Chapter2
1400 Words
Nyxara’s POV
I woke up to a strong smell of antiseptic wafting around me until my nose tingled. In the beginning, I couldn’t remember where I was. Then everything hit me.
When I pushed myself to sit up, an intense ache in my headshot through me.
“You’re awake,” a voice said kindly.
A woman in a pale uniform smiled at me from the doorway. “You’re lucky she found you when she did.”
“Found me?” I blinked.
The nurse nodded. “A campus nurse was making her rounds and found you unconscious near one of the academic buildings.”
My cheeks burned. On my first day, I was already causing trouble.
“You seem young.” The nurse said, looking at me.
I forced a smile. “I just arrived.”
“I figured.” Her eyes moved toward my luggage sitting beside the bed. “You must be a new student.”
I nodded.
“Name?”
“Nyxara.” The name sounds small in the room.
“Hmm, pretty name.” She scribbled something on her clipboard.
“I am Nurse Clara.”
“Thank you for helping me.”
“No need.” She smiled. “You probably exhausted yourself travelling here and passed out.
Then she walked towards the door. “I’ll call a dorm assistant.”
After a little while, there was a knock and a woman entered with a tablet on her arm. “This is the new student?”
The nurse nodded.
“What’s your name?” the woman asked, tapping the tablet.
“Nyxara,” I said again.
She scrolled, searching a list on her system. “Room assignment: Dorm three, Room 12B.”
“We’ll get your things there.”
I released a breath, at least that part was easy. “Thank you.”
She handed me a key card. “Welcome to Hewthorne University.”
An hour later, I stood outside Room 12B with my suitcase. I took a deep breath, then pushed the door open.
The room was chaotic. Books covered one bed, and clothes covered a chair. A girl sat cross-legged on the other bed. Curly dark hair framed her face.
She was currently eating chips while reading three different books at once. The moment she noticed me, her eyes widened.
She jumped to her feet. “Please tell me you’re my roommate?”
I blinked. “I think I am.”
The girl threw both hands in the air. “Thanks to the moon.”
I nearly laughed.
She grinned. “Another boring roommate and I would’ve jumped out the window.”
I stared.
“I’m Zephyra Bloodmoor.” She pointed at herself.
I hesitated then smiled. “Nyxara.”
“Pretty.”
My smile disappeared. “What?”
“Your name.” She put another chip into her mouth.
“Pretty.” Nobody had ever called anything about me pretty before.
Zephyra pointed around the room. “This is your bed.” Then the wardrobe. “This one’s yours.” Then she pointed to the snacks. “Those are ours.”
I laughed.
“Where are you from?” she asked again.
I told her. Her eyes widened. “No way.”
“You know,” Zephyra said suddenly. “You’re probably the prettiest girl I’ve seen in this school.”
I nearly choked. “What?”
“I’m serious.” She pointed directly at me. “If I looked like you, I’d never shut up about it.”
Heat rushed into my cheeks, nobody had ever complimented me this much yet Zephyra did without even knowing me.
Hours later, we were unpacking, and Zephyra was creating more mess. She reached across me to grab a book, and her fingers brushed my bracelet. Pain exploded through my wrist.
“Ah!” I gasped.
Zephyra jerked back at the same time for a second a strange symbol flashed on her wrist then vanished. The room became silent and neither of us moved.
My heart was hammered. “Did you see…”
Zephyra stood abruptly, her face had gone pale.
“Are you okay?” I swallowed.
She wouldn’t look at me, for the first time since we met she looked nervous.
“Rest well, Nyxara.” She finally said.
“What?” I frowned.
“Tomorrow is Orientation.” She said and turned away.
I watched her climb into her bed without another word.
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the dorm room window. I just stared at the ceiling. Zephyra was asleep.
Suddenly she sat upright.
“You’re awake.” I nearly jumped out of bed.
“I’ve been awake for twenty minutes.” She laughed.
The strange tension from last night seemed gone before I could decide what to say. She jumped off her bed. “Orientation day!”
I blinked. “You’re unusually happy.”
“Unusually?” She placed her hand on her chest. “I’m always happy.”
“That’s terrifying.” I snorted.
“Get dressed.” She said and we got dressed.
The hall was packed for Orientation, every seat was occupied, and the noise was unbelievable. I sat with Zephyra just around the middle of the hall.
She hadn’t been quiet since we left the dorm.
“That girl is from the Capital.”
“Mm.” I nodded.
“She broke up with her boyfriend last week because she met a new guy.”
“How do you know that?” I asked, blinking.
“I have… talents.” Zephyra grinned.
“You mean gossip.”
“Same difference,” she rolled her eyes.
Suddenly silence fell and I looked up.
A moment ago there were hundreds of students speaking, now no one was. Zephyra also went silent.
“What happened?” I frowned.
“Shh.” Zephyra’s eyes widened.
“What?” I asked.
“Don’t speak.”
“Why not?”
Zephyra immediately darted toward the door, I couldn’t resist the temptation of curiosity and turned to look in the same direction.
Three guys had just entered the hall.
The crowd seemed to spontaneously part in their path as they moved through. Students retreated, looking terrified and nervous.
“Who are they?” I whispered.
Zephyra looked aghast. “You seriously don’t know?”
I shook my head, and she leaned in my ear.
“That is Malrik Graves.”
I looked back to the dark-haired one. “He doesn’t look so intimidating,” I said.
Zephyra choked. “Don't let anyone hear you say that.”
“Why not?” I blinked.
“Because Malrik’s dad practically owns this place.”
“What?” I frowned.
“His father is on the board of trustees.”
“Oh.”
“They own companies across the whole damn country, you can’t just make them angry.”
I looked at the second guy. “And him?”
“Kaelor Graves.”
“The brother?”
She nodded. “The favoured brother.”
“How many brothers does he have?”
“Too many.”
I chuckled.
“And that’s Ravien Voss.” Zephyra pointed toward the third man.
“Who is he?”
Zephyra lowered her voice. “The Voss family is one of the rich and powerful dynasties in the nation.”
“Why are they afraid of him too?” I frowned.
“Because nobody knows what he’s doing in his own head.”
I looked back at Ravien again. He stopped mid-stride and turned his head. I caught my breath.
His smile dissolved and the entire hall noticed immediately.
Something twisted in my stomach as a weird feeling washed over me. Ravien's eyes narrowed, his face shifted, turning dark and more serious.
"Ravien?" Kaelor called him.
But he didn't answer, he was still looking at me though. Then, Ravien spoke in a barely audible whisper, only enough to make Kaelor's expression falter.
Kaelor's eyes shifted back to me, then to Ravien. "What is it now?" Kaelor asked, already looking irritated.
For the first time since Malrik pulled out his phone, he actually looked up. "What now?" Malrik asked, also looking annoyed.
"Malrik." That was all he said to him, his eyes still glued to mine.
"Yes?" Malrik's face tightened, a vein popping out on his temple.
"We have a problem."
And my entire body shrieked that he meant me.
- Writer
