Piercing the yellow essence that swirled on the inside of the crystal, yellow liquid gushed outwards and soaked up all the other essence. I then placed a round sticker over the top of the hole and shook until the colour solidified and sparkled from all of the glitters. Satisfied, I put the crystal on the stand provided and looked at Charlie. She jabbed at any, and that was when I knew, she wasn’t a mage that liked craft.
Recess came around quickly. Charlie left with Donte and Nixon when she realised that I was leaving them to go up the flight of stairs. I have decided that I enjoyed using this time to read up in the tower. My stomach did grumble, missing breakfast may have been a bad idea, but I don’t regret the decision now.
Inside of the tower room, the book wasn’t where I left it. My eyes then dragged up to Lawliet, who was awake, and he had my book in front of him. Nervous, I tugged down the sleeves of my jumper and went over to sit beside him. Lawliet shuffled slightly so that he squished himself up against the wall.
I have begun to notice that Lawliet dislikes being near me. Might be his personality. I wasn’t really dwelling on the reason as to why, more of observing.
Lawliet must have noticed that I wanted the book. He dragged it towards me and leant to the side, dropped his boot on the table and stared out and at the snow.
Before I could open the book, my stomach grumbled. Ignoring the hunger, I hugged my legs closer to my stomach and chest as if that would cut off the appetite completely. It wasn’t, and I was too committed to leave and grab something to eat. I don’t want to waste any time. I can persevere. I had done countless of times when I went to meetings with my parents, or sit-ins, where all I did was sit hours on end and listened to mages dribble on about things that I couldn’t care less about, but I had to pretend that I did.
I hope Hopper comes back soon. Maybe he can make me a small snack so that I don’t have to waste time going to the cafeteria at Recess. I can come up to the tower with food and avoid the death glares altogether.
“Here.” Lawliet’s low husky voice cut through my bitter thoughts. Away from the book, I looked up at Lawliet who held out his hand. A sandwich cut into triangles waved in front of my face. “Your stomach is annoying me.”
Taking hold of the sandwich, I tore the corner of one and popped the small piece in my mouth. My mouth watered, salivating at the tastes that burst within and filled my insides with joy.
“Yum,” I murmured. “Dragon eggs.”
Feels like a very long time since I had dragon eggs. Hopper doesn’t like going to their lands because they are getting rather hostile in the bitter cold months. From what I have read, they are more fire-breathing when it is colder. They are warm-blooded creatures that enjoy summer and sun.
“Thank you,” I said, and this time, I meant it, really.
He looked away, and there was a hint of redness on his face. “Thanks,” he muttered.
“For what?” I asked.
“The bottle of water. It was you that brought it up for me, wasn’t it?” He asked.
“Yes,” I agreed.
“Why? Do you think I am a charity case?” He demanded.
He gets angry very quickly. Yet, again, I don’t see no set look in his eyes that makes me believe that he wants to hurt me.
“No,” I answered. “I know all too well what it is like being bullied. How alone I still feel because of being hated. I… I don’t want you to feel alone,” I admitted. “That’s why I brought the bottle of water up.”
“Why would you feel alone and bullied? You are a Highborn, not a half breed with no purpose in either the mages world or Guardian world. At least you have a place.”
“Not anymore,” I murmured. I touched my hand where the gem was and stared longingly at it. “You truly do not know who I am?”
“Should I care?” He asked.
“No,” I admitted. “You shouldn’t care.”
“Then I won’t care,” he replied, shrugging. I looked back down at the book. Pale fingers touched a sentence and dragged along the line of the page. “If you want to learn more on how to create your own stick rune, start from there.”
“How do you know?” I asked.
“Because I read this book before. Start from there until chapter four. Skip chapter five to seven, I think you are more than capable of cursive after checking out your book. Then create, the other chapters are more about different types of designs, but I think you might be exempt from reading that. You seem like the creative type.”
“I am,” I agreed. He breathed a laugh. “What’s so funny?”
“Usually mages say thank-you.”
“I am trying to be myself more than those mages,” I admitted. “Is that a problem?”
“Not at all.”
He smiled. It was an amusing and captivating smile. Those melancholy glassy golden eyes solidified, like melting gold.
