“Activate, stick rune.” Lawliet’s body stiffened, and the muscles along his arms flexed, crushing me more closely to him.
“Ready?” Darius asked.
“Yeah,” Lawliet said.
“Eileen?”
I nodded into Lawliet’s chest and breathed, “Ready.” But I wasn’t ready for what was about to happen.
Darius chuckled darkly.
The windowsill and grey stone of the tower blurred. My heart, stomach, any organ, and voice floated about, back up at the tower when we dropped. Harsh, ferocious wind hissed and howled in my ears. Strands of hair that escaped my bun flailed around my face, making it hard to see out. My body rocked side to side as Darius tilted, steering in the direction he was flying towards until then I felt my feet raise up and body shift in the slightest – but still, enough for me to realise we were upside down.
I looked up and down at the city lights down below, glimmering their green and blue colours, illuminating Sorcerer City. Smoke came out of chimneys, and snow-covered rooftops and snow blanketed the streets in sheen white. Mesmerised, breathless of the view, it then blurred again, and now I stared up at the twinkling stars, frost touching my face, as Darius slowed down at a timid pace.
Heat drew up the nape of my neck. Dragging my eyes downwards, I settled on Lawliet’s face and those captivating, beautiful looks of his whenever he smiles. Heated, charcoal breath swelled and filled my lungs when he kissed me. I wanted to stay in this moment forever, but Darius had other plans.
We dipped. Our lips broke away, and I looked down when Darius tilted until one of his wings hit sleek ice. Cracks formed and cold, sloshing water, like an ice-slushy, broke through at the sheer force and power Darius’s wings could produce. He then raised that wing and tipped so that his other wing slammed into the ocean, breaking away the ice. Icy water dripped down, sparkling in the moonlight, like the stars were falling around us, like shooting stars. Darius spiralled, and then with one forceful flap of his wings, crushed the ice from behind us as he flew back up, high in the sky.
“Look, the skylights, Sorcerer City’s protective barrier.”
The forcefield I broke into through the train could be seen. The forcefield is called skylights above water, because the closer you get to them, the more they look like colourful lights raining down, like water across a shower screen. A mesmerising sight, as they shined brightly, a rainbow of colours, down, towards the ocean, making sure our wildlife doesn’t taint Ordinary-Humans wildlife.
“Beautiful,” I whispered.
“Yeah, you are, Eileen,” Lawliet whispered back, making my heart swell with this sheer power of happiness.
Hopper Day!
A Hopper Day is what Donte and Nixon called our adventure today. I wasn’t in the mindset to change the title of today, nor like I wanted to. Hopper’s ears swelled up red, embarrassed at all the attention my family was presented to him. It made me not feel so bad, as my mind wandered to last night, falling asleep in Lawliet’s arms once we got back from our very intimate flight on Darius’s back.
“Oh, Hopper, look!” Donte and Nixon swooned at an orange gem that reminded Hopper of carrots in the clear glass window.
I stood off to the side, staring longing at the bookstore across the chaotic street. Mages crisscrossed around one another, Guardians beside them, marching along, blank canvas of faces, darting their eyes around, watching everyone like they are the enemy. I then wondered if any of them asked what would happen if they let their mage die. Instead of fight beside them, stood off, watching, begging for their freedom.
I then looked at Hopper. His smile stretched across his face as he pointed at the gem and breathed frosted breath on the glass. He could hate us all, forced onto us when my grandfather abandoned him. He didn’t want this life, but he was palmed off, struck out, for the Knight by Gospel’s side done so much for him than a rabbit could.
Those red eyes looked at me, and I tore my gaze away from him and down the street. After Donte, Nixon and Hopper decided not to go inside to have a better look at the gem, we all walked towards one of the food stalls to grab some fried carrots and lettuce leaves. Silas walked beside me, and my eyes trailed down to the silver gem that struck out on the back of his hand.
“How is your Guardian?” I then asked, curious, because Silas never talks about his Guardian. We don’t even know what she looks like, only that the Guardian was female.
