"Do you know her?"
Asha just smiled. She had no idea how to respond to that. "Kind of. Not really, though. She just does some side work for me, since I can't go too far away."
Blyke's eyes narrowed. "Like what?" he asked.
Asha glanced away for a second before the smile reappeared. He was like a lost puppy. Cute, but annoyingly persistent. "She keeps me posted on my family, and some other… acquaintances I'd met before I came here. Ones that helped me on my journey. I can't protect Luminine and keep tabs on them at the same time."
Blyke's attitude softened. "Your family? What are they like?"
Asha flinched back. Realizing what she did, she quickly laughed. "They're just fine. Typical parents."
"Then why did you leave home?"
"Who said I left home?" Asha asked, raising an eyebrow.
"You got here covered in dirt and mud covering bruises. You looked like an abused animal, shivering, staying far away from people, and your eyes had no life in them. It's not hard to deduce that you left home, especially since you said acquaintances you'd met on your journeys."
Asha looked away.
"ASHA! ASHA?!"
Asha's head snapped up again, and she grinned. "Sorry. Someone's looking for me, but I still have something to do. See you around, Blyke." Asha jumped onto the top of one of the hedges. She was about to jump again, but Blyke shouted, "Wait, Asha! You still haven't explained everything!"
Asha looked over her shoulder at him. The smile faded as she said, "I recommend you don't delve any deeper into my background. If you do, don't blame me for what happens to you next."
Then she was gone.
∽
"Damn that Asha!" Amelia snarled. When Amelia caught her, she was going to rip Asha into tiny little pieces and throw her to the crows.
Amelia had a different approach than Blyke. Instead of using her Amroai, Snowlerd's, second form, she instead sent Snowlerd out to search the other direction.
But so far, Asha had seemed to have vanished off of the face of the planet.
"Any news?" Daniel asked as he rushed past her.
"None," Amelia called back. She was getting close to the forest protecting the back of the school, a confusing an even dangerous maze keeping any students from wandering into the woods. There were legends about that forest. It was one of the Seven Mysteries of Luminine, because no matter how hard you try to walk into the forest, you end up walking away from it, with no memory of turning around.
They knew Asha's "Queen" facade well, but whatever was behind it… that was still a complete mystery. Everything was a mystery about Asha, everything except for the mask she wore, a mask she wanted to make sure fooled everyone around her. A mask that only the cadre knew was false.
Amelia ran into the maze. "ASHA! ASHA?!"
"AMELIA?"
She grimaced. Of everyone to run into… it had to be the mutt.
Blyke rounded the bend, slowing as he neared Amelia. "I just saw Asha. She headed toward the forest."
Amelia nodded. "Then she won't get far. There's a barrier blocking access to the forest. I've tried getting through it before."
They started running, and Amelia thought how strange it was running with him, instead of Daniel, Rosaria, and Tim. She was Daniel's Jack, meaning she worked with the King and his other Jacks. But Jacks from the Queen very rarely worked with Jacks from the King, especially alone.
"Hurry up," Blyke shouted, speeding up. He was in Shadower's second form, his Amorai boosting his agility.
Amelia called Snowlerd, the huge ghostly white leopard jumping over a row of trees, landing next to her. Amelia leapt onto its back, her fingers wrapping around the black collar, keeping her seated. "Too slow, puppy!" she called as Snowlerd shot past Blyke.
But to his credit, he was barely three steps behind when Snowlerd stopped in front of the forest. "What now?" he asked.
"There!" Amelia pointed to the left, where a figure had a hand pressed to a shiny gold barrier. "Asha!"
The figure's hand sank through the gold barrier. Asha looked at Amelia. "Goodbye." Asha vanished in the trees.
"What the hell! Asha!" Amelia roared. "You owe us more than that!" She slammed her hand against the barrier, but it refused to budge. How had Asha made it through?
"The barrier only lets people with a high enough cultivation level through."
Amelia spun. "Headmaster Randolph."
