Chapter 21 GOLDEN MAN

Chapter 21 GOLDEN MAN
Aria's POV

The next morning I was already at the infirmary before first light. I had woken up earlier than I usually did because I had a series of training regimen to follow. By the time I was done, I was already feeling sore all over. The cold water in the bath did a little to soothe me but this was a cross I had to bear.

I entered the healing room and I saw Nesari crumpled on the front chair, completely asleep. She had a quill in her hand and a couple of parchments were scattered on her desk. 

I gave her a quick glance and smiled to myself, it was nice to see that the head healer was human too. I headed towards Ciora who was already awake and seemed to be doing a bit of exercises too. I stood over her for at least five minutes as she pulled herself from the ground with just one arm. 

After a while she switched arms and kept on performing her act. I wasn't surprised that she was this strong but it just affirmed it for me. Ciora might be easy going but she was in no way a weakling.

I cleared my throat after I had seen  enough, causing the girl to stumble to the ground. She turned and when she realized it was me, she relaxed. 

Oh, it's just you!" she said with a sigh, her shoulders visibly relaxing as the tension drained from her posture. The relief in her voice was unmistakable, though whether it stemmed from genuine comfort or mild disappointment, I couldn't quite tell. She pushed a strand of sweat-dampened hair from her forehead, her breathing still slightly elevated from the exertion. "What were you doing?"
"Watching how hot you looked doing those exercises," I said, unable to resist the opportunity. I winked at her, leaning casually against the doorframe. "Or were you hoping someone else saw you instead?"
Her face turned crimson almost immediately, the flush spreading from her cheeks down to her neck. She opened her mouth as if to protest, then closed it again, seeming to search for words that wouldn't come. Finally, she managed to sputter, "Stop that nonsense."

She turned away quickly, busying herself with gathering a towel and what looked like fresh clothes from a small chest beside her bed. "I need to use the infirmary's bath. Just wait here," she said firmly, though her voice still carried the faintest tremor of embarrassment. Without waiting for my response, she got up from her bed and walked away, her footsteps deliberately measured as if she were trying to reclaim her composure with each step.

The door closed behind her with a soft click, leaving me alone in the suddenly quiet room.

Our conversation, brief as it had been, had evidently woken Nesari up. When I glanced over, the woman was already bent over her book. 

"You are awake," I said after a few seconds of awkward silence, immediately regretting how obvious the statement was.

"That I am!" she replied without looking up from her page, though I caught the faintest hint of amusement in her tone.

“Did you get enough rest?" I asked again.

"No, I did not." Her gaze settled on me. "What about you?" she asked, giving me a scrutinizing glance that seemed to see past whatever facade I'd been maintaining. "Did you sleep well?"

I rubbed the back of my neck, suddenly aware of the fatigue weighing on my shoulders, the grittiness in my eyes. "A bit. Mostly. Except for a nightmare or two," I admitted with a sigh, surprised by my own honesty.

Nesari's expression softened slightly, she nodded and then continued to write. After a while Ciora walked back out, she was in a different dress. A simple blue gown. “It fits me, it's like it was tailor made for me. This makes no sense, you look bigger than I am,” she said, speaking to Nesari who just chuckled.

“I told you, I am not, I just appear to be. I am a very tiny girl,” she smiled and then closed her book. “You said Kael said we should meet him at that woman’s office?” she asked.

“Yes. “ Ciora replied. “He seemed pretty pissed off about it all too!” 

“Well, we will wait five more minutes for the boys, after that we move regardless of their appearance.” Nesari stated and we all agreed.

After five minutes, none of the boys showed up, so we headed to the Head Teacher's office again. While we walked the long, dark, narrow hallway that led to the office, Payten caught up to us. He was panting a lot. 

“Zephyr told me you guys were coming back here,” he said, panting. “What’s going on, he said something about Kael…” the boy asked. His voice had a little color to it, the outburst he had yesterday seemed to have helped improve his overall composure.

“Yeah. Kael wants to see the Head teacher. He isn't happy with the way we were treated.” I replied and he nodded. 

The rest of the walk was silent and filled with echoes of shoes against the marble floor that lined the dark hallways. When we reached the office, Kael and Zephyr were already there. 

Kael was sitting on a small table at the corner of the room, his legs were crossed and he seemed to be throwing a metal ball. 

Zephyr on the other hand was standing in the middle of the room, his hands folded and he was staring intently at the principal who looked a bit distraught like she was suffering from a lack of sleep, but overall she looked the same.

Due to what was happening yesterday, I didn't see the nameplate that held her name on her table. “Grundel Hernabella.” I frowned at the name, I didn't like it.

“Oh, yes. We are all here. Hernabella.” Kael said. “You don't want your people to be here?” 

“Give them five more minutes…” Head teacher Hernabella hadn't finished talking when someone pushed open the door. The three teachers from yesterday walked in with a wicked grin on their face. 

“Sorry for the lateness. I normally wouldn't be here this morning but since it was the lightning god himself that was calling, I can't refuse the call of a divine being.” The plump teacher said. 

Kael didn't say a word. He just stared at them. It took a few moments for them to get settled in and then we commenced what seemed to be an official legislative case.  Although in this case, Kael was the judge and the executioner.

“So what made you think using immortal flames on them was the right choice?” Nesari asked. “My goal is to heal students from injuries incurred from accidents and injuries they inflict upon themselves. I am not supposed to heal an injury inflicted on a child from torture. The kingdom acts don't support or condone this and neither do the school rules!” she yelled.

“Enough!” Hernabella yelled. “I have a duty to perform. Two guards died yesterday with the blood from their body exsanguinated. They had the same scar from long sharp fanged canines. We found three different blood samples on the scene. The third was for a goddamn Ghoul. I was supposed to sit back when the most obvious culprit is a magicless girl that I was supposed to invite to my school without sny explanations. I needed to know if it was her. Her friends were just collateral!” 

“Do you hear yourself?” Nesari moved forward. “I knew you being the Head teacher would always turn out to be a mistake.”

“Ah but it wouldn't have been if it were you right Nes?” The head teacher chuckled. “You always think you are better than me. But yet, you never seem to catch up to me!”

“Catch up to you?” Nesari scoffed. “Bell, no one wants to catch up to you. No one cares about you! You are a backstabbing cowardly wench and…”

“Get out of my office!”

“I won't until you tell me why my students were touched by flames that are reserved for the most heinous of criminals!”

I stared at the back and forth and I realized Nesari and Hernabella had history together. I inhaled as Kael stuck his fist down and the room quieted. 

“So, the reason you tried to kill four students is to avenge two dead guards?” Kael asked. 

Before Hernabella could reply however, the door swung open and a man with golden hair walked in with a smile. His eyes were crimson like Zephyr's and he had a cool smile on his face. “Oh, gods, I was told to come settle a civil case?” he said with a smile.