The Phantom's Gambit-Chapter 49: Do you have a death wish?

Octavius held his breath in anticipation as he waited for Thorne to approach him. A flurry of anxious questions swirled in his mind, threatening to unsettle his carefully constructed composure. Had his cover been blown already? Was Thorne onto him? Octavius’s nerves hummed with tension as he struggled to steady himself, his eyes fixed intently on Thorne’s approaching figure.

However, in a surprising twist, Thorne walked past him, his gaze settling instead on the person standing next to Octavius - Amy. It was then that Octavius realized, with a mix of relief and curiosity, that Thorne’s attention had never actually been focused on him.

Thorne’s eyes had been locked onto Amy all along. And yet, Octavius felt an inexplicable pang of disappointment, unsure why Thorne’s interest in her should stir such a reaction within him knowing that he never want Thorne to detect who he was just yet

"Thorne," Erick called out, his voice ringing across the cafeteria, before Thorne had a chance to address Amy.

Thorne turned towards Erick, his rugged features softening ever so slightly as he broke into a tight-lipped smile. He strode over to Erick and wrapped him in a brief, but warm, hug. The gesture sparked a flurry of whispers and murmurs among the surrounding students, and Erick’s face lit up with a pleased smile, clearly basking in the attention.

As Thorne broke the hug, Erick’s lips parted, no doubt to ask a question or share a remark. However, Thorne forestalled him, his expression turning serious once more. "We’ll catch up later, I’m afraid I’m short on time at the moment," he said politely, before turning to leave.

Erick hastily nodded in understanding, and Thorne, in return, turned to face Amy once again.

Amy’s face was a picture of bewildered distress, her eyes wide with a mix of confusion and discomfort. The humiliation of Erick’s public ridicule still lingered, because everyone now had their eyes on her.

And now, to make matters worse, Thorne - the most revered and gifted student in the Academy - was gazing at her with an unnerving intensity, his piercing eyes seeming to strip her bare. His gaze was almost predatory, as if he was sizing her up, weighing his options, and Amy couldn’t help but feel like a fragile, vulnerable prey caught in the sights of a ruthless hunter.

When Thorne finally spoke up, he asked Amy, "What did you do to him?"

Amy’s brows furrowed in confusion, unsure of what Thorne was insinuating. "I’m afraid I don’t understand your question—"

"William." Thorne stated. "He’s been missing for days, and everyone says you were the last person seen with him. So, what did you do to him?"

Amy’s face cleared, and she shook her head. "You mean to ask me where he is? Just because I was the last person seen with him doesn’t mean I had anything to do with his disappearance."

Thorne’s cheeks flushed slightly, and he suppressed the urge to correct his earlier phrasing. Fortunately, Amy continued, sparing him the need to respond.

"As for our last interaction," Amy began, "he took me aside, forcefully, I might add. He tried to coerce me into... intimacy." Amy let out, her voice rising deliberately.

"William wouldn’t do such a thing." Thorne was quick to chastine her.

"Well, maybe you don’t know him, If it wasn’t for Professor Deia’s timely intervention, he would have had his way with me."

The mention of Professor Deia, Thorne’s mother, lent credibility to Amy’s account.

Octavius, however, was lost in thought, pondering what Amy had said. He had been unaware of the woman’s identity during the incident and therefore, couldn’t identify her.

Yet, the fact that Thorne’s mother was a healer and a professor in the Healers’ Faction raised unsettling questions. Could she have been the one who authorized the use of stasis dust to eliminate him and his sister back in the Cave of ruins? But if so, why would she intervene on Amy’s behalf?

Amy’s voice cut through Octavius’s reverie, drawing his attention back to her. "... That’s the last time I saw him," she concluded, her eyes never leaving Thorne’s face.

Thorne took a deliberate step closer, his voice low and menacing. "If I find out that you’ve lied today, I will hold you accountable for your words. And you know what punishment awaits liars."

As Thorne turned to leave, Amy’s voice cut through the air, her words dripping with defiance. "And I hope you know what punishment awaits evil-doers and their supporters! Especially those of a rapist!"

The cafeteria erupted into a collective gasp, with shocked whispers and murmurs spreading like wildfire. Erick opened his mouth to intervene, but Thorne’s raised hand silenced him.

Thorne turned to Amy slowly. "Do you have a death wish?"

Amy’s lips parted, but before she could respond, Marilyn’s voice cut in.

"Maybe you should investigate the recent deaths and see if William happens to be among them."

Marilyn’s words hung in the air, a challenge to Thorne’s authority. Thorne leaned in close to Marilyn, his voice barely audible. "Just because your father forced our engagement doesn’t mean you get to control me, Marilyn. Don’t forget your place."

Otto who stood close enough to catch Thorne’s words, let out in a bit of suppressed rage.

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"That’s no way to speak to a lady," he chastened "Instead of picking fights with women, perhaps you should prove your bravery on the battlefield, where monsters are ravaging the countryside."

A small laugh ripped out of Thorne’s throat, in a low and menacing way. "Your audacity is admirable. But bravery is not just about charging into battle; it’s about strategy, cunning, and power."

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the room, his eyes lingering on the rest of the faction.

"This year’s newcomers are quite the characters. Let’s hope you all survive this semester with your wits and boldness intact... and walk away unscathed. It would make a new record. First newbies to make it through the first semester, unscratched."

The air seemed to vibrate with tension as Thorne’s words hung in the air, a veiled threat that left no doubt about the dangers that lay ahead.

Satisfied with his words, he left the table with his troops with Erick right behind him.