The Headmaster walked up to her side, letting his hand pass through the barrier. "An Amorai has a strength level, and then it has a cultivation level. Typically, a person can use their Amorai's abilities once their CL reaches ten."
"What are you talking about?" Amelia asked.
"Many are unaware of this leveling, therefore their leveling is much lower than those who know. Cultivation levels can be raised by increasing attributes, control, even the bond between the Amorai." The Headmaster looked at Blyke and Amelia. "I set the barrier at level four hundred, the rank of a Spirit Saint or Saintess."
"What level am I?" Blyke asked curiously.
"Probably somewhere in the Spirit Soul stage. Seventh stage perhaps. Every eleven is a stage, and there are ninety-nine levels before a breakthrough."
"A Spirit Soul... "
"That means you're only around level one hundred seventy-seven to eighty-seven."
"Kellar…" Amelia growled.
"My Amorai is only a level four low tier, but my CL is level three hundred eighty-four, a Soul Lord, seventh stage." Zane Kellar, with black hair, light green eyes, and a notorious attitude, walked up to the Headmaster. He pressed his hand against the barrier, and it bent around his hand as he pushed. He still couldn't get through it, but it was less like a wall and more like a sheet.
He sneered at Amelia and Blyke. "What does it feel like to be inferior for once, after getting so used to standing above everyone?"
"Watch it," Amelia snarled, but Randolph stepped between them. "That's enough. Zane, put your glasses on before you hurt someone."
Zane muttered under his breath, but reached into his coat pocket and snapped open a pair of elegant, black-framed glasses. If anything, they accented his eyes, made his features older, more mature and graceful. He glared at Amelia through the clear lenses.
"I'm surprised you could find your way over here without them," Randolph said, laughing lightly.
"I didn't use my eyes. I have sensitive ears. With the noise those idiots were making, it would be shameful if I couldn't find my way over here." Zane looked through the barrier. "Dammit. Old Man, it looks like you're the only one in the school who can look for her now. Not even Farsha can get through this yet." Zane's gaze hardened to something aggressively cold. "I will speed up my training immediately. I should make the breakthrough in thirty hours. Forty-eight max. I will help you find her once I reach level four hundred. I'll call an old friend, too. She's reaching peak Spirit Empress level." Zane pressed his fingers to his lips, a shrill, wince-worthy whistle echoing over the school.
Only seconds later, a shadow darted past Amelia, the gold barrier rippling as the figure vanished into the trees.
"Who in the name of Hades was that?" Amelia sputtered.
"Forget it. She's one of the fastest people I know. She'll have this whole continent covered in a week," Zane said. He pressed one arm to his chest, the other to his back, bowing forty-five degrees. "I will excuse myself."
Amelia gaped after him as he walked away. "What in the God's hell was that about?"
Blyke just shook his head. "I'm going to find Ethelyn. I think you should gather with your group, too."
Amelia snarled as Blyke ran off, too. "What am I? Liver? I'm more powerful than you!" She glared at Randolph. "Get your ass into that forest and find her! I don't care if you have a higher CL-whatever. I'm still a God-Amorai user, so I can kick your ass from here to Riqu."
Randolph just nodded. "Stay out of trouble. Protect the school while I'm away."
"Don't tell me what to do."
Randolph's face hardened. "You will protect Luminine, Amelia Santhos. You will, because of your position here." Randolph turned with those words, walking straight through the gold barrier and into the forest.
"Dammit," Amelia hissed, running a hand through her hair.
∽
Asha walked into Lord Arnold's Castle, ignoring the guards that let her in, stalking through the halls.
"Greetings, Miss Phantomhive," a servant greeted, bowing.
Asha paused, reaching out to her. "Come on," she said, taking the maid's hand. Asha frowned at the uniform, a simple skirt and white blouse, her hair tied up by a black ribbon. Asha reached up into her own hair, shaking loose a silver hairpin with a diamond flower, pinning a stray lock of hair up with it. She started walking, the maid beside her.
As she slammed the doors of the council room in, she subtly clamped a sapphire and emerald bracelet over the maid's wrist.