“Huh? Eunec is doing wonderful.” I nodded, eyes forward, watching my brothers cause havoc.
“Why?” Silas suddenly used. “You never asked about my Guardian before.”
“You never talk about her,” I then countered, which made Silas laugh.
“There’s a reason why I don’t talk about her or tell anyone what she is. Eunec isn’t a Guardian that mages would adorn over, or even be proud of such a Highborn mage to summon, really. Almost something to be feared, really.”
“Like my Guardian?”
“Not really. You see, Eileen, your Guardian is what mages fear. My Guardian is what will make mages fear me.”
“Oh…” I trailed off and began to wonder what the Guardian would cause such a stir for mages to start fearing Silas. There are hundreds of Guardians that mages believe are summoned by evil, dangerous mages, assuming they are working with powerful, dark mage-magic. But they are judging. I know many mages that have spiders, snakes, scorpions, sirens and all sorts of others – now I am beginning to wonder if there is a trend with s names – and they are regular, average mages.
“What does she look like?” I then asked. Silas’s smile stretched ear to ear. “A hint, perhaps…”
“Thick.”
“Thick,” I murmured as I tried to figure out what that even means so that I can start my search on knowing what my brother’s Guardian looks like. “Like… big-boned?” Silas burst out into fits of laughter.
“What are you both talking about, My mistress and master?” Hopper dropped back, Donte and Nixon then following suit.
“Eileen wanted to know what my Guardian looked like.”
“Probably as ugly as him,” Donte and Nixon muttered to one another.
“You two would more than likely summon a troll. That seems to be right up your alley.”
“What are you talking about? We are summoning werewolves.”
“Why, werewolves?” Silas asked.
“Well, werewolves have saliva that is used in the strongest of healing potions. The lacquer-like substance is so powerful that they can mend bones within seconds… painfully,” they muttered the last part. Silas straightened up and went wide-eyed. I knew already that he was growing paranoid. “Also, their fur cannot be sold anywhere in the world, and we need it… like, a quarter of our potions cannot be finished because we need werewolf fur.”
“Thank the blue moon for that,” Silas muttered.
“Such a shame, Donte and Nixon,” Hopper said disappointedly, shaking his head side to side. “Your parents would be very proud of you if you both summoned Guardian Knights.”
“Why would we want a Guardian that has a pole forever placed up his arse when we already have you that does an outstanding job at doing that?”
“Oh, look!” Silas stepped between Hopper – who had fire in his red eyes – and Donte and Nixon – who had broadened, sinister grins on their faces. “There’s the fried vegetable stall! Let’s go!”
Hopper day has already begun to be very eventful.
Unlike Hopper, who enjoyed his fried carrot and lettuce sticks, the next store over were selling hot chocolates. Warmth seeped and tingled fingertips as we walked around, letting Hopper go where he pleases, considering he doesn’t go out much unless it was for errands, either from my parents or us.
We made our way into the central plaza. On the left, behind the glistening, frozen, icicled water-fountain, there was our old home. A place I was always detached with and found it to be nothing more than a commercial, comedy set, designed flawlessly for the outside to view inwards. I wasn’t the only o
ne who noticed our home. Donte, Nixon and Silas both looked over, wondering if there was a light on, or a crack in the window, seeing if our parents were home or not.
“Would you all care to go inside your old house?” Hopper asked us.
“Really?” Donte and Nixon said at the same time, their dark eyes lightening a shade in our silky, frosty white surroundings. “Of course.”
Hopper produced the key to the house – which if I knew he had, I wouldn’t have snuck through the back and into my bedroom – and unlocked the front door. Donte and Nixon barged inside, followed by Silas. I stood there, knowing there wasn’t anything that I wanted or desired from within this house anymore. Our parents weren’t here. My room was a mock-setup, only to appeal to mages, news reporters, and paparazzi. The house is lifeless, with no sense of warmth, Inside, it is chilling to the bone. Outside it much warmer than in there.