“You are beautiful.” His eyes widened. The bell rang. “Good-bye.”
Embarrassed myself for admitting that aloud, I stood, went to reach for the book but thought otherwise and just left to go to class. I wasn’t sure why I admitted that he was beautiful, especially to his face. I’d admit that to Hopper or my brothers, but never a person that I have recently met and barely have spent time with. His smile caught me off guard.
That was all.
That afternoon, I had the sport class. I really dislike sport. Not enough to complain like the girls from behind me done, but enough to wish I was someplace warm.
Sports boots crunched in the snow-covered grass. Last night, there was a sudden downpour of snow. Mage Academy supposedly is a late bloomer in winter and doesn’t last that long, which I am hopeful and happy about. But there were some upsides to winter. I am a little happy about winter by the fact that I can wear a beanie and hide the curse that plagues me. Other than that, I’d much rather the warmth of summer. That burning sensation in my hair and that tingling sensation crawling up my skin.
I was daydreaming when a cold, wet substance slammed into the back of my head. I stumbled forward and landed into a heap of snow in the ground. Charlie yelped, and from where I lay, I heard her snap. Shuffling so that I was on my knees, I looked back and at Rebecca that smirked at me, ecstatic that she dropped me in thick snow.
“Oops, I didn’t see you there,” she laughed.
“You’re such a bad liar, Rebecca,” Charlie snapped.
Puffing my cheeks, I pushed myself up off of the ground with the help of Charlie. While she swore at Rebecca, Rebecca made snark remarks back, entertained that she made Charlie so angry.
I ignored both of them and brushed the snow off my knees and arms when another altercation caught my attention. Curious, I looked back in the direction of the Academy. Lawliet glared ahead, golden eyes narrowed, crimson slipping down the corner of his right eye. In his hand was a rock. His arm shook violently, and he looked as if he was going to peg the rock at the one that was on the other side of the high waisted fence. It was the guy that was bullying and annoying Lawliet that time in the cafeteria. I think his name is Rokk.
“Eileen, are you alright?” Spencer called my name.
Golden eyes darted away from that boy and solidified when he glared at me. Intense vibrations coursed through me. Again, I was captivated by those eyes. They swirled, almost like they hold their own world inside of them. Depth, anger, hunger rose like a fire inside of a dragon’s belly, ready to burn the world with them. Yet, I wasn’t afraid. Instead, I wanted to reach out and see how hot that fire really was and if it would burn me.
“Eileen?” Spencer touched my shoulder. Lawliet looked away and walked off, feeling the swelling bruise that formed around the cut along the side of his eye. I tore my gaze away from the scene and looked at Spencer that genuinely looked worried. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” I looked at Rebecca. She narrowed leering blue eye at me. “I tripped.”
“What?” Charlie scoffed.
“Right, okay.” Spencer looked me up and down. “You’re wet. Maybe yo
u should go back inside and get changed back into your uniform. Charlie, you can go with her.”
“Sounds good to me.” Charlie linked her arm with mine. “Come on, you look like a drowned rat.”
Drowned rat. That doesn’t sound particularly good, really. When I picture a drowned rat, I picture hair a mess, wet, sticking against the skin in a way that wasn’t photoshoot ready. Clothes clinging, make-up a wreck – which I don’t wear make-up – and overall like crap, really. I don’t think I look that bad. Perhaps a little ruffled up, as to be expected when someone falls over in a one-sided snow fight.
Inside of the changerooms, Charlie waited outside of my cubicle while I changed back into my uniform. Unlike her, who doesn’t mind dressing in front of every other girl, I decided to use the cubicle. Even when I was younger, any sort of deformity or anything a girl could take a photo of could readily be displayed in the mage world and broadcasted. And now I am still protecting myself from the exact same reason.
“So, why didn’t you tell Spencer about what Rebecca did?” Charlie started. “He is the Headmage’s son, I am sure he could have done something. Gave her afterschool detention, you know?”
“I know,” I murmured. After I dressed, I unlocked the door and went to the mirror to brush my hair.
“Why didn’t you?” She asked.