Lord Arnold stood from his seat almost immediately. "Young Mistress Asha Phantomhive. Welcome to my residence. I apologize for not being able to greet you at the entrance."
"Is this the Marchioness? Daughter of the Viscount and Viscountess Phantomhive?"
Lord Arnold nodded and bowed.
More than half of the two dozen people there bowed, too, but a few just stood.
"Duke and Duchess Midford," Asha greeted, dipping into an elegant bow. "A pleasure to meet all of you here."
"With all due respect, Mistress Phantomhive, what are you doing here? And where did you come from?" one of the Baronets asked.
"I came because I have some news the King may want to know, and as I currently attend school at Luminine Academy, I am unable to bring him the news myself."
"Leave it to your underlings. After all, why would a child Marchioness born of the Phantomhive line go herself," a Baron whispered.
"Baron Whitney, I would be careful how you smear my family name," Asha said calmly, looking directly into the man's eyes. "I work for the King, and those comments you can't seem to keep to yourself can be charged as treason. Treason to the Monarchy and higher aristocracy is punishable by death." Asha smiled a court smile. "Would you like to repeat your statements?"
"O-of course not, Marchioness Phantomhive."
"Good. Now, the news I bring is this: the troublesome Sophon boy is on the move. In Artemesa or Kephri. Be on alert. I'm not sure if he's completely forgiven Artemesa yet."
"Of course, Mistress."
"Good. Lord Arnold Fershod, have you been keeping tabs on my parents like I've requested?" Asha asked, looking at him with piercing sapphire eyes.
"Of course, Marchioness. They are in their manor nearly all day, everyday. Nothing out of the ordinary happens, and they seem to be doing quite well. Of course, though, we can't see everything inside, because of the huge gates."
Asha's lip curled in a sneer. "Of course they are, holed up in their glittering mansion. They're like rockfish, though. Most dangerous when their motions are unseen." Asha spun on her heel, her skirt fanning around her, her sapphire eyes glaring straight ahead of her. "Thank you. Good day, gentlemen, ladies."
Asha walked right up to the window directly in front of the doors and jumped onto the windowsill. "Second form."
As huge wings unfurled from her back, Asha jumped through the window, sailing into the chilly Artemesian skies.
She looked down on the city, the houses, the gardens, the bodies of waters rolling underneath. "Nothing ever changes. I should have known better than to hope it would," she muttered. Asha tucked her wings in, letting herself fall. She reached an arm to the sun, her loose hair winding around her fingers, streaming above her. She closed her eyes, blocking out the sun and sky, enveloping herself in the darkness.
Below, she was starting to get close enough to the ground to where the people screamed as they saw the person falling from the sky.
Asha counted the feet as she fell. One hundred, eighty, fifty, twenty… ten.
The little boy under Asha wasn't scared as the young woman fell toward him. But he laughed and jumped up and down as those huge turquoise wings unfurled last second, a single flap flipping Asha rightside-up and had her sailing over the crowd's heads.
It wasn't quite her time to die, just yet.
Asha soared back into the air, way above the town, until she was soaked to the bone as she flew through a cloud bank, the cold, wet droplets clinging to the feathers of her wings, the wind making her eyes sting, her hair plastering itself to her skin.
She tucked her wings in as she shot back into the sunlight, corkscrewing through the air. And as she snapped her wings back open, she cast off the thin layer of moisture, making the air sparkle for a brief second before she was off again.
"ASHA!"
Asha winced, slowing until she was hovering, eyes on the school, where shouts of her name echoes through the towns.
"SHUT THE HELL UP! SOME OF US ARE TRYING TO ENJOY THE PEACE AND QUIET!" someone below shouted.
"NO ONE GIVES TWO SHITS ABOUT YOUR PEACE AND QUIET!" someone from Luminine shouted; it sounded like Daniel.
Asha tittered as she hovered in the air, rising and falling with each beat of her wings.
"You're causing quite the fuss down there, now, aren't you? I thought I told you to stay out of trouble."
