Chapter Text
Sebek watched Jamil and Kalim drop back to talk to each other, and Yuu waited until they were out of line of sight before tapping his shoulder and pointing to a shadowed alcove. He followed them, keeping his eyes peeled for anyone who might be listening in. As soon as he was sure they were alone, he said, in a rather loud approximation of a whisper, “I hate this. I hate you. Why did I agree to pretend to date you!?”
“I don’t like this either, but you vetoed all my other ideas, and your cover stories were completely ridiculous. Where would we even have gotten enough dalmations to pull your plan off!?”
“Hey, like I said before, if you need to fake-date someone from Ramshackle, and my hench-human isn’t up to your standards, I could-”
“And I just remembered why I agreed with Yuu. Thank you Grim.”
Yuu cleared their throat, “What I actually pulled you in here for was to compare notes on Kalim.”
Grim blinked in confusion, “What’s there to discuss? He seems the same as he does at housewarden meetings.”
Sebek thought about what he’d seen, and hazarded a guess. “He does, but it’s how everyone else is acting that’s off, isn’t it? The whole dorm seems tense.”
“Exactly,” Yuu nodded, “Everyone’s walking on eggshells around Kalim, like they’re waiting for the other shoe to drop. And when I ran into Jamil in the kitchens the other day, everyone was acting like staying over break was some kind of punishment, not voluntary extra study time. Kalim’s acting just like he does at school, but the rest of the dorm is behaving like he could turn into someone completely different at any moment.”
It was an astute observation, especially for a human who seemed to think that deliberately walking into a potential trap constituted “investigation.” Unfortunately, if Kalim’s cheerful demeanor was an act he was putting on for his guests, he wasn’t going to drop it while they were present. “Let’s get back to the lounge and try to question people without Kalim present. If it becomes necessary, we’ll stay behind secretly to catch him in the act.”
“‘We’ll?’ You’re the least stealthy person I know, except maybe Jack. I will stay behind, and you’ll go back and tell Malleus what’s going on.”
“Absolutely not! I have sworn a solemn oath to Lord Malleus, and he has commanded me to protect you in your investigation! I cannot allow you to place yourself in danger without me there to guard you! Either I go with you or or you-!”
Yuu shoved a hand over his mouth, and worriedly peered around the corridor for potential listeners. “Shh! Look, let’s just get back to the lounge, and continue this discussion if and when it comes to that, ok?” There was nothing left to discuss, since Sebek was right, but he nodded anyway and Yuu removed their hand. Hopefully they’d get everything they needed questioning the Scarabia students, and this whole discussion would be moot.
The bad news was that they never got an opportunity to talk to anyone without Kalim, since he and Jamil beat Yuu and Sebek back to the lounge. The good news was they didn’t need to spy on Kalim to see why everyone was so nervous around him, since it was immediately apparent as soon as he saw them.
“There you are! What kind of guest makes their host wait like this? All of you into the courtyard now, you’ve held up our training exercises enough as is.” Kalim glared up at them, arms crossed and finger tapping impatiently against his elbow. Sebek glanced at Jamil, who was standing behind Kalim’s right shoulder with his head bowed, looking back up at him as if saying he should go along with Kalim’s whims. Yuu looked at Kalim, then looked at Sebek and shrugged, scooping Grim up in their arms and following their hosts outside.
The Scarabia students were all grouped into teams of five, arranged into two neat lines facing each other. Jamil bowed to Kalim and stepped into the closest team, readying his wand. One of the lines had one extra team with no opponent. Sebek wondered why they didn’t just split the team in two, or change how many people were on every team, until Kalim waved an imperious hand at the empty space. “Well, what are you three waiting for? Get into place so we can start!”
Sebek spluttered angrily. “All three of us!? But Yuu doesn’t even have magic, they can’t possibly-!”
“Well they should have thought of that before keeping me waiting.”
