67 The Rydel Estate V

After dinner, a more amicable Lord Rydel pulled him aside and requested to speak privately with him in his study.

The study was a spacious room with walls lined with book-filled shelves, comfortable-looking leather couches and a pre-lit fireplace burning aromatic wood.

Lord Rydel led him towards the armchairs facing large glass windows with a view of a snow covered courtyard illuminated by fairy lights.

"Would you like to have a drink?"

"Nah. Have a class to teach tomorrow morning," Yuliang crossed his arms over his chest, still feeling distinctly uncomfortable with the vulnerability he still felt from his brother's words."What did you want to talk about?"

The man stared out the glass into the white landscape with a faraway look in his dark brown eyes. "Do you suppress your transformations often?"

Yuliang was caught off-guard by the unexpected question. He eyed the Lord warily for a long moment, "Not like I have anywhere to safely do it here. I hate being in enclosed spaces for too long in that form. Can't run, can't hunt, can't howl." He shifted restlessly in his seat, fingers drumming against the armrest."Obviously, I know it's no good. Wouldn't have transformed that time if I hadn't been suppressing it for so long, but I think I just need to hold out till February which doesn't seem unreasonable at this point. I did hold out for about four months already."

"You are very confident that you will successfully Certify on your first attempt. Healers twice your age, with twice your experience have failed it before, what makes you so confident in your ability." Lord Rydel observed.

Yuliang shrugged, "My internship ends in about a month and a half. With my second endorsement from Professor Belmont, I'm set for writing the upcoming exam. Regardless of whether I fail or not I'm still leaving this February."

Lord Rydel sat back in his chair with a sigh, running his hand over his stubbled jaw, seeming deep in thought.

"It's getting late. You and your brother better get going, if you don't want to get caught up in the forecast storm tonight," the Lord said after the silence between them began to extend too long.

Yuliang frowned, that couldn't have been all the Lord had asked to speak to him about. "Why did you need to speak to me here, if that's all you wanted to talk about?"

The Lord studied him for a long moment before speaking, "I wished to extend an invitation to you and your brother to join us for our next full moon gathering.