Chapter 30 - Good girl.
I quickly rush back to find Kodi.
I walked into the dining hall and noticed a crowd was gathering around. "I wonder what happened…?"
I work my way over and see a girl crouched on the floor with people surrounding her. Upon closer looks I recognise who it is. "Mila!?" I rushed over to her.
She was covered in food, her hair and clothes were dirty.
"What happened here…?"
I crouch down next to her and she speaks quietly with a straight face. "It was an accident, someone bumped into me…"
I couldn't understand why but I didn't really believe her. "She's fine. If she was watching where she was going this wouldn't have happened."
I look up at the voice to see a girl roughly the same age as us looking down at us.
She had blue eyes and light brown hair that were braided to one side. She was surrounded by a lot of people, it seems she's quite popular as everyone agreed with her statement. "Yeah, besides we should be the one scared. Who knows what this Fae will do to us?" Said one of the girls who was standing next to her and I felt annoyed at her words.
I noticed Mila flinched a little but she stayed quiet.
I wasn't sure if it was my place to speak but then the other girl who was also stood next to the girl with braided hair made a comment. "Why do you even care about her?" She was holding the tray, and seemed to be the one who dropped it on her, what she said ticked me off further.
"The little bitch got first place because of her advantage as a Fae. She should put up with what was coming to her." I stared at her making her flinch.
"From what I remember the written exam didn't give the Faes any advantages or anyone for that matter, considering any use of magic is impossible during the exam and will be detected immediately."
The girl flinched at my comment. "So what-!?"
I interrupted her before she could speak.
"Just because you losers are sour that you didn't score as high doesn't mean you can pick on Mila. It's not her fault you're all too stupid to get such low rankings."
They all looked at me stunned.
The girl who stood before them with the braided hair spoke. "Hey aren't you being rude. We never said anything to you."
I glared at her. "your friend here just called my friend a bitch you think I'll stand for it."
She flinched at my words and looked over at that girl who was now frustrated at my words, calling her out.
Before the girl with the braid could say anything she pointed at her and looked at me with an arrogant expression. "Hey! Do you know who you're talking to right now!? You're probably just a dirty commoner who has no idea about Cleo Seoras! The heir to one of the richest families in the empire!" She laughed in my face and I stood up with Mila who looked a little surprised to have me help her.
I smirked with the same confident glint like fathers in my eyes. "Is that so? Like I could care less, all she has to show is her family's money. You're all Pathetic." Cleo looked stricken by my words but didn't say anything. The other girl however was triggered as she flipped out. "Just who do you think you are!?"
I smiled at her and proudly announced. "How rude of me, I've yet to introduce myself. I'm Iridesa Orion. Daughter of Paris Orion."
As soon as that name left my lips everyone in the dining hall went pale with fear.
The arrogant girl trembled before me.
I leaned over and whispered in her ear.
"What's wrong? You were so arrogant just a while ago."
She swallowed and shrunk back in fear, muttering apologies. I didn't care to hear them and turned away.
I held Mila and walked away from there.
Mila quietly walked with me to the dorms. Once we reached there I grabbed a clean towel for her and some soap. She held some clothes and we walked down together to the basement where the bathrooms were located.
I don't know if she found me troublesome hanging around her but either way she didn't say anything. She removed her uniform and I held out my hands. "Here, I'll put them into the wash." She looked at me with a straight face and then passed them.
As I put them in the basket she finally spoke in a small voice.
"Thank you." I looked up at her. "Pardon." She looked at me and finally talked to me. "T-thankyou…for standing up for me." I smiled at her "Don't mention it, you're my roommate after all we should look out for each other."
She smiled a little at my words. "I see. I'm sorry you had taken all the brunt for it, I didn't want to say anything as I don't want to ever stoop to their level…I just want to be left alone..." I listened to her and my heart stung. Has she always been treated like this for such stupid and petty jealousy? "I'm sorry if I came off as rude. I thought if I kept my distance no one would bother you…"
I placed the clothes in the basin and looked at her. "It's okay, you have nothing to apologize for and don't worry about them coming after me. I'm not scared of them in the slightest and you shouldn't be either as you're not going through it alone anymore."
She looked at me surprised. I smiled at her and extended a hand.
"If it's okay with you, I would like for us to be friends." She looked at my hand and smiled. She held my hand and held it. "I would like that."
I sent Milas clothes for cleaning and she washed up. She put on her spare uniform and we walked back to the Academy, lunch time was over soon and I pouted. I had forgotten to get something to eat. Kodi was waiting outside class and saw me and Mila together.
He seemed a bit surprised but didn't really say anything, Mila seemed quite nervous as we approached. I introduced them both to help ease the tension. "Mila, this is my friend Kodi. Kodi this is Mila, my friend and roommate." Kodi greeted her "Hi, Nice to meet you." Mila also responded. "Nice to meet you too…"
We entered the classroom and I asked Mila to sit with us, she was hesitant at first but then agreed. I noticed everyone was whispering about us but when I glared at them they stopped and quickly looked away.