Sebek opened his mouth to retort, but Yuu stepped forward, letting Grim down as they spoke. “I’ve been in plenty of fights before, I’ll be fine!”
“Yes, you will be, because I promised Ma- er, myself that I would not allow my…partner to come to any harm! Stand back, and I will handle this battle!”
“If you insist,” Yuu rolled their eyes, but walked to the back of the area designated for the training match anyway. Grim stood up on his hind legs next to Sebek, waving his forepaws threateningly.
“Everyone in position? Begin on my mark, losing teams have to clean the lounge or do the night patrol. Three…two…one…Mark!”
At once, the opposing team sprang into action, two members stepping forward to send a spray of fireballs toward them. Sebek threw up a shield, and out of the corner of his eye he saw Grim returning fire.
His temporary charge and the cat did admittedly make a good team. Grim would scamper about the field and Yuu would watch the battle around him, shouting out which direction his next opponent was in. They were also watching what Sebek was doing, and though they knew better then to distract him or attempt to give him orders, he would occasionally spot someone starting to cast a spell he didn’t have a good counter for prepared, only for a spurt of blue flame to hit their hand or arm and disrupt the spell. However, for all that steely focus they had when it came to tracking the movements of Grim, Sebek, and anyone attacking the two of them, they had absolutely no awareness of anything targeting them specifically. They just stood in place, making no attempt to not be a sitting duck.
At one point, someone figured out how to send a shot in a wide arc around Sebek’s shield, and he had to drop it to run and deflect it before it could hit them. And when Yuu saw what was happening, did they move back? Dodge in case Sebek failed to block the spell in time? Perhaps finally realize that standing absolutely stock still while a fight happens around them is probably exactly how they got hospitalized by Azul? No, that would be too sensible. Instead, they had Grim cover Sebek’s flank while he ran, as if he was the one that needed defending. He did, in fact, successfully stop the spell that nearly hit Yuu in its tracks, because how could he shame Lord Malleus by failing? But their apparent inability to defend themself, when not ten minutes ago they were insisting that they didn’t need protection was still infuriating.
Finally, Kalim called time, and everyone stopped casting. He took a cursory glance at each pair of teams, declaring whichever ones looked less beaten-up to be the winner. Naturally, between Sebek’s iron-clad defense and Grim’s…something, their team had won, and were spared from cleanup. There was definitely enough evidence that something seriously wrong with Kalim, but he was too tired to be effective in a second fight so soon. Was this Kalim’s plan? To wear them out so that they couldn't offer any meaningful resistance? In that case, it’d be wiser to make their excuses, leave, and regroup. As much as retreating to gather reinforcements stung his pride, Yuu’s safety was his priority. He explained as much to them, and although they were clearly just as displeased as he was, they nodded and agreed to make their excuses and leave.
Before they could go to Kalim, Jamil stepped toward them. “Well, Yuu? Now that you’ve seen what we’re dealing with, what do you think?”
“Kalim seems way different than at the housewarden meetings, what happened to him!?”
“I believe the stress of his position is getting to him, it truly breaks my heart to see. We can discuss this tomorrow though, I hope?”
“Oh definitely! Actually, can you do us a favor and tell Kalim goodbye for us? We’re heading back to Ramshackle for tonight.”
“But it’s so late, and you must be exhausted! Please, stay the night here in Scarabia, I insist.”
Yuu fidgeted uncomfortably. “It’s not that far a walk, I don’t want to impose…”
“Oh it’s no trouble at all, I promise! We have plenty of spare rooms to put you up in.”
“Well that would’ve been nice to know when Azul took my dorm.” Yuu muttered, not quite quietly enough to not be heard, before speaking up, “But Sebek said he wants to return to Malleus, and if I’m walking him out, I might as well return home.”
At this, Jamil turned toward Sebek. “Is that so? Surely you can stay one night? I seriously doubt anything can happen to Malleus in such a short time.”