"Welcome back, Cress. What are you doing?" Asha sighed, feeling the air currents shift as Cress took up place beside her.
"Got back from my errand. I was going to go straight in, but I could hear them shouting from miles off. It's ridiculous. To think they're causing such a fuss for the same Queen they think is overbearing and overly arrogant. After all, it's not like they know just how many attacks you fend off to protect the school. I don't think even your Jacks know."
"What's your point, Cress?" Asha asked, eyes still down below.
"My point is I think it's time you go back. No matter what, I truly believe the students love you like family."
"Bullshit. In this world, nobody cares for no reason. Affection with strings attached. Nothing is ever truly free."
Cress overlapped Asha's left wing with his right, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Asha, my emotions come with no strings. I care for you because you're you. I don't want anything from you. Afterall, what can you give me that my parents can't?"
"Right. Your parents are the Duke and Duchess of Perrenth. They outrank even me, and I'm the King's hunter."
"Naw, nobody outranks you when it comes to status and power. Only in title are you second-best."
"You know if you tell anyone about my title, I'll have to kill you, right?" Asha asked, eyes hard as she met his.
"Of course. But I have no interest in selling your identity." Cress reached out and took her hand. "Come on. Let's go home."
Asha thought briefly about shaking him off, his hand, and his wing, but instead just sighed and tightened her grip. "Let's go back. Before they all blow a fuse." A mischievous grin. "Let's hope you can keep up."
They laughed as they shot forward, moving fast, the wind whipping their hair around.
Cress' was the same length as Asha's, and as they alighted on one of the towers of Luminine, they had to spend an extra five minutes untangling their hair from each other's.
Asha tugged the last knot loose, setting them both free. "Now, don't you have somewhere to be, Cresscent?"
"See you around, Phantomhive."
"Likewise." Asha looked down, eyes tracking a cadre member as they ran through the other students looking for her. "I think it's time for me to return."
Asha jumped, her Quetzalcoatl appearing on her shoulder. Her aim was perfect, her feet landing squarely on Blyke's head.
They tumbled over the grass of the courtyard, coming to a stop, Asha's hair tangled around Blyke's arm. She looked up at his face, raising an eyebrow. "I heard you shouting," she said, a small smile twitching her lips.
Blyke glared down at her. "About time."
"What are you doing, Blyke? Are you playing around again?"
Something smacked into Blyke's back, and his arms gave out.
And Asha's eyes widened in surprise, frozen for just a second, before her fist hit him in the side of his face. She dragged herself back a few feet, teeth bared, arms wrapped protectively over her chest, cheeks red. "H-how dare you!"
∽
Blyke was just as shocked as Asha. He glared at Amelia, who was standing over them, mouth open, eyes streaming with mirth.
"OHMYGODICAN'TBREATHE!" Amelia cackled, arms squeezing her sides, gasping.
Blyke looked back to where Asha was growling at him. "I-I'm so sorry. I was pushed, and I-- I can't-- I didn't-- Amelia!"
"What's going on here?" Daniel drawled, stalking onto the scene with the rest of the cadre.
"Did you just see that?" a student whispered.
"Did that really just happen? Did Blyke…"
"OMG, I can't believe it…"
"Do you think that was her--"
Asha glared at him. "T-that was my first kiss, you jackass!"
Blyke grimaced. "It was mine, too, so we're even."
"Oh my god, he's such a jerk!"
"He practically deflowered her, and he's not going to take responsibility?"
"No wonder that was his first kiss."
Daniel was trying to keep his laughter under control. "I wouldn't say deflowered… it was just a kiss…"
The student body's glares turned on him now. "HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT?! HE STOLE AWAY HER INNOCENCE!"
"This is Asha we're talking about. She already has blood on her hands. How exactly is she innocent?"
"The whole cadre is evil. They don't care that their Queen just got violated."
The whispers continued, and Blyke could feel the stares boring into the back of his head. He stood from where he'd landed after Asha'd punched him, dusting off grass. He walked over to her, and Asha looked at him warily. Blyke just bowed, offering a hand up.