“Are you alright, My mistress?” Hopper asked. He stood outside of the door and was about to walk in when he noticed me standing there, staring – wishing I could glare – inside of the home. I wonder if he also wondered what I was thinking, and wondering what expression I would express if I could.
“Yes, I am alright, thank you for asking,” I lied, and therefore, the generic words spewed outside of my mouth that I was used to saying to keep everyone around me happy, interested and entertained and pleased.
I am not alright. I am angered, but telling Hopper would cause problems because I am angry at my parents and they are the ones that own his fluffy, adorable, albino bunny.
“I had a wonderful day today.” Once he knew that I wasn’t going to talk further on what was bothering me or what wasn’t – if he could tell – he started a new conversation and steered me away from my bitter thoughts. “I am glad we went back to that jewellery shop. I never have seen a gem shine so orange in my life before. Thank you.”
“I would have bought it for you, if you would have let me,” I murmured.
“It is alright. Jewellery is quite distasteful for Guardians. They are luxuries for mages.”
“Wrong. Everyone should be able to wear what they want, even Guardians. Ordinary-Humans wear jewellery, and we don’t look at them, dissatisfied and judging.”
“No, we just judge them for how incredibly weak and powerless they are instead,” Hopper interjected, flinched, and then looked away. “Forgive me.”
“You are right. All we do is judge. What gives us the right to judge everyone weaker than us? Even Lowborn mages.” Headmage’s words came back to me and left a bitter taste in my mouth. “We are all human, in a way…”
“Highborn mages are the most powerful species in the world. They tower over us all, in their own wavelength. You have the right to look at others, looking at them like lambs. It is not rude at all.”
I wanted to argue with Hopper. I wanted to tell him that he didn’t need to spew out the word’s mages drilled into him. I wanted to say to him that he could say anything, even if those words hurt me, if they were nothing but the truth that he believes, and not something he learned to say so that he doesn’t get punished.
“I would never hurt you, Hopper.” I looked up at his full, red, glassy eyes. “I hope you know that.”
“Of course, I do, my mistress.” He looked away, out towards the mages that stood off, taking photos of me. Flashing lights sparked and irritated my sights. “I am not afraid of the Frost children at all.”
Just my parents. He didn’t have to say it outright, it was clear as day. They have the final say with Hopper. They could kill Hopper if he makes a wrong move, and there is nothing I can do about that because he is not my Guardian, and I am weaker than my parents.
“If you had the chance to do anything if you were… if you were free, where would you go?” I asked. My question must have caught him off guard because his head snapped towards me and his brows shot up in surprise. “Hypothetically.”
“Uh… hmm… nowhere.”
Now I was surprised. “Why?”
“Well… there’s nowhere else I would rather be than with all of you.”
I puffed my cheeks and looked away. Heat spread across my cheeks, biting into my cold, numb cheeks.
“Well, that was a waste of time!” Donte complained, marching back outside.
“Absolutely empty. All of our stashes, gone!” Nixon wailed.
“Oh, the devastation!” They said at the same time.
“I can’t believe you are related to them, Eileen,” Silas said.
He had a paper bag in his hands. When Donte and Nixon went to try and take a peek inside, he slapped their hands away and glared at the both of them. “My Guardian can devour you whole.”
“She’s definitely a Glob Guardian,” they then confirmed before they ran off, sliding on sleek ice, back towards Mage Academy.
We all followed behind them, deciding to go back and into the warmth of our apartment.
Late Night Sneak Out.
Thursday – 12 days later.
Snow came down at a timid pace. It wasn’t that harsh and ferocious anymore. The storm had settled the night before, right before class. I wonder if Spencer may deem that we could go back outdoors for sport, rather than head into the indoor pool area, where I would sit and watch with resentment and jealousy at everyone around me. Perhaps I could convince him.
