Chapter 18: She knows

Lucas stood outside the house, watching as the flames slowly died down. It had been around 20 minutes since the fire started, and while some parts were still burning, the majority of the house lay in charred ruins.

Two figures emerged from the doorway, the door itself no longer serving its purpose and lying charred on the ground. Making eye contact with them, Lucas chose not to smile. Bloom seemed rather, what was the word he was looking for... sad? Stressed? No... Empathetic... She was showing empathy towards Sky, who looked more depressed than Lucas had expected.

The two noticed him as well, a look of anger appearing in Sky's eyes. However, Sky remained silent, not making any comment towards him.

"Did you have to burn it down, Lucas... Was that needed...?" Bloom questioned as she stared at Lucas. He noticed she was holding Sky's hand, a sight that bothered him more than he cared to admit.

"Andreas isn't stupid. He might not have seen you," Lucas lied before continuing, "but he was aware someone had been there. He would have burned it down either way. I simply suggested it to clear suspicion off me. I knew you would have been okay, fire fairy and all."

"I see..." Bloom responded, cradling a red book to her chest with the hand not occupied by Sky's.

"I suppose you found what you were looking for?" Lucas asked, gesturing to the book.

"Yes, this should help us translate the old grimoire we saw in her office..." Bloom stated as she started walking, dragging Sky along with her by the hand.

"I see. I need a favor, though!" Lucas said, a smile emerging on his face. He had maintained a caring facade for Sky's benefit long enough already. If Bloom wasn't there, he would have simply laughed instantly. "I need a ride back."

Bloom didn't bother responding verbally and simply gave him a nod as he started following them towards wherever they had parked. Did they plan enough to not park right next to the home? He was almost proud.

Following behind them, Lucas reveled in the sadness emanating from Sky. Maybe the mission was worth it after all; he hadn't expected to receive such a delightful prize upon completion.

As they approached the car, Lucas couldn't help but notice the tension in Sky's shoulders, the way his jaw clenched as if fighting back words he desperately wanted to say. Part of him hoped the Specialist would snap, would give him an excuse to put him in his place. But Sky remained silent, his pain and anger simmering just beneath the surface.

Bloom, ever the peacemaker, seemed to sense the growing animosity between the two. She gave Sky's hand a gentle squeeze before releasing it, moving to open the car door. "Let's just get back to Alfea," she said softly, her voice tinged with exhaustion. "We have a lot of work to do."

Lucas slid into the backseat, a smirk playing on his lips as he watched Sky reluctantly climb into the driver seat. The drive back was tense, the silence broken only by the occasional direction from Bloom and the hum of the engine.

As they pulled into the Alfea parking lot, Lucas couldn't resist one final jab. "Thanks for the ride, Sky," he said, his tone dripping with false sincerity. "I really appreciate it. Must be tough, losing your childhood home like that. But hey, at least you've got Bloom to comfort you, right?"

Sky's hands tightened on the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white. For a moment, Lucas thought he might actually throw a punch. But Bloom's hand on his arm seemed to steady him, and he took a deep breath, refusing to take the bait.

"Just get out, Lucas," Bloom said, her voice hard. "We've got work to do."

Lucas held up his hands in mock surrender, sliding out of the car with a chuckle. "Sure thing, boss. Let me know if you need any help with that translation. I'm pretty good with ancient languages, you know."

Bloom didn't bother responding, simply slamming the car door and stalking off towards the library, Sky close on her heels. Lucas watched them go, a strange mix of satisfaction and something else, something he couldn't quite name, stirring in his chest.

Shaking off the feeling, he headed towards his dorm, his mind already racing with the implications of what they had discovered. Rosalind's grimoire, the strange creature depicted within its pages... It all pointed to something big, something that could change the course of everything.

And Lucas intended to be right at the center of it all, pulling the strings and shaping the outcome to his own ends. Because in the end, that was what he did best. Manipulate, scheme, and come out on top, no matter the cost.

But as he lay in his bed that night, staring up at the ceiling, he couldn't shake the image of Bloom's face, the way her eyes had hardened when she looked at him. It was a look he had seen before, on the faces of those who had once trusted him, once believed in him.

It was the look of disappointment. And for some reason, it bothered him more than he cared to admit.

Closing his eyes to readjust his mental state, Lucas was rudely disturbed by the vibration of his phone. With a groan, he reached into his pants pocket, still wearing the specialist's uniform from the mission, and unlocked the phone. It was a simple message from Rosalind summoning him to her office.

Letting out yet another groan, he forced himself off the bed and started walking towards it. He didn't really think much of the summons; he had completed his mission perfectly. If anything, he was sure she simply needed him to do something for her.