Asha looked at his hand, then at him, then back to the hand. And to Blyke's complete mortification, she reached into her jacket and removed a black silk glove, placing over her hand before taking his hand, letting him help her up.
Blyke tried to ignore the fact that she ran away almost as soon as she was on her feet as he watched her retreating form.
"That was amazing!" Amelia laughed, slapping him on the back. "I'm not one of her Jacks, so I'm not going to see how this goes, but I bet it's going to be hilarious. Keep me posted, Ethelyn."
Ethelyn smiled a small smile, but it was full of a wicked delight, as if she was going to love conveying Blyke's most humiliating few days to someone who was going to spread it like wildfire.
He shivered. "What should I do now?" he asked Daniel. "I don't think she's going to talk to me for awhile…"
"Why would you want to talk to that, first of all, and just let it play out. It's not like she can ignore you forever, not when you work together nearly every day."
Blyke looked at him in anguish. "So I'm just supposed to watch as she avoids me all the time? And the looks I'm undoubtedly going to receive from both her and the students?"
"Suck it up, Blyke. You're a man, after all. Or are you part Chihuahua?" Tim asked, smirking.
Blyke just looked after where Asha'd gone, already dreading everything to come.
"Asha, are you hiding in there?" Blyke asked, rapping his knuckles on the door to dorm room 108.
The door opened, and Catherine looked at him. "Hello, cradle-robber."
"I didn't mean to kiss her-- anyway, do you know where she is?"
"No idea. She may even be in Sophon at this point. Now go away." Catherine slammed the door in Blyke's face.
Blyke dragged a hand down his face. God, why were girls so worried about their first kiss? Given, Blyke would have prefered to kiss someone else for his first, but what was the big deal? He turned and walked out of the girls' dorm. Asha's only female friends were those three, Catherine, Caprain, and Leana.
Then something hit Blyke. They weren't Asha's only friends. In fact, they weren't even her best friend. Asha's best friend was a boy two years older than her, some strange loner with a high-tier Amorai.
"By order of Blyke Hagani, Jack of Luminine, Cresscent with the Amorai Snow Owl, come forth!" Blyke called.
There was a flash of light, and that weird, girly-looking guy appeared before Blyke. "Hello, Jack of Luminine. What do you need this time? A kiss under the moonlight?"
Blyke hissed at him. "I need to find Asha."
Cress pouted. "I'm sorry, but she expressly said not to tell you where she was hiding. And she outranks you, both in school title and aristocracy title. What are you again? Right, the son of a Baronet and Countess. Aren't you the Earl Hagani? Lucky the King gave you that title instead of Baronet. Then you'd be even further down the ladder."
Blyke growled in frustration as Cress walked away. "I still outrank you!" he snarled before turning away and running toward the school. Blyke ignored the mutters that followed him as he ran through the halls, trying to locate the elusive Queen.
Blyke knew from experience that Asha had a very potent skill: hiding. It was near-incredible how easily she could sneak around the Academy.
Blyke was muttering under his breath as he passed a group of giggling girls, but one of them was twisting a strand of hair around her finger. That action made Blyke stop and turn. "Asha…"
The girl took off, sprinting down the halls.
"Asha, wait!" Blyke used his Amorai's second form and ran after her. He lunged for her, hand closing around her wrist. But he was thrown into the air, landing on the rafters, but he refused to let go of her hand.
She leapt back, landing on a different beam. She glanced down at the crowd that was starting to gather below.
"Asha Phantomhive, I offer an invitation to dance," Blyke said. He hid a smirk as her head snapped up in surprise. "If I hit the floor, I will take responsibility for you, and if you are caught, you have to be my date to the Interschool Dance!"
Asha's jaw dropped.
Blyke bowed and extended a hand. "May I have this dance?" Blyke felt a fleeting brush of fingers across his palm before raising his head. He smiled when he saw she was gone.
Game on.
∽