The Dulcet Bane

Chapter Seven

A high-pitched scream reached the gargoyles' ears. Alarmed, they immediately went to where it came from. They found Lyl by the lobby.

"Lady Lilac! Is something the matter? What happened?" Montam, the head gargoyle asked. She didn't reply. "Search for signs of danger around the area," he ordered his troop.

Kite ran his way back immediately. He arrived beside Montam, catching his breath. Lyl was horrified by the letter.

"Didn't think it could be..." his heart hammered as he approached her.

"Could be what, Corbett?" Montam asked.

He lowered his stance in Lyl's level. "A death threat."

Montam's face darkened, "A what?!"

He stared at her terrified face. He slowly moved his hand towards the letter from her hand, not looking away from her.

Right when his flesh touched the letter, she pushed him off the staircase. "Don't you show your face to me!"

He tried to get up from the fall and frowned. He didn't do anything wrong, did he? He even rushed back to save her should she be in danger because of the letter! Now he couldn't move his leg. He's got his second injury for the day!

"What did you b****y do to her, Corbett?" Montam pulled out his sword and directed it to Kite's neck.

He gulped. "I didn't do anything, I swear!" He looked back at Lyl. "Hey! Why'd you push me?!"

She glared at him. "You did that to yourself! I b****y loathe you so much!"

"What did I freaking do?!"

"Did he hurt you, my lady?" Montam growled.

"No."

"Who threatened to kill you, my lady?"

"Who said this was a death threat?" she raised the letter then looked at Kite. "Oh, it was you, oaf."

Montam withdrew his sword and offered Kite a hand to get him up.

"Then why did you scream?" asked Kite.

She looked at the letter and reread each and every word.

"I have requested for your luggage to be sent to your chamber in the dormitories immediately. From this day on, you shall be living under the same roof as your boyfriend. I gave the coachman strict orders not to fetch you from school unless we requested for your return.

Are you not delighted, my dear? I have given you and your lover the freedom you deserve. And as promised, I shall mind my own business and respect your privacy so fret not for I shall not be barging into your schoolroom anymore. I shall wait for the time you want me and your father to formally meet him.

I wish for both of your happiness and may you have a healthy relationship.

P.S. Perhaps you could use this opportunity to learn how to mate ;)

-your dearest mother"

She massaged her forehead and started walking towards the dormitories. b****y tarnation, she'll be living with the b****y Corbett twins again!

"Hey!" Kite called. "What's in the letter that horrified you?"

"Death note," she said in a blank face and continued walking away, dropping the letter on the floor.

Living with the Corbetts is living hell. She shall accept her death tonight.

~~~

"Can you pick it up, please?" Kite asked, trying to maintain his balance on his own. He might have broken his leg from the fall.

Montam picked up the note and read it. "How is this a death note?"

Kite took it from him and started reading. Lady Cynthia has arranged her tenancy back at their dorm without letting her know. She waited for her carriage for hours only to found out no one's coming to fetch her. And the lady really did believe what he accidentally said earlier this morning! He chuckled at the thought of Zeal and Lyl displaying their affection in front of him. His brother couldn't possibly stomach a relationship with this girl.

Lyl probably screamed because she's back for the same reason she left: he and his brother. For the Corbetts, Room 264 was just an extension of Room 262, their chamber. The walls in between weren't thick enough to separate the noise, hence, causing chaos.

He remembered the time his brother got drunk, barged in her room, and puked blood on her mattress. She didn't care that he was drunk. She rubbed his face on his own spew that night and had to sleep on his bed instead. But she wasn't really able to sleep that night with Kite as her roommate.

And on the first two months of his first year, Kite's curse turns up at twilight and his howl was clearly heard next door. He was still learning how to use a countercurse. By the second week of his third month, he successfully broke the curse, but he had this evil idea to pretend that he didn't break the curse yet just to mess with Lyl.

Fortunately for them, Dennis's room is sound-proof. He cannot hear the chaos unless he goes out, which doesn't really happen very often because he's always piled up with regent duties even after school hours. Though he's tired of attending their quips during the day so he doesn't really wanna bother scolding them anymore when they cause a ruckus in their dorm.

Minerva would call them "The Jungle" with the Corbetts as monkeys and Lyl as the king of the forest, the lion. She seemed to not mind the chaos at all. In fact, she thinks it is quite fun and it makes the dorms lively.

Although, for Lyl, it is hell to live right next to them. He does sometimes feel guilty for the trouble they caused, but most of the time, he just likes the sound of her loud voice yelling at them-- at him. It was music in his ears.

"She's back in hell," he replied with a smirk. He folded the letter and put it in his pocket.

"Oh, you live next door, correct?"

Everyone is already aware of the tension between Lyl and the Corbetts. They got used to the trouble the three of them always cause.

"Yeah."

Kite went back to the dorms with the help of Montam.

"What happened to you?" Minerva asked by the counter.

"I fell," he replied while logging in.

"In love?" she smirked.

He paused and glared at her. "Cringe." 

Minerva just laughed.

The thought of romance disgusts him. He sure tries to hit on girls but he wasn't really serious for he only did it to compete with his brother. He hated sweet talks and public displays of affection. He doesn't want to turn soft over some weak chic who can't handle his teasing. Better for him if she barks back, you know, like what Lyl does.

"Are you certain you don't want help climbing up to your chamber?" Montam asked him.

"Yeah, I can handle it, I guess."

"Oh no, you don't," Minerva said. She looked around for someone who can help him. "Arren!" she called.

Arren approached them. "Yes? What is it?" he asked.

"Will you please help this poor injured wolf climb up to his room? You just live across, yes?" Minerva asked.

"What? I said I can handle it!" Kite said.

"Sure.... I was just on my way back," Arren smiled.

"How kind of you!"

"I can handle myself!"

"Now, now, Corbett. Don't be hard-headed, will you?"

"Tch, fine!"

"Alright, then. I shall call for Sir Grigori to attend to you immediately to avoid further damage. Have a good evening." Montam left and flew away.

Kite didn't have a choice but accept Arren's help. He doesn't wanna drink something with slugs and slime. He put his arm around Arren for support and both of them climbed up to their chambers.

"You're quite heavy..." Arren flinched a bit.

"I said I can handle myself. You could've just ignored Minerva," Kite rolled his eyes.

"I can't just ignore a call for help."

When they arrived in front of Room 262, the door was open and they hear someone yelling and screaming from inside.

"Who was that?" asked Arren.

When they stepped in, Lyl was already laying on Zeal's bed with him on top of her between her legs.

"What the hell, bro."