The thick, dark wooden door cracks open and gold ringed red eyes peak out. They look at Darian’s retreading back first, then they snap to me and dark brows lower.
“Ms. Tsuki,” he rumbles as he opens the door a bit more. It allows me to see his white button up he usually wears, though it’s a bit rumped, the top few buttons are undone, and his sleeves are rolled up. “Is there something I can help you with?”
I try to look past him into his office, but his broad freakin shoulders block the view. Stupid tall ass men.
Clearing my throat and straightening my back, I ask, “I wanted to ask if you knew about runic magic? I had some questions about them, but I can’t find any books about it and I was told you had taught a chapter about them in the past.”
His brows raise a fraction as his eyes barely widen. His posture relaxes too and it causes his hold on the edge of the door to widen.
“Yes, I did a couple years ago,” he confirms. “But runic magic isn’t taught at Syngenia. That’s why there are no books about it. What exactly do you want to know about runic magic?”
I frown at him. “But isn’t runic magic the oldest learned magic? It dates back to the first blood witch and born vampyr. Weren’t you able to learn it when you were a student? Why would they stop teaching it?”
Surprise flickers again in his eyes as he releases his hold on the door and crosses his arms.
“I graduated from Syngenia almost two hundred and fifty years ago, Ms. Tsuki. Many things have changed since then.”
Two hund– damn.Goddamn. Growing up in both worlds of mortal and nonmortal I forget about things like that. Like how for most beings they don’t fully mature until they’re twenty-five and then that’s when they’re aging starts to slow.
And devils. . . well devils can live for centuries. Two hundred and fifty. . . ? So in human years he’s probably somewhere between late twenties to late thirties.
Not that he looks it.
“Well,” I drawl, trying not to think about his age, “is it banned? Speaking or learning about runes? If not, could you answer some questions for me?”
Or are you too old to remember?
His eyes flicker with something as his expression darkens a shade. Opening his door wider, he says, “I am not too old to remember, Ms. Tsuki.”
Oof.
I wince and double check all of my mental shields. Normally I have them completely closed and guarded, even while sleeping, so a being would have to force their way in if I didn’t allow them access to my mind. That thought, however, must have slipped between the cracks. Every once in a while it will happen for thoughts I don’t have to explicitly keep locked up. But I catch a bit of a smirk before he turns around and moves deeper into his office.
I take that as my invitation and clear my throat as I contemplate closing the door or not.
“Close the door, please,” he rumbles as he wonders over to a wall solely made of shelves and full of books.
Clicking the door shut, I stand awkwardly as he peruses the shelves and I take a moment to observe the office. It’s not small. The wall to the right is also completely covered in shelves with books and other things filling it. His desk is set before thatfacing the room and the other wall full of books where he’s still looking through.
The far wall is covered in maps and paintings, with a longue area in the left corner and a bar cart against the wall. There’s also a fireplace large enough that I’d be able to stand in without hitting my head and lay down in while still having room to stretch out.
Overall, it’s nice. Moody but could be cozy with enough space that he could hold a small class in here if he wanted. Everything neat and organized and clean.
Returning my gaze to Professor Asier, he takes a few books off the shelves before turning back to me. So much commanding power in those eyes. I try to forget that by never looking him in the eye unless he explicitly speaks to me. Which hasn’t been since our first class.
“You can come in.”
Of course it sounds more like a demand instead of a suggestion. But since he seems like he’s willing to answer me I follow him over to his large desk where he sets the books down. This desk isn’t like the one in his classroom, the top is completely level.
There’s a lamp turned on in the corner and a few papers fanned out. A couple of them have grades on them.
“If you were busy,” I say, “I can just ask tomorrow after class.”
I feel weird now. Of course I could have waited till tomorrow, this was just my excuse to get out of the dorm. And thinking of that makes my stomach grumble. Which of course the professor hears.
He quirks a brow at me, eyes dipping to my stomach as I cross my arms over my chest.
“Castiel told me about the blue belladon trapped within scar tissue.” I freeze. Oh fuck my life. “That’s why you need to eat regular food and sleep whereas other vampires don’t need either.”
