Nightblade (Darkest night)

Chapter 234 234: Glad tidings

Emily bit back a scream, gritting her teeth in agony. Her arm throbbed painfully with every passing second, and she could taste the smell of charred flesh in the air.

Slowly rising to his feet, Merlin's eyes glowed an ethereal silver.

He stared at the marks in her hands for a few moments, then slowly turned in a slow circle.

"This... "

Victoria threw him a questioning glance.

" Is there anything that you can do?"

She'd already scanned the room with her psionic ability, but her psionic waves picked up nothing.

And yet—

The mark on the girl's hand was undoubtedly caused by something or someone. For the briefest of moments, she'd felt it.

Merlin returned her gaze for a few moments,s then shook his head.

" Not now. No. Whoever our mysterious guest was, he has already left. He has already accomplished what he'd set out to do. "

Victoria's brows furrowed in confusion.

"And what had he set out to do ?"

Merlin smirked, pointing to the mark on Emily's arm.

"He was delivering a message."

Marcus spared Gregory a glance, which the headmaster calmly returned.

After a few moments, Marcus turned his attention to the sobbing girl on the floor.

He strode forward with his intricately carved cane, lightly tapping the ground.

He stopped, staring down at her. Seeing her like that stirred a deep sense of resentment within him.

For a moment,ment her image overlapped with that of his missing daughter.

He refused to think even for a moment that she'd died. She was his blood.

A Snow.

He'd already heard about Merlin's test, and while he detested it, he had to admit that the Great Houses were no better due to the grueling tests they put their heirs through.

And unfortunately, there was simply no better way.

That was the world that they lived in.

It did not favour the weak.

It was kill or be killed.

"Reassuring her after she was harmed in our midst would be pointless. Besides..."

His gaze roamed around the room.

The headmaster's office was supposed to be one of the safest places at the academy, yet something had breached it and with ease at that.

That alone told him they weren't dealing with an ordinary Talented or even an assassin.

"Raven is alive..."

For a few moments, Marcus froze, doubting his own sensitive sense of hearing.

"What did you say?"

Emily rose to her feet.

"Raven is alive. Morgan told me to tell you that she's alive. And safe. And not worry."

For a few moments, Marcus stared at her silently.

Merlin's gaze drifted between the two of them, his eyes glinting with curiosity.

" And who are those supposed to be, Gregory?"

Merlin's voice resounded inside Gregory's mind.

"Missing kids. Scions of the Great House,s to be precise."

Merlin smiled, nodding subtly.

"This day just keeps on getting more and more interesting. "

After a few moments, Marcus seemed to regain his voice.

"Tell me. From the beginning."

His tone was gentle but brooked no denial.

Emily slowly narrated everything that had happened from the point she'd blacked out and ended up in the Realm of Dreams.

Merlin's eyes widened slightly at the mention of it, his demeanor shifting slightly.

" And how do you know this is all true and not just any other ordinary dream?"

" Because of this..."

Emily pointed to the mark on her hand and found that it had disappeared.

"She's telling the truth."

Every head in the room turned to where Merlin sat.

He'd carelessly draped his arms on the sides of the sofa and leaned back, staring listlessly at the ceiling.

Merlin threw a furtive glance at Marcus.

" You already know she is. I know all about how you maestros are moving truth electors, at least when it comes to the rest of us."

Merlin sat up straight in his seat.

" But if that's not enough, then my word should suffice. I've seen a similar mark before. This Raven and Morgan are probably in the domain of the Wielder of that mark. And if they're guests, there's hardly anything that could harm them. Except their host, of course," he said with a snide smile.

Marcus looked like a man whose shoulders a burden had been lifted.

" Well, judging by the looks on your faces, this appears to be welcome news. I think I should—"

"You're still coming with us, Lord Merlin," Victoria interjected.

" Not to mention the fact that your soon to be apprentice hint yet been appraised of the situation. It's the least you can do considering all the havoc that you've wrought."

Merlin quietly cursed, plopping back down in his seat.

"Well, this certainly sucks. This is what I get for popping my head back into the world. Come to think of it, why did I offer to take her on...boredom...damn it..."

Emily had recovered and was seated next to Victoria.

"Well then, I guess it can't be helped, " Merlin said.

Leaning forward, Emily pierced with a chilling gaze.

'What would you think about becoming my apprentice?"

At the moment, all the gazes in the room turned to her.

"She's definitely going to refuse, " Merlin actually thought.

'After all, women are such emotional creatures. Who would want a stranger who beat them as their master? That would be preposterous."

Emily stared at him for a few moments in silence, then studied the other occupants in the room.

After a lengthy consideration, she audibly sighed.

"I'll do it..."

Merlin laughed.

" See, there now that, that's settled, I'll get...going?"

His eyes narrowed. After a few moments, he spoke.

"You're actually serious about this?"

Emily nodded.

"With all due respect, sir, while I don't like you, I think I can learn a lot from you."

Merlin grinned.

" I knew it. I like this one. I'm never wrong about talent when I see it. Now that that's out of the way. I'll get going—"

"There's still the matter of Ophelia..." Thrain stated.

Merlin froze like a man caught between a rock and a hard place.

After a while, he sighed.

"Fine...let's get this over with."