Chapter 90 Chapter 90

Chapter 90 Chapter 90
With one last glare, I turned around and walked away, a mixed feeling of pride, anger, and disgust running through me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jessica looking at the altercation from the window of her office in the main building. 

As a council member, she had the authority to punish me for what I just did, but her brief nod and sly smirk informed me that I would not be facing any consequences today. 

A painful stab went through my heart as I looked at my sister, hurt and disappointed that I couldn’t run into her arms and tell her all about my problems as I used to when we were younger. 

I thought losing my memories was the most painful thing that could have ever happened to me, but it turned out that knowing who I am and having to keep the fact that I was alive and well from the people I loved the most was far worse than amnesia. 

I hastily wiped away the tear that trickled down my cheek and continued on my way, anxious to get this day over with.

—

Throughout the day, it became clear that the seniors of Lixierra Academy grew braver and more daring after their short break. I didn’t know if it was because the semester was coming to an end, or because we could all feel the threat of another attack brewing, and it made us anxious. 

Where the battles were few and far between before, now it seemed that students went out of their way to prove their abilities to the vigilant eyes of our professors. 

Residual magic hung in the air around us as friends, foes, and kids who didn’t even know each other challenged their elemental powers all around the academy. 

I had participated in five battles by the time lunch rolled around, mostly with people from my class that I either didn’t recognize or didn’t hang around much. 

I won some, and lost some –mostly due to Mr. Blackthorn’s pointed looks as he popped out of thin air to observe – but noticed that my energy was slowly but surely diminishing. 

I hadn’t had much of a breakfast, and considering the insane amount of stress I was currently going through, I was genuinely surprised I hadn’t collapsed yet. 

So, when it was time for lunch, I practically ran all the way to the cafeteria and stuffed my face with a huge plate of lasagna.

Kira and Rose found me like that, and after making fun of my sauce-covered face and less-than-ladylike manners at the lunch table, Kira noted that she and I haven’t challenged each other to a battle yet. 

I found the reason obvious, since she was my friend and I didn’t want to battle her, but she scoffed and waved my concerns away. 

And that was how I found myself after lunch, in a three-way battle between Kira, Rose, and me. We didn’t take ourselves too seriously; harming each other was not an option after all, so our battle looked nothing like what took place between Holden and Ivan. 

Nevertheless, during this challenge, I was able to get a glimpse of the strong, fierce warriors behind the faces of the girls I grew up with. 

Kira and Rose were not to be taken lightly in a battle, and if the last attack on the academy proved anything, it was that my best friends were two of the most powerful mystics this school had ever produced.

Evening came not a moment too soon, and even though I was not as tired as I was this morning, thanks to my huge lunch, I was eager to go home and get to bed. 

Unfortunately for me, though, while darkness brought with it respite for the rest of the students, it only meant another lesson with my mentor for me. 

I dragged my feet towards his office, casting envious looks at the students who were littered around, talking and laughing amongst each other. 

What I wouldn’t give to be one of them for just a day, just a normal teenager with no royal burden and no secret killer trying to take my life, again. 

The sound of my name being called diverted my attention from the cluster of giggling girls, and I turned around to find Ivan running towards me, an awkward smile on his face. 

Another pang shot through my heart at the sight of him, and I wished I could just tear the damn thing from my chest and throw it away. Now was not the time to pine over a guy; there was a killer on the loose, an impending war with the dark realm, and for fuck’s sake, he had a girlfriend.

All equally valid and important reasons why I shouldn’t be pining after him, obviously.

“Are you okay?” He asked, the look in his eyes worried yet sympathetic. God, I hated being pitied.

“I’m fine.” I swallowed the curses that wanted to tumble out of my mouth and smiled instead.

“Ahri.” He whispered. It was the first time he had ever called me by my real name since we found out the truth, and the sound of it coming out of his mouth made my knees weak and my eyes watery.

I could clearly handle a lot of things, being away from my family, missing my friends, and not being able to tell them who I really was, trying to survive another attempt at my life. But this was too much.

“Don’t.” The strangled word was barely a whisper. I took a step back and reigned in the tears that tried so desperately to burst out in a flood of buried emotions.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, bringing his hands around my shoulders. I took another step back and looked at him; the hurt that flashed through his eyes sent another painful pang through my chest.

“Don’t call me that.” I looked around, making sure we were far enough away from the prying eyes and ears of the students.

“All right, I’m sorry.” He nodded. “I’m also sorry about what Gianna did this morning. She didn’t mean what she said.”

“You know, at some point, you’re going to have to stop apologizing for your girlfriend, Ivan.” I spat the word ‘girlfriend’ out like it burnt my tongue, and to be honest, it did. 

“And you don’t have to tell me what she did or didn’t mean either. She’s my cousin, I know her all too well.”