Chapter 31
845 Words
Our next class was a lecture on rituals and magical rites.
But this time, I barely listened.
I kept thinking about Lea Arn. About the Fifth Element. About amplifiers.
People had stopped believing in elemental magic. They had stopped hearing their dragons… stopped believing in themselves.
An hour and a half passed so quickly, I didn’t even notice.
At the entrance to the park, Noah Aquaris was waiting for me.
“There you are. I was hoping to see you at breakfast.”
“Why?” I asked, genuinely surprised.
“What was that yesterday? Have you completely lost your mind?”
“Is there such a thing as losing your mind… partially?” I replied with a hint of irony.
“Don’t play games,” he cut me off sharply.
“She deserved it. I was defending myself. Or is that not allowed? Even when the Supreme’s daughter crosses every line, everyone just stands there and watches?”
“That’s not what I mean. Though consequences are inevitable. You need to apologize to her and preferably in public.”
“I’m not apologizing to anyone. I’m not afraid of her. Let her try to come near me again.”
“She knows far more refined ways to act without getting her hands dirty. Be careful you don’t regret ignoring my advice. Never underestimate your opponent.”
“She’s not my opponent. She’s nothing to me, Noah.”
“Are you sure? You don’t know much yet. Even the calm sea hides sharp reefs beneath the surface.”
“Beautiful metaphors. But they have nothing to do with me. Just pretend I’m not here.”
“Where did you get the black scorpion? Do you even know what it is?”
“No,” I said, feigning ignorance. “Enlighten the pathetic one.”
“It’s one of the most powerful fire amplifiers in existence. Why was it around your neck? Where did you get it?”
“You think something like that can just be taken? You tried yesterday, didn’t it burn you?”
“I’m asking where that cursed scorpion came from. Why was it on you?”
“I don’t think that concerns you.”
“You belong to the House of Water, Ariel. Everything connected to it, concerns me. You’re playing with fire. Why? To get back at me?”
“What?”
“What ties do you have with Flaming?”
“What ties could I possibly have with Flaming? Or with Vars, or with you? Just leave me alone! Don’t you think you’re giving far too much attention to someone you call worthless?”
“Ariel, where is the scorpion?” he asked, his voice turning cold.
“What does it matter? It’s not yours.”
“Do you even know what it can do to your mind? Amplifiers have a dark side.”
“Do you really think I’m so stupid that I’d wear it without knowing that?”
“I’m worried about you.”
“You shouldn’t be,” I snapped.
“Then as the heir of the House you belong to, I order you to stay away from Ray Flaming. If I see you near him again, I won’t be responsible for what happens.”
“You’re ordering me?” I smiled mockingly. “As you command, heir of the great House of Water. Your orders are law to me. May I go now?”
“Ariel… I don’t recognize you. What’s going on?”
“It’s you. The Ariel you knew doesn’t exist anymore. She’s gone, fallen into an endless sleep. And I woke up as someone else. That’s how life works.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means exactly what it sounds like. I agree with you, let’s pretend we don’t know each other. I’ll try not to cross paths with you, the heirs of great houses, so I don’t make things worse. And you… try to keep yourselves under control. Honestly, I don’t even understand why all of you keep coming after me.”
“Ariel, you misunderstood me,” he stepped closer but I instinctively stepped back.
“How could someone as worthless as me possibly understand what the heir of the House of Water means? Probably not worth trying.”
“Ari!”
“I’m tired. Let’s end this exhausting conversation.”
“Fine. But I want you to know, if you have any problems… any at all, you can come to me.”
“What problems could I possibly have? The truth is, everything in this world is simple. People just complicate it themselves,” I said and realized I was almost quoting Ray Flaming word for word. “Leave me alone. Don’t make things harder for either of us.”
“Alright. Go get some rest. And you’re right… it’s better not to cross paths with Eleanor for a while.”
“I agree.”
“Do you want me to walk with you?”
“No, thank you. I can manage on my own.”
- Writer
