Chapter 405
Oriana:
“I’m so happy,” I told Miss Rue once we were alone in the Blue Squad’s room.
They decided to place me alone because that was what I requested. I told them I was so traumatized that I did not want to be around anyone.
I had seen others look at me with guilty expressions. Maybe they felt bad for me. However, I noticed that Miss Rue still seemed quite anxious.
“What?” I questioned. “If you think I will not hold up my end of the deal, then you are wrong. I definitely want Clementine dead, because as long as she is still alive, Yorick will daydream about her p>
I reassured Miss Rue that I was not going to back down.
“Well, there is an issue. She is alive. And she is for sure going to come back and ruin me,” Miss Rue remarked.
As soon as she said that, I frowned at her in confusion.
“What do you mean? I thought she was alive. That is why you wanted to make a deal with me,” I asked, and she sighed.
“I thought Clementine was probably in a coma or something because of the way I shot her.” Miss Rue’s words sent chills down my spine. Then she told me everything that had happened.
“So wait, you thought she would be in critical condition, Ian would bring her, you would take the watch from her, and that would be it?” I asked her, and she started to nod.
“I was kind of hoping she would die. But deep down, I knew she would not die that easily. That is why I made that deal with you,” she replied.
Now I understood why she had been so anxious. How could Clementine survive a bullet shot straight into her chest?
She was so stubborn. Why did she not want to die?
“So now what?” I asked, placing my hands on my waist.
“So now the issue is Clementine is alive. Ian is there, and since he has not returned, I can tell Clementine is not dead or in a coma. She could not have been if she wandered off. Now he will go there, find out the truth from her, return, refuse to give me the watch, and expose me. So I need you to help me,” she stated.
I nodded, taking deep, heavy breaths.
“What do you want me to do?” I questioned.
“I am going to speed up the next plan of sending everyone to the north. Just make sure that when you demand Clementine’s death, you add one more name to it,” she told me.
I nodded again because I understood who she wanted dead next.
“Ian?” I asked, and she gave a small nod, pleased that I understood her without her saying his name out loud.
“Okay, while I’m gone, just make sure that Yorick does not do anything that changes the outcome of our deal,” I told her, reminding her that I wanted out of the academy after this task.
I did not think I could keep going back to the North because the task had started to become too difficult.
Besides, I had a feeling they were going to start sending us to the dark side of the North.
I had been there before. I remembered what I had seen.
Those flying things and that tall monster somewhere in the clouds. I remembered it clearly. It was terrifying.
“Okay, do not worry about it. Just rest for now. Then you will get the announcement to come to the hall,” Miss Rue replied before she turned around and stepped out of the room.
However, I did not want to stop there. I had one more thing to do.
I barely managed to leave the room because I was still in pain. I did not know how I did it, but maybe it was the fear of dying in the North that pushed me into doing something so horrible to myself.
I reached the Red Squad room and gently knocked on the door. Mira opened it, and her face softened immediately.
“Come inside. Do you need anything?” she asked, clearly feeling bad for me.
I played the part, slowly shaking my head before glancing inside.
“Can I have a word with Joshua, please?” I spoke softly and respectfully.
She gave a quick nod and hurried inside to bring Joshua out.
However, when he stepped outside, he did not show the same empathy. He looked like he was judging me.
“I need to speak with you,” I told him, turning around and stepping away.
He followed me toward my room. I knew he was behind me because I could hear him dragging his foot.
“Stop acting. I know you’re fucking fine,” he remarked.
I turned around and glared at him.
“Joshua, I am hurt,” I told him.
I did not understand why he thought I was lying, especially after the reports had been shared with him.
“Tell me something honestly. Did he really do that to you?” Joshua asked.
I gave him a blunt look and slowly nodded.
“He did,” I replied.
“Fine, whatever. What do you want from me?” he asked, keeping his hands in his jacket pockets.
“They are going to send us to the North for the Shadow Earth Eater task,” I said.
As soon as I spoke, I watched him pull his hands from his pockets, clearly intrigued.
“Yes, Clementine did not go there for this task. It was for something else. But we need to use this moment because they are going to kill the Shadow Earth Eater. You need to make sure we get our hands on it,” I continued.
Joshua stared at me, his eyes wide.
“We cannot let it die,” Joshua replied.
I shrugged. If they were sending us there and we had to return alive, we would have to kill it.
“At least not until I make it listen to me,” Joshua muttered.
I did not understand what he wanted from it, and I did not care, as long as I could make my deal with the Shadow Earth Eater.