Chapter 328: Pray to your god, and ask him.
Chapter 328 – Pray to your god, and ask him.
The room was oddly dark, thick with the scent of medicine and alchemical ingredients coating every inch of it.
Theophane Celeste leaned her body against the wall, illuminated only by a strange, jellyfish-like monster, arms crossed over her chest, her divine, beautiful white eyes fixed on the woman working over a scattered array of monster limbs beneath the light.
The woman was dark-skinned, plump, her stunning silver hair braided into two large knots. She wore a white coat and gloves, blue eyes fixed on her work with staggering intensity.
Theophane didn’t disturb her at all. She stayed silent, lowering her presence so effectively she seemed to blend into the wall itself.
It took roughly an hour before the woman finally stopped, exhaling quietly, sweat slicking her face despite the room’s cold temperature.
"Are you done now, Teacher Newton?" Theophane’s voice echoed, making Teacher Newton jump slightly.
She snapped her head toward Theophane, a cute yet aged face knitted into a light frown.
"Theophy!" She squealed, "I told you not to sneak in so quietly! You always startle me!"
"I’m sorry."
"You say that every time, and do the exact same thing right after!"
"Then maybe you should stop bringing it up each time."
"And why’s that?" Teacher Newton peeled off her blood-stained gloves, setting them on the operating table, rose to her full, impressively tall height, and began walking toward Theophane, "I like it when you disobey me. Gives me the excuse to yell at you, act cute about it."
"You have a strange fetish, Teacher." Theophane smiled softly, "Haven’t I told you that already?"
"Every single time." She was now inches from Theophane, and didn’t hesitate to grasp her waist, pulling her close.
Theophane let herself be drawn into the embrace, even tempting her further with a beautiful smile. A smile that made Teacher Newton’s heart pound so hard Theophane could feel it thundering against her own chest.
Teacher Newton’s hands began wandering across Theophane’s body, sensual, almost worshipful. They brushed gently along her waist, slid down to her hips, gripped firmly, then traveled back up toward her chest.
Her face flushed red, arousal deepening with every passing second.
She leaned in close, stopping only when their lips hovered a breath apart.
The room felt hot, their bodies hotter still.
"Will you let me kiss you today, Theophy?" She asked, voice husky with desire.
"No." Theophane said firmly, gentle smile intact, "I’ve allowed you to touch my body however you wish. Isn’t that enough?"
"I want more, and you know it."
"And I’ve told you how to get more." Theophane countered, "I want access to Cassius’s maid’s chamber. You mentioned Copycat asked you to heal her."
"He did." Teacher Newton sighed, "And I don’t even know why I told you that. Copycat is our master’s stepson, Rose Bishop’s son. You might not know her, but even the Vice Dean fears her. Copycat is her favorite child. I wouldn’t touch him with a ten-foot pole. Rose doesn’t play games with her children."
"I have no business with Copycat." Theophane replied, "My business is with Cassius, Teacher Newton."
"I don’t see how that’s any better. Should I list off the families backing him? Desdemona? Royal Hood? Or his own master, the Dean?"
"Why do you always try to talk me out of this?"
"Because I love you." Teacher Newton said, voice strong yet helpless, cupping her cheek, "You’ve got me wrapped around your finger, Theophy. I love you, and I don’t want you to die."
’But I’ll die either way, whether you want it or not.’ Theophane thought inwardly.
"I won’t die." She lied, offering a bright smile, "And I won’t kill Océane, Cassius’s maid."
"Then what?"
"I just want to enter her mind." She said, "I want to speak with her, inside her mindspace. That’s only possible with your help."
Teacher Newton’s expression grew troubled, "That’ll be difficult. Teacher Helene Mars is almost always around Océane’s chamber. It’s strange, actually."
"There’s nothing strange about it." Theophane’s eyes narrowed, "She’s the High Priestess of the Lord of Death, and the Lord of Death favors the Hoods. You know how the Hoods favor Cassius. Perfectly natural. And my instinct tells me not to trust her."
Theophane raised her hand, tracing her finger sensually along Teacher Newton’s lips, drawing out the woman’s tongue, slick with saliva, to lick her finger.
The Forbidden Seer smiled, watching the teacher lick her finger with unrestrained passion, eyes hazy with desire.
"You’re Chanez Newton, master of the Research Hall, and a Head Teacher." She continued, as the teacher kept licking her finger, gaze fixed on her, "I’m certain you can find a way to give me an hour with Océane, uninterrupted."
"Only an hour?" Newton said, pausing.
"Just one."
"Will you kiss me then?" She asked, voice tender, blue eyes glinting through the darkness.
Theophane nodded slowly, "I’ll kiss you, Teacher."
Teacher Newton’s face lit up, joy radiating from her, "Then I’ll manage it, I’ll find a way! However," her voice dropped to a cold whisper, sending an instant shudder through Theophane at the overwhelming aura suddenly radiating off her, "I don’t want you entertaining that lowly tiger. You’re mine, and he is a man. How could you let a man touch you?"
"Don’t start this again." The Seer said, bearing the pressure without her expression shifting, "I told you from the beginning the nature of our relationship. You love me, and I need your help."
"You don’t love me, Theophy."
"I don’t."
Teacher Newton’s face twisted with pain, "Why? Is it because I’m—!"
"I simply can’t." Theophane cut her off gently, "I can’t love anyone that way, even if I wanted to. So please, don’t ask for my heart, and be content with the fact I’m offering you my body, to do with as you please."
Theophane leaned forward and kissed the teacher’s cheek, "It’s better for you. Better for both of us."
"Does that lowly tiger touch you too?"
Theophane smiled strangely, "If he earns it. I might allow it."
"Did he?"
"No." She shook her head, "But to help him move past an unfortunate incident involving my nephew, I made an exception."
"Do you love your nephew?"
"We don’t ask that question, Teacher."
Teacher Newton sighed, "This is bad, Theophy." She whispered, pulling her into a hug, "You’re making me love you and hate you all at once. You’re making me ready to slaughter students over you. This is really bad, Theophy. Really bad. I want to kill you for toying with me, but I can’t."
"Just think of me as a tool." Theophane said, "A tool to satisfy your desires. Nothing more. Don’t think of me as human, Teacher. You’ll come to hate me, and I don’t want that. But a tool...a tool is something you can love without demanding love in return, isn’t it?"
A brief silence followed before Teacher Newton gathered herself enough to speak, voice broken, "Who hurt you, Theophane?"
Theophane laughed, humorless, pain burning in her chest, "Do you believe in a god, Teacher?"
"...I do."
"Then pray to your god, and ask her who hurt Theophane Celeste." She said, breaking the hug, kissing the teacher’s cheek one last time, "Don’t forget about Océane. I want to see her as soon as possible."
"Will you really go after the Last Born of the Desdemona?" The teacher asked, as Theophane reached the door.
She turned her head, glancing back at the dark-skinned teacher over her shoulder, and smiled, "I am, Teacher. I have a fate to settle, and a conversation to have with his goddess. I want to ask her one question. Just one."
"Which one?"
"Why me?" Theophane said, stepping out of the room, her gentle, broken, pained voice still trailing behind her, "Why me?"
—End of Chapter 328—