Upon arriving at the office, he opened the door, only to find Rosalind standing at her desk, Beatrix near the door he had just opened, and Andreas, Riven, and Dane standing in a straight line at the other wall of the office, being stared at by Rosalind.

Rosalind turned to him as he entered. He could tell she was expecting him to join the line, but he simply walked to the other side of the office and took a seat in the chair he had long claimed as his since he frequented it almost daily whilst skipping class.

Rosalind seemed to be about to say something but ended up choosing not to, focusing her attention back on Andreas, Riven, and Dane. "Your update on Silva?" she questioned.

Andreas took the lead, responding swiftly, "No concrete advances."

Rosalind's face was painted with a look Lucas could only describe as expected disappointment. Then, without further warning, he watched as her eyes glowed silver, and the torture he had witnessed Andreas experience once before began again. Suddenly, he felt rather lucky he didn't choose to line up.

He watched as Andreas, Riven, and Dane struggled and groaned under whatever magic was being used upon them. It was clearly painful. He was even wondering if Rosalind would go as far as killing them, but Beatrix interrupted.

"Riven knows something," she said almost guiltily. "Something about who helped Silva escape. He just won't say what..."

Lucas had called it honestly. From the day Beatrix attempted to be friendly with him, he had sensed that she couldn't be trusted. And lo and behold, he watched as Rosalind stopped her magic, and Riven glanced at Beatrix with a look of betrayal and hurt.

Rosalind simply sighed and then spoke, "Oh, very well. Everyone is dismissed," as she headed back to her desk.

"Does that include me?" Lucas asked her with a raise of his hand.

"No, you and Riven stay behind," she responded, causing Riven, who was attempting to leave, to halt in his tracks. The others glanced back at him a few times but, in the end, chose to leave the office.

As only Lucas, Rosalind, and Riven remained, Rosalind spoke in a commanding tone to Riven, "You are going to tell me everything you know about Saul Silva."

Riven remained quiet. Lucas could see him looking at him with what appeared to be a plea for help, but he chose to ignore it. His stay in the academy and the so-called 'exclusion from his crimes' relied on Rosalind. He would not be so stupid as to make her question his intentions.

So he watched as Rosalind began using what he deemed to be mind magic to read Riven's mind. While he did not know what she would uncover, he figured that Bloom and her friends would likely be discovered. What to do...

Lucas sat there, his mind racing as he tried to come up with a plan. He knew he had to act fast, to find a way to protect Bloom and the others without exposing his own involvement. But how?

As Rosalind continued to probe Riven's mind, her brow furrowed in concentration, Lucas found himself speaking before he could stop himself.

"Headmistress," he said, his voice calm and even despite the pounding of his heart. "If I may, I think I might have a solution to our little problem."

Rosalind's eyes snapped to his, her gaze sharp and assessing. "Go on," she said, her tone guarded but curious.

Lucas leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees as he met her stare head-on. "We both know that Bloom and her friends are valuable assets, despite their misguided loyalties. Punishing them outright could lead to unintended consequences, perhaps even drive them further into Silva's camp."

He paused, letting his words sink in before continuing. "What if, instead of confronting them directly, we use this information to our advantage? Let them think they've outsmarted us, that their secret is safe. And in the meantime, we keep a closer eye on them, gather intel on their movements and plans."

Rosalind's lips curved into a slow, calculating smile. "I knew partnering with you wasn't stupid" she murmured, "I already had similar plans, when did you figure out it was Bloom and her friends however?"

"Come now, it was obvious, Riven is a known asshole, who would he protect if not the girlfriend of his best friend?" he stated, a thrill of excitement running through him despite the gravity of the situation. Why was it that adrenaline only showed up when he was on the edge off a cliff, and why did it have to feel so fun...

Rosalind leaned back in her chair, her fingers steepled under her chin as she was lost in thought. Lucas could practically see the gears turning in her head, weighing the risks and benefits of the plan.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she nodded. "Very well, I shall have use of this information shortly anyway."

She turned her attention back to Riven, who had been watching the exchange with a mix of fear and confusion and her eyes glowed a silver-white once more as he watched her doing magic, most likely making Riven forget this part of their encounter, he probably would not even remember having his memories searched through for the information on Silva's escape.

After she finished with her magic, Riven seemed quite lost, exiting the office rather unconfidently, clearly aware something was forgotten but being unable to understand what.

Lucas sat back in his chair, a sense of satisfaction washing over him. He had bought himself some time and had managed to keep Bloom and the others safe for a little while longer.

But he knew that it was a double-edged sword... He could not tell Bloom Rosalind knew, as she might end up doing something stupid yet again... and when Rosalind makes use of this information, it is very possible she would reveal of his involvement... at which point there would no longer be good faith between him and Bloom and her friends.