Up before my brothers – aside from Silas, who is always up as soon as the light touches his face – I went into the living room, and sat down on one of the soft, cushioned seats and watched television while Hopper made breakfast. For the past week now, I haven’t heard anything about me on the news, and I am beginning to wonder if I am old news now that I have been here for a while. I would like to be old news so that I can live out my days without being the centre of unnecessary and unwanted attention.
On the news, they were talking about A Mages War, instead, and how many more mages this year, around the world have already put themselves onto the list. Male mages do tend to have a higher count than a woman when it comes to A Mages War. Some say they have more confidence than females, others believe they are more stupid. I think they all go in with a purpose, and some mages purposes are more headstrong than others. I’d find every other possible way to achieve what I wanted to do before considering A Mages War. Now, here I am, waiting to hear back from Organisation and my parents.
By the time breakfast was ready, Donte and Nixon were up, dressed – ragged and matted – and out of the bathroom. I don’t think they were in the bathroom to wash, because they came out like they didn’t shower, and Donte had a handful of potions in his hands. While he went back into their bedroom, Nixon came out, that mischievous grin not going away.
“What’s cooking?” Nixon asked.
“Cooking?” Hopper questioned when I decided to get up off of the couch and move over to the kitchen. “Today, we have a healthy breakfast.” Turning around, facing us, Hopper had two bowls of oatmeal, steamy, sloppy, and gluggy. All the hunger that held me together and forced me to wait patiently diminished and now all I wanted to do was go to my classes and eat an unhealthy lunch.
“Delicious. Eat up!”
“Hmmm! Oh, I am definitely going to the cafeteria.”
“But you won’t have enough time.”
“I will… Donte won’t have any. Bye!”
I contemplated if I was fast enough to be able to go down there and eat and piece of toast before class. I probably wouldn’t, because I spent too much time waiting for anything else other than oatmeal. My mood shifted as I slid onto the seat and stared at what Hopper believes is a healthy alternative to chocolate.
Donte came out while I ate and decided he would indeed have enough time to eat downstairs, even knowing the warning bell for finishing up breakfast came as soon as he opened the door to leave.
“Have a wonderful day today, my mistress!” Hopper called before I walked out of the door.
Not to my surprise, Lawliet waited for me outside of my door. Before we walked down the stairs, I looked back
at Lawliet’s door and the lock rune that shined brightly.
“I have never seen you open your door,” I said.
“My door? Because I don’t open my door.”
“Sorry.”
“Why are you, sorry?”
“My brothers are the reason you don’t sleep at home and have to sleep in the tower.”
“No.” Lawliet laughed. “That’s not what I was trying to get at, Eileen. I don’t open the door because I don’t have to. I walk through the door.”
“Oh… I’d like to see.”
“Maybe later. You have class.”
“What about you?” I asked. “What are your plans for today.”
“Sleep. Hopefully, some warm light seeps into the tower.”
“You hate the cold because of that dragon side.” Lawliet nodded in agreement. “Why don’t you fly someplace warm for the day, considering you aren’t allowed to be inside any sort of classes.”
“I don’t have enough control to change into a dragon.” Lawliet furrowed his brows and looked frustrated. “Emotions are heightened, and not the good emotions. Anger and hate, not even for anything particular, comes out like a hurricane, and I have never learned how to control them. Darius has tried to help me, but he’s useless.”
“What about other dragons?”
“Eileen, I am a half-blood. Not all dragon and not all mage. If I go to dragon island, I would be hated not just because of what I am, but because of my mother. She laid with a mage. Took off on her mate and slept with someone else. To them, I am not a dragon.”
“And to mages, you aren’t a mage.” Lawliet nodded in agreement. “It makes me angry.”
“Really, Droid?” He smirked, and that made my heart flutter. “I notice. You push your cheeks out more, and it looks like your brows want to furrow, and eyes squint.”
“I can’t even remember what I looked like angry, Fire-breathing Dragon. I don’t even know what I would look like now if I could show anger. I’d probably scare myself.”
Emotionless (The Emotionless Book 1) Page 32