“I didn’t want to cause any unwanted attention,” I answered. “Wasn’t worth a fuss over, is all.”
“Well, next time that bitch does something, we are going straight to Headmage, alright?” I nodded, just to make her happy. “Good.”
I stopped brushing my hair in the mirror and stared at silver eyes.
“Good.”
Fire in His Bones.
It was the start of the weekend. No classes, no Rebecca and no sport. We were, however, allowed into the cafeteria room to eat. The library is also opened, available for use as well – But I had other plans for today. The book I borrowed is in the tower, and I still wanted to create that rune accurately enough. So, the adventure begins of leaving after breakfast.
Hopper came back late last night. He was quiet, almost like I heard nothing at all. I woke, came out and into the kitchenette smelling bacon and eggs, that’s how I knew he was home.
Silas wasn’t a very good cook. I am sure he would need instructions on cooking bacon and eggs. Mages rarely cook because we have other ways around cooking and that is magic or Guardian’s if they had the knowledge of food.
I ate in silence. Donte and Nixon were rushing to leave, preparing classrooms for their pranks. Silas locked himself in his room, grading students’ homework. Hopper was cheerful enough, chatting away, explaining where he ventured, I am sure to grab my attention. Usually, I would be vaguely interested sufficient to entertain the fluffy rabbit, but my mind was elsewhere.
“Bye, Hopper,” I murmured, pushed my plate away and slid off the chair.
“Oh! Okay! Where are you going, my mistress?” He asked.
“Studying,” I replied.
“Studying at the weekend? Do you not want to explore Sorcerer City more? It has been a very long time since you have been here. I am sure you will find something interesting.”
“Maybe tomorrow,” I said. “Maybe.”
Perhaps soon enough I may need to walk the bunny before he goes crazy, trapped in here picking up after Donte and Nixon.
Leaving the apartment, downstairs, through the empty cafeteria, I went up flights of stairs until I reached the door to the tower. Inside, there was warmth. The heater was going, which made me know that Lawliet was here. He was in the seat he has claimed, rested, eyes closed. A scar, already scabbing, marked along the corner of his eye and it looked deep. Reaching out, my veins lit, and I was fingertips away from almost touching the wound when his hand shot up and took hold of my arm.
“What are you doing?” Golden eyes snapped open, and he glared at me.
“I wanted to heal you,” I answered.
Lawliet sighed and released his grip on my arm and straightened up. “The cut will heal completely in a day or two.”
“From a rune or from that Guardian side?” I asked.
“Guardian side,” he answered.
“What happened yesterday?” I sat down beside him and touched the book that was still where I left it. “You looked angry.”
“Yeah. Rokk pegged a snowball at me that had a rock inside, that’s what happened. Damn joke. Can’t even walk around at this Academy without mages being assholes.” I nodded in agreement. Mage Academy wasn’t the most welcoming of schools ever. “What are you doing here on your day off?”
“Working on that rune,” I answered. “You?”
“I hate being at home. Mages moved next door to me, and they’re very loud and… dramatic,” he blanched.
“Oh… sorry.”
Lawliet raised brows and breathed a laugh. “You live there?” He asked. I nodded. “I didn’t picture you to be loud. You have a family with you?”
“Three brothers and our family Guardian,” I answered, nodding. “Your door is a masterpiece. Did you do that yourself?” He nodded. “Can you show me?”
“Probably not,” Lawliet said, rolling his eyes. “At least not until you can prove you can design that rune yourself.”
“Done.” I nodded firmly. “Until then.”
He breathed a laugh and shook snow-white hair. “You’re… strange.”
Lawliet stood, shuffled out of his seat and walked to the door. He reached out to the handle when he sighed and looked back at me. “I am going to Sorcerer City to grab some supplies. Did you want to come?”
Back at the book within hands, I hesitated. All last night I wanted to come up here to study and to see Lawliet’s boot. I had all day without classes to learn more and understand more about the rune I wanted to design. It was the most exciting thing I had planned until Lawliet asked me to go with him. Two thoughts crossed my mind, the first was that Lawliet was interesting to me and the second thought was that, I couldn’t necessarily do anything when he was taking the boot away from me.
“Okay,” I murmured nodding. “I will follow.”
