Chapter 30: It is official
The hour was creeping closer to midnight, and the Sexton tower bell would soon chime softly to announce the late hour.
Inside the room where Ruelle had fled hours ago, June sat stiffly on the edge of her bed. Stupid Ruelle, she thought, as the memory of her roommate stabbing Alanna resurfaced. There was still a flicker of worry—Alanna had stormed off in fury, but neither she nor Ruelle had returned. Would she have to face the consequences for letting Ruelle escape?
Suddenly, the sound of heavy boots thudded down the corridor, growing louder with every step. June turned wary, nervously smiling as the door swung open, but it wasn’t Alanna.
A guard stood in the doorway—tall, stoic, his face unreadable. His eyes scanned the room before he questioned,
"Ruelle Belmont. Which are her belongings?"
June blinked in confusion, her mind catching up to the moment. "Her belongings?" she repeated, her tone bordering on doubt.
Her heart skipped with excitement. Could this be it? Was Ruelle being expelled from Sexton? She barely managed to keep her voice steady as she gestured to the opposite side of the room. "That side. Is she being kicked out?"
The guard crossed the room without responding and began methodically pulling open drawers, gathering Ruelle’s sparse belongings—clothes, a few worn books, and the knitting needles that had fallen to the floor earlier. Each item he collected felt like confirmation that her roommate was finally being removed from her life.
Of course, June thought. Ruelle had been stupid enough to stab a vampiress, and now she was going to pay the price. She muttered to herself, "She was never cut out for this place."