Sebek bristled, and opened his mouth, readying a lecture on the importance of his duty, but as his eyes met Jamil’s it caught in his throat. There was just something about those storm-grey eyes he couldn’t tear himself away from, even as he distantly felt his throat working to produce words he could not hear, and his feet carrying him away, all he could think about was that searing gaze. After what felt like both a few seconds and countless hours he managed to force himself to blink, and when he opened his eyes he was no longer in the lounge. He shook his head to clear it, and immediately heard Yuu somewhere behind him.
“Oh good, you’re back. There’s only one bed in here, and I’m not sharing it, but it felt wrong to make you sleep on the floor while you were all zombified.”
Sebek blinked, and the room gradually came into focus as his eyes adjusted to the darkness relative to the lounge. It seemed to be a bedroom, though it contained only the barest essentials of furniture and no decoration. A spare then. He had been maneuvered into a sitting position on the bed, and Grim was on his lap, asleep. He twisted around, and saw Yuu sitting on the other side of the bed, looking at him with concern that they quickly covered with irritation. “What happened? The last thing I remember is talking to Jamil.”
“Short version; Jamil’s planning a coup. Long version; You went all weird and blank faced and agreed to stay overnight. Then while Jamil was showing us here he kept hinting that Kalim got the housewarden job through nepotism and that he’s probably cracking under the pressure. The other Scarabia students with us were practically eating out of his hand, suggesting that Jamil would make a way better housewarden practically on cue! Based on what happened to you, I’m almost positive that he has some kind of brainwashing signature spell. He’s been using it on Kalim to make him act like a massive tool, and setting himself up as the voice of reason who gets all the real work done. By now, the whole dorm’s practically a powder keg, and when they blow, Kalim’ll be lucky if they just run him out of Scarabia. The only thing I don’t get is why? ”
“I know exactly what you mean!” Sebek shouted, startling Grim out of his lap, “How can such a devoted aid as Jamil possibly plan such treachery!? Why would he betray a master as earnest and noble as his!?”
“Er, I actually meant ‘why go to all that trouble?’ If he wanted to be housewarden, he could just challenge Kalim. He’s obviously the stronger mage, and even though Kalim was more popular prior to this whole debacle, the part about Jamil doing all the real work is true. If he just challenged Kalim for the spot, then made him the new vice, people would recognize his skill pretty quickly, and he’d get to benefit from Kalim’s charisma by association. He really, really doesn’t need to do all this cloak and dagger stuff, and that makes me worry that he’s aiming for something a little more important than being prefect of a school dormitory.”
“What could possibly be more important? The housewardens are the most respected in the entire student body, paling only next to the great Lord Malleus!”
“‘Uh-huh…Speaking of, I tried to text Hornton to come help us, but it failed to deliver. I have plenty of service though, I could text Ace and Deuce just fine.”
“Lord Malleus’ power is so overwhelming, that pitiful human technology cannot stand up to his might! Many a cell phone had been laid low by the lighting that sparks from his fingers! That he was able to keep a single phone intact for the entire past week is a feat of incredible restraint and control!”
Yuu blinked, clearly needing a moment to process the sheer majesty of someone they so carelessly nicknamed. In the end, they elected to lean over to check on Grim. “You awake?”
“Ugh, how can I not be, what with all the yelling? You got any ideas for getting us outta here yet? Cuz I heard someone talk about a 10 km walk through the desert tomorrow morning, and I ain’t doing that for all the fresh tuna in Twisted Wonderland!”
“If we can’t get ahold of Malleus, then the only people still on campus to help are Azul and the twins. I doubt that they’ll just let us walk out the mirror, but I saw something in the treasury that might help. Grim helped me time the patrols outside the hall while you were still out, Sebek, so we’ll wait for the best time to try and sneak out. Grim and I take point, Sebek covers us from behind, if we’re lucky we can get there without needing to fight. That sound like a plan?”