Our walk-through destination road was quiet on both ends. He seems like he doesn’t talk much or do small talk. I don’t talk much nor do small talk either. Therefore, radio silence static started to zap and sound like magic in the air as we walked. Bricks rolled up to the surface, and because my motivation was to follow Lawliet, no other path opened up for me at all.
I am curious as to what Lawliet wanted to gain from Sorcerer City. I struggled to figure out the reason, but I wasn’t necessarily persistent enough to ask him. I’d rather wait until we got to our destination to know instead.
There seemed to be a lot of mages roaming around. Some I recognised from school. They formed in groups, brimming with excitement. They pointed to shops, pulled arms of their friends, dragging them into one direction or another. Workers with their Guardians – professional as always – held their heads high and looked at the students like they were beneath them. Guardians stood defensively around their masters or mistresses, making sure no harm or any threat comes for them. And here I have a Guardian that wants nothing to do with me unless I am in significant danger.
I felt the bite, finally, from the fallen snow. The snow gently touched my arm, chilling my bones until they melted away. Lawliet looked down when I wrapped my arms around each other for a sense of warmth. I should have brought a jumper, but at the time I didn’t think that I was leaving Mage Academy and Mage Academy is relatively warm unless I go outside. I decided to wear only a short-sleeved shirt and high waisted jeans, tucked in and a beanie that covered my curse mark.
“Here.” Lawliet shrugged off his white coat that has the fluffy hoodie, revealing a long-sleeved grey shirt underneath. “Take this.”
Taking hold of his coat, I wished I could smile or show some sort of appreciation. Saying thank-you with this blank look on my face doesn’t seem as if I genuinely am thankful. I nodded instead, like that wa
s any better, and shrugged on the coat. Warmth flooded through me, and I wanted to shudder with a sense of delight. There was also a hint of a scent that I caught. A very dense, smoky charcoal smell that came off of the coat.
We went through a sea of mages and off to the side and in an alleyway. It was less crowded down here compared to out there, and I could already tell why. From what I could recall, potion places were always off and away from the populated and popular stores because of the smells that linger underneath their doors. No mage would want the smells of a potion place right beside them. It was terrible for business. I never thought that Lawliet would want to come here for potions. If anything, I would expect he would want to go to a bookstore. Or perhaps look at runes. Maybe go someplace to eat. Come to think of it, those are the things that I really wanted to do. I don’t know anything about Lawliet aside from the fact that he creates unique and incredible runes.
Lawliet stopped at a door that was steel, unlike all the others and had a portion of the door that slits open. Lawliet knocked twice. Immediately suspicious, my veins lit, and that made Lawliet turn and breathe a laugh before he knocked twice once again. The slit opened up, and a dark brown eye peered through.
“Yes?” They – definitely male – in a croaky, but a deep voice, questioned. “Who goes there?”
“Lawliet Clarintine,” he stated, looked at me, sighed and said, “Eileen Frost, as well.”
“Frost?” He questioned. “Hmm, what business do you both have here?”
“I need a bottle of lotion.” Lawliet touched the cut along the corner of his eye. “Soothing lotion.” He then nudged his head towards me. “She came to tag along. She wants nothing.”
Brown eyes narrowed when he looked at me. I expected him to tell Lawliet that I had to stand and wait outside while he went inside to grab the lotion.
The eye moved away from the slot before I heard a breath of a deep, exasperated sigh outwards and they opened the metal door. Dark purple puffed out, like a breath of smoke. Blinking a few times to adjust, I stepped inside and peered through the clouds when I bumped into a metal table near the entrance door. A warm hand then grabbed my own and tugged me lightly until I could sense that I was right behind him. Lawliet guided me through the haze of purple smoke, which evidently did not smell at all, unlike other potion shops that I have been to. Before us was an outline of, I am assuming, the one that peered through the slot and then opened the door for us. We followed him down, weaving through steel tables that I couldn’t see through all of this fog. At some point I lost the sight of the man. Purple smoke engulfed him, swallowed him up, and all I could see was the hand that held mine. Everything else was covered and consumed.
Emotionless (The Emotionless Book 1) Page 17