Chapter 21 CHAPTER 21
I sighed as I plumped down on the bed that was to keep me warm for the next few days since my plan failed—thank you, not, Styx. I allowed my mind to wander to the day's events.
Nothing went as expected, even though one couldn't really have expectations of such a world, but it was clear that even the students who grew up here didn't have the day that I had.
I nearly died. I could feel it in my bones, and if the Principal hadn't found me when he did, I might have passed out from exhaustion and blood loss.
But I'd been so used to pain the past couple of days that it all simply blurred in my head, leaving behind the feeling of being in his presence as the only thing for me to worry about.
More like obsess over.
"Hey girl," I looked up to see Erin with some books in her hand.
I smiled back, grateful for the interruption as my thoughts were already heading in the wrong direction. "Thank you for today," I said out of habit now.
"I should be apologizing. I shouldn't have left you all to yourself considering how new all of this is to you. I just assumed you would adjust quickly since you shared our blood."
"Or maybe all of this is just a mix-up somewhere and I'm entirely human."
"You've got a point there," Akua yelled from her bed, without even looking up from the book she was reading.
"That's not possible," Erin insisted. "The Principal confirmed it himself, and when the royals come to check you out, you'll see it too."
"Do you know when they'll be coming?"
"No idea, but it would be this week. They're not treating it as an emergency, but it's still concerning that one of us was raised on a different planet all this while."
"Are they wondering if there are others like me on Earth?"
Her eyes widened, and I guess even I hadn't thought about this till now, so it must be shocking.
"Maybe they'll send a team up there to go check?" Mira mused.
"That'll be a good idea. I doubt it was a pleasant experience growing up there, right Alira?"
Visions of fire and burnt skin swarmed in my eyes for a long second.
"It was fine," I forced a smile even though I was uncomfortable with the line of conversation.
"Well, you have a lot to catch up on. I got new notebooks today so you can have my previous ones," Erin said as she dropped the heap on the bed. "Please handle with care."
I wouldn't be handling them at all.
"Thank you so much. I definitely will."
"Alright then. You should sleep early. Swimming training is worse than today, and you already got Mr. Torrin's attention."
"I'm exhausted actually. I'll go to bed now."
She nodded and went back to her bed.
I was about to lay the books aside in the cabinet when Akua clapped her hands suddenly.
The lights went off.
I wanted to protest but I let it go.
I took off my clothes and remained in my underwear. Then with my foot, I pushed the books toward the wall and I lay down.
I slept off the second I found the perfect position.
I was woken up by a shrilling bell that pulled me out of the best dream I'd had in ages.
But now that I was awake, I felt terrible even though I had no control over it.
I shouldn't have such ideas about the Principal in my head.
"Get up quickly, Alira," Erin called. "We have to be at the bathhouse before it gets overcrowded."
I jumped up at the sound of a bath. I probably smelled like a rat after the hell I went through yesterday and I didn't get to bathe.
I was about to put on the clothes I wore yesterday when she stopped me.
"I'll give you mine, but today, after training, we must go get your supplies."
"Hopefully she doesn't get her bones crushed this time," Mira chuckled.
"Don't scare her like that, Mira!"
"Don't worry," I told Erin as I took the clothes she offered. "Her jabs don't affect me anymore."
"Oh, someone is in a good mood," Akua said as she headed for the door and we all trailed behind her. "Must be that spicy dream you were having."
"What?" Blood drained from my face.
I've never dreamed out loud, at least to the best of my knowledge.
"Don't worry, you didn't give us explicit details, but I knew you were getting some," Mira winked at me.
As mortified as I felt, they were right. I got a lot of 'some' in my dreams last night that I was sure I was going crazy.
I hadn't had sex since the sixth month of my failed marriage, and it was crystal clear I needed to get laid as soon as possible to avoid disgracing myself further.
Especially since the object of my dreams was a man I had no business wanting to climb.
The bathhouse was a long stream with holes in between the stones gushing out water.
Other girls were there already, naked and bathing.
I instantly became shy, scared to let them see my scar, the one that refused to heal over the years.
I'd never seen more perfect bodies—toned, lean, and fit—all in one place.
It was a gym rat's dream, but it terrified me.
I knew I was far from being as healthy as these people, and I would stand out like a sore thumb, but what scared me was that scar.
It was a purple shade the last time I allowed myself to look at it. Since it was on my back, I mostly pretended it didn't exist, but now that I'd have to be naked around many beautiful women, my stomach churned with bile.
"Why are you standing over there?" It was surprisingly Akua. "Come and wash off that odd smell. You're not making us late again today!"
That pushed my feet and I rushed toward them, my hands squeezing the bundle of clothes tight.
I went over to the large stone where everyone dropped their clothes and I took steadying deep breaths as I began pulling off my underwear.
I reminded myself that there was nothing I could do. It's not like they could hurt me over it, and I'll be out of here soon anyway, so why bother.
The second the clothes came off my back, sudden silence rang out across the bath house, all at once.
It was eerie, like everyone had seen the scar and decided I was not one of them.
I swallowed my fear, pushed my hair behind my ear and turned around.
"That mark on your neck," a girl with freckles all over her more-lizard-than-human facial features pointed. "Why is it three? How are you soul bound to three males?"
So that's why they were shocked, and here I was thinking it was my scar.
But then her words fully registered and my eyes widened to match her shocked ones.
"Wait, what?" I gasped. "Males? Soul bound?"
She lifted her lips in a sneer and walked away, leaving me with more questions and no answers.
Noises erupted all across the place with people talking all over themselves, but nobody explained what this meant.
I went to join my roommates who were looking at me like I was a stranger.
Today was off to a weird start.