The teacher hadn't arrived yet so I took the extra time to look over Kodi's notes. "Wow, your notes are so well organized!" Everything about Kodi was so prim and proper. He explained the next class to me. "We are going to be learning about the magic elements such as fire, water, light, dark, etc."I listened curiously.
"What is your main magic element?" I asked Mila, replied first. "Mine is water." My eyes went wide, water was the second strongest element. "Mine is earth, how about you?" Kodi asked.
I laughed nervously. My element was so weak compared to these two, Earth was the third strongest. "Mine is Wind." They both looked surprised. Mila seemed impressed. "That's a very rare element." I sighed. "True, but it is also so weak."
Kodi flicked me on the forehead. "Ouch!" He squinted his eyes at me. "Just because a lot of people haven't brought the Wind element to its true potential doesn't mean you have to have such little faith in yourself." I pouted as I rubbed my head. "Sorry…but did you have to flick me on the forehead?"
Mila laughed a little at our exchange. Soon the teacher had arrived and for some reason the class fell silent. "I wonder why everyone is so quiet?" Mila answered my confusion with a sullen expression. "It's because the teacher is a Fae." I flinched at her words and remembered the Fae teacher I met earlier. I looked up to see Master Cillian standing in the front of the class, his eyes met mine and I quickly looked away. I noticed the small smile on his face and blushed "It seems everyone's here, lets begin."
He began teaching the class and I relaxed a little and began focusing on my work. "Ok, so we all know we have a main element that is superior to the rest in our magic affinity. This element is different for everyone."
I listened intently but couldn't focus as his deep voice gave me goosebumps.
He had such a presence about him that I couldn't help but lose focus from time to time. "Now I would like to show you how we can take that element and use it to create different types of magic barriers. They may each work differently but require the same methods."
I remember Uncle Arthur telling me about this once, his main element was also water like Mila and he used it to create a barrier to restrain father from mass murdering when I turned 14 and had received marriage proposals from different families who were desperate to make affiliations with Lord Orion, the most powerful and feared person in the empire. Uncle Arthur wouldn't have to resort to taking such actions if some of the families weren't forcing it and instigating father on purpose.
I was lost in my own world and startled when Master Cillian came and stood before me.
"How about you?"
I was surprised and shuffled back at the close proximity.
Everyone's eyes were on me and I was so confused as to what was happening. Kodi sighed and whispered to me. "He's asking you to volunteer so he can demonstrate the spell…" I flinched, I really did not want to but it seemed I can't step away from this now. "Y-yes…" I reply as I stand up awkwardly.
Master Cillian walks to the front of the castle and I walk behind him.
I try to stay composed as everyone's eyes are on me. "So Let me explain, how we do this is…" Master Cillian explains the method as everyone takes notes. "Iridesa." I flinch as he says my name, I can't help but feel butterflies in my stomach. "Y-yes." I responded.
"What is your main element?" I look down a bit embarrassed to say. "Wind…" Everyone in the room starts muttering to each other and I look away. "Silence." Master Cillian said sternly and the class composed themselves.
He looked at me and smiled. "That's perfect. The best defenses are created with wind." I seemed surprised at his words, I didn't know that.
He then stood behind me and I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do. Before I could react he pulled me close, my back against his broad chest.
"W-why are we so close…?" I said in a small voice and he leaned over and whispered in my ear, and I couldn't help but feel an electric current run down my spine at his warm breath grazing against my sensitive ears. "If we don't stand so close, we can't fit in the magic barrier…" I bit my lip at the ticklish sensation and tried not to let out a whimper.
He then held me waist and made me space my legs at shoulder width so I had a steady stance "Posture straight... Spread your legs…just like this, good girl."
I knew he was only trying to instruct me on the spell but I couldn't help but blush and tremble a little at the way he said it.
I did as he said and he held up my arms and in front of me.
"Now we will draw the magic rune…" He clasped my hand and drew the rune in the air, a faint glow emitting from my finger painted a symbol in front of me. I felt so strange being so close but everyone around us didn't seem to think much of it as they took notes.
After He finished helping me draw the rune, a purple glow draped over us and the both of us stood inside a magic barrier constructed through the use of a raging wind.
We were tightly pressed together and I felt my heart race.
"The more you practice the stronger your rune. The one you have created is actually quite impressive, its flexibility due to the wind means it could withstand a lot of attacks and it's so strong that any sound can't travel outside from within which is why I can say this and nobody in class can hear."
I became confused.
"Say what…?"
He smirked at my words and what he said next had my ears burning red with heat and my heart wanting to jump out of my chest.
"I want to claim you as mine, Iridesa…"