Chapter 6 Welcome to Drakmor
Eloise
I was choking again. Except this time I wasn't suspended in the air by shadows, I felt them consume me whole, making me dizzy. The sensation seemed to last forever before it finally stopped. I fell to the floor not able to stop myself.
The urge to throw up gripped me and I heaved out everything in my stomach. I raised my head when I was done, my eyes closed as I took in the first wave of fresh air. I filled my lungs with as much air as possible before slowly opening my eyes. The scene I saw made my skin crawl.
The place was filled with people, dragons, of different kinds, but all wearing the same hostile expression. I felt the weight of their stares boring into me and two things immediately became clear.
One, this was Drakmor College. And two, I was not welcomed here.
I looked down on my dress in an attempt to avoid their unfriendly gazes. My hands clasped behind my back as I mentally went through the scrolls I've read.
“...first impressions matter a lot. You can either win someone over forever, or lose them forever. Depending on their first impression of you…”
I tried to straighten my wet dress as my sister's words rang in my head, but it was futile. The dress was ruined, my face caked with mud, and I stink of vomit. And to top my ever growing list of shitty qualities, I was a werewolf. There was no worse first impression than this.
I saw Tina inched closer to me from the corner of my eye, her hand wrapped tightly on the hilt of her sword. Her expression had shifted to a stone-like that I had never witnessed before. But I hadn't known her for that long, maybe that's how she normally looked.
The place was silent despite the crowd. I suspected it was due to the presence of the three Heirs behind me. There were more than a hundred people here.
“Students of Drakmor.” I raised my head slightly as the voice echoed through the place. The man speaking was young and had no doubt used a spell to amplify his voice.
I knew the voice amplifier spell, but I've never used it. I've never had to. It would have been awesome to see it used, if I wasn't shivering so much.
“Today we have in our midst an enemy of our kind who swore allegiance by saving a royal's life.” The man continued, his voice laced with amusement rather than disgust.
Or maybe I was reading his expression wrong.
“Welcome her, and… be nice.” he concluded, throwing a glance my way.
I didn't expect anyone to say anything, due to the scary men behind me, but a boy immediately came forward, his face red with fury. I saw how his friends pleaded with him with their eyes, but he either didn't notice or he didn't care.
“Why should we be nice to her, Professor? She's a werewolf. Her kind are conniving bastards and they've always hurt us. The High Lords have made a terrible mistake. We should kil—”
He didn't finish his sentence before shadows whisked out so fast that I couldn't keep track of them and then…pop. The sound of the boy's neck breaking echoed through the large space.
My mouth fell open as I watched his body fall, his head twisted to an unnatural angle. Bile rose in my throat but I forced myself to remain still. I was so scared that even breathing seemed like it would get me killed.
He just…killed him.
No one uttered a single word or gave any reaction other than the subtle shake of their heads, or a deep exhale. The professor who had spoken earlier simply smacked his tongue in irritation.
Their Heir just murdered someone in front of an entire school and no one even blinked. As if this was the most normal thing in the world.
I knew I shouldn't but I couldn't stop myself, my curiosity seemed to override my fear as I turned to face the Shadowborn Heir. I physically recoiled as I found his eyes on me.
Despite the distance between us, I saw his eyes go black, the color turned as dark as night. I didn't think it was possible for someone's eyes to become that dark, but it seems he loathed me so much that it became possible.
I quickly averted my gaze, inching a little closer to Tina. I knew she couldn't protect me from him if he decided to snap my neck too. But she was the only one who didn't stare at me with hostility and disdain. It was better to be close to her than stand alone and risk getting killed.
Tina gave me a half smile as if she knew what was going through my mind. It did nothing to loosen the knots in my stomach but I appreciated it nonetheless. I tried to smile back but it was impossible as I was still trying to hold down vomit.
The professor stood on the dais again and spoke about how important studies were, how everyone should take their training against The Burn more seriously as they were in their prime. And lastly, what they should do when they come across a Hollowborn. Run.
It was the second time I've heard of that word since I got here. Tina had first said it to me, but she hadn't gotten the chance to explain the meaning. I needed to find out for myself, if I managed to get out of here alive.
After the professor stepped down, the Heirs, except the Shadowborn Heir, gave a brief speech each and the assembly soon dispersed. I made a point not to look at either of the heirs again as shadows engulfed them and they vanished from where they stood, living nothing but fear in their wake.
I stood rooted in a spot, unsure of what to do next.
“Come, I'll show you to your room.” Tina said, pulling me out of my thoughts. I nodded and trudged after her.
I tried to keep my head low as I walked but it was impossible not to meet the eye of some of the dragons. If they hated me before for being a werewolf, they loathed me now for causing the death of one of them.
I had barely settled in and I already made an enemy out of every Dragon Shifter on campus. There were no snide remarks, they simply avoided me now.
“The first floor is for first years, the second is for second years, third is for third years, and that separate building is for staff.” Tina said, interrupting my thoughts.
My eyes went to the building she pointed to and I gasped. It was as big as my family's estate, or maybe a bit bigger, but it was definitely more beautiful. The rays of sun seem to bounce off the golden design, making it look more beautiful.
“If you think this is beautiful, you should see the Keep from the outside.” Tina chuckled.
The realization dawned on me that I hadn't seen it. I had been unconscious when I arrived at the Dragon Keep and humiliated when I was whisked away by shadows.
“The professors live there?” I asked.
“On the ground floor, yes. The top floor is for the Heirs.”
My mouth fell open with surprise. There were at least ten professors present at the assembly earlier – I had counted – and all of them shared the ground floor, while the entire place belonged to three egoistic bastards.
I didn't say it but it must have been evidence on my face because Tina snickered.
“Life isn't always fair, Ellie.” she said.
“Ellie?” My brows furrowed in confusion.
“It's short for Eloise. Friends give each other nicknames that only they could call you. And you have to admit, Ellie is kinda cute.”
My only response was a blank stare. Tina's smile flattened.
“Don't you like it? It's okay if you don't, I'll call you Eloise.” she said quickly.
I stared ahead as we continued walking, but the more I stayed quiet, the greater the need to know became.
“Are we…friends?” I asked, the words tasting strange on my tongue.
Tina beamed, her face radiating happiness.
“Of course we are. Best friends forever.” she quipped and clapped her hands together.
I didn't trust her yet. Hell, I barely even knew her. But I couldn't deny the excitement I felt at the thought of making a friend even in a hellhole like this. My first friend ever. A smile took over my face.
Maybe I could make it work in this place after all. But as the memory of bones snapping flashed across my mind, doubts creeped in, and I wondered if I would last till the end of the week.