustration ripped
through my façade. “Don’t tell me how to be. And don’t call me
Cappy.”

“Doesn’t Desanto call you Cappy?”

“No, he most certainly does not.”

“I get the feeling you act differently around
him.”

“Of course I do.”

“Because you like him?”

I stopped sharply in the hallway, and half
turned to face him. “Yes. Because I like him, and I don’t like
you.”

“I can’t see what you like in him. There’s
nothing special about that guy.”

“You’re not me. You wouldn’t understand.”

He cocked his head to a side. “If you’re going
to blame someone about this”—he showed me the Artifact bracelet on
his right wrist—“then blame the commander.”

I took a deep breath. “You could have turned it
down.”

He shook his head. “No. This Artifact belonged
to my ancestor. Now that it’s back with the right bloodline, I
don’t plan on parting with it.” He shrugged casually. “Besides, I’m
the perfect fit for it. With my background and training, and my
compatibility with the Kaiser’s Blessing, it belongs with me.”

I had no argument against that. Jaxon was
clearly the best choice for the Fragment that was actually an
Artifact. But it wasn’t a fact that was easy for me to accept.

He shrugged again and half smiled at me. “You
shouldn’t worry about him. They’ll match him up to a Fragment
sooner or later.”

“Or maybe they won’t.”

He pursed his lips for a moment. “Or maybe they
won’t. Either way, it’s no lose. There was no way he was ever going
to be fit as your teammate.”

I gave him a tight smile. “I look forward to the
day Caelum puts you in your place.”

Jaxon’s eyebrows rose a fraction. “But he
already did. By running away he vacated the spot beside you. He
left you open for the taking.”

I watched him casually walk up to me. The
honest, open desire on his face made my chest ache a little with
the promise of heartache ahead. But I couldn’t turn away from him,
not with that look on his face.

“I’m not going to lie to you,” he said. “I may
not have had a hand in taking the Kaiser Armor from him. But with
you it’s different. I’m going to make you mine, and I’ll do it
through my own efforts.”

My eyes widened at his brazen declaration.
“Wh—what? You’ll make me yours?”

He nodded. “Unlike him, I won’t run from your
side at the first sign of trouble or when a rival shows up.”

I swallowed and pressed my lips together.

Damn it, Caelum, why did you run away?

Jaxon looked down at me. “I want you, Caprice,
and I’ll do whatever it takes to win your heart.”

“Wh—why? Why do you want me?”

“Cause you’re the perfect match for me. Your
Valkyrie Armor and my Kaiser’s Blessing. We’ll be the Familiars
wielding the strongest Armors in the colonized systems.” He tipped
his head slightly. “You realize it don’t you? You’re Valkyrie Armor
is just like my Kaiser. It’s an Artifact, not a Fragment. It’s the
real deal, the full enchilada. No missing pieces.”

I stared at him, trying to hide the shock from
spreading across my face. I swallowed, shook my head ever so
faintly…and lied. “That’s not true.”

“Trust me. You’re mother left you an
Artifact.”

I couldn’t help my eyes opening wider. “You know
about my mother?”

For a heartbeat I thought his eyes widened and
his body stiffened ever so slightly.

If I’d blinked I’d have missed his reaction.

But a heartbeat later he was smiling again.
“Yep. The good Commander told me about her. One of the best
Familiars the Artemis ever fielded. Maybe not as talented as
Desanto’s sister, but she was clearly up there with best.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “You sure talk like
you know a lot.”

Again, I thought he might have hesitated for a
fraction of second.

He nodded faintly. “I do, because I’ve been told
a great deal.”

“And you assume that it’s all true.”

He pressed his lips together for a moment. “In
this case it’s definitely all true.”

I refrained from crossing my arms, instead
keeping them at my sides. “If the Valkyrie Armor is an Artifact,
why can’t I manifest it like your Kaiser’s Blessing?”

“All you have to do is open up to it, accept it
fully, and you’ll be able to manifest it completely. Right now,
it’s only half way there.” A short laugh slipped his lips. “Just
like me. Even with my high compatibility, I’m still not able to
fully summon the Kaiser. But that won’t stop me from trying.”

I frowned at him. He couldn’t manifest it fully?
There was still more to his armor?

Jaxon stepped a little closer. “I want to learn
to draw out the Kaiser’s full potential. And I want to do the same
for you. I want to work with you and help you be the best you can
be.”

I swallowed uncomfortably. “Why?”

He laughed unabashedly. “Because I think you’re
the most gorgeous girl I’ve ever met. If I had you at my side I’d
be the happiest man in the galaxy.”

Seeing the strength of his reaction, and the
undisguised honesty in his eyes, I didn’t feel I had a reason to
doubt his feelings.

However, what troubled me the most was the
little jump my heart gave.

It wasn’t supposed to jump for anyone other than
Caelum.

Distracted as I was, Jaxon chose the next moment
to take me by surprise.

Before I knew it his hands had cupped my face
and brought my lips onto his.

He kissed me gently, and my eyes grew
lidded.

When he parted my lips with his tongue, I was
too confused to stop him.

Damn, he really knew how to kiss a girl.

My legs grew a little weak under his attention,
and I felt my breathing grow ragged.

Then he broke away, leaving my lips feeling
lonely.

He looked down at me, and we locked gazes. “I’ll
do whatever it takes.”

His words made me feel conflicted. Helpless, and
weak. Guilty and yet reassured.

He was asserting himself in a confident manner
that Caelum never demonstrated toward me. It was one of the reasons
why I was unsure of how Caelum felt about me.

It was why I believed my feelings were
unrequited.

But Jaxon wasn’t like that.

He was being honest and upfront about his
feelings and his desire, and it was making my feelings war with
each other.

I pushed him away with enough strength to put
several feet between us.

Then I glared at him, feeling a wellspring of
guilt gush through me. “Don’t ever—don’t ever do that
again
.”

I harshly wiped my lips with the back of my
hand, then turned on the balls of my feet, and fled almost at a run
down the corridor.