Rise of the Dragon Princess

CHAPTER 11

~WREN~

Five minutes after the whole drama in the hallway, I sit beside Sage staring at the food on my plate. I can hear the chatter and laughter around the table but I don't retain anything in my head. My spoon pushes the eggs around my plate absently. My mind is too far gone.

I can't focus on a single thought at a time. They are competing for priority in my head, threatening to burn me alive. I zone in and out for a while until someone's voice breaks through and interrupts me.

"Wren!" Sage calls loudly and shakes me.

The fork in my hand falls with a clatter as I look up sharply roused from my mind-inflicted trance. Six pairs of eyes are staring at me all around the table. I am short of words especially because I don't know if they have addressed me directly and I failed to hear. I shift in my seat and turn to Sage who wears a worried look in her eyes.

"Aren't you going to eat? Your eggs are getting cold."

"I don't really feel like eating," I shrug and force a tiny smile.

"Roman is a jerk. Don't let him get into your head," a girl, probably Allie or Hazel says.

I haven't really been around them long enough to know them all by their names. All I know is that they are part of Sage's witch coven. None of them has been unwelcoming, unlike the werewolves. I have to admit the witches are probably the nicest and kindest faction in the school.

"Yeah," I nod slightly and then get up. "I think I'll go back to the dorm for a while."

They all look at me in silence. I can tell that they want to say something or ask me questions. Their curiosity isn't so subtle. I'm not sure I want to go through that and my mind really needs to be clear if I'm going to survive being here. I need some time alone.

I drop off my plate with uneaten food on the kitchen bench and head out. Just as I'm about to walk outside the cafeteria, someone grabs my shoulder gently. I turn in alarm. Sage smiles at me and let's go.

"You are not going to leave me alone, are you?" I ask as we continue walking.

"Nope."

"Even if I use force?"

"You are not Roman and you know it," she states confidently. "If you ask me, you are more charming than scary."

I smile and shake my head. She might be annoying when she talks more than she should but I have to admit to myself that I don't really hate her company as much as I thought I did. I don't know what her intentions are towards me but she doesn't scare me. Maybe because she has been friendly from the first day or maybe it's just my instincts trusting her.

"Just don't ask me questions. Not right now," I state deciding to hold back a little.

She raised her hands, "Okay. I won't."

We walk in silence until we get back to the dorms. She follows me inside my room and sits at my study desk with a sigh. I walk around the room rearranging my stuff in the proper sections. I can feel her eyes on me the whole time but when I turn around, she looks away quickly and pretends to be doing something else.

"Alright, you are creeping me out," I give up pretending not to notice. "What is it?"

"You told me not to ask you questions but I've got a whole bunch of them."

I roll my eyes and sit down. She is not going to hold out for long, I'm sure of that. It's better to get it done with already.

"Fine. But I can't guarantee you that I will give you all the answers. I don't have them either."

"It's not just Roman you are upset about, is it?" Her first question surprises me. I was not expecting it to be that. "About him having a girlfriend and pretending like it's all right in the world regardless," she continues after noticing my confusion.

"That's the last thing on my mind at the moment actually."

"Oh?" she turns to me fully.

"I don't feel what he feels... this bond he says that is between us. I don't know if I'm supposed to or not. To me, he is just that cute boy in school who every girl wants to be with and is too highly unachievable for people like me."

"Not every girl wants him here. And I would say you've got no competition especially based on what he did for you this morning. Not even from Brooke."

Maybe that's supposed to make me feel better but I'm not sure I do. How do I know that he hasn't set a target on my back by doing just that? Everyone will be looking at me with contempt and I'm not sure what his girlfriend might do to me.

"What is she anyway?"

"She is a hybrid. Vampire -Werewolf."

"Doesn't that make her more dangerous than a werewolf itself?" I ask in panic.

I know there is a reason my heart skipped several beats when I spoke to her the previous night. I thought maybe it was because I hated her right away but I'm not so sure now.

"She can be. But she hasn't triggered her werewolf side yet. Until then, she is not much more dangerous than any of us." Sage continues. "The only reason why most people let her have her way around here is because of Roman and also because of her parents. If their precious heiress is harmed, the person responsible will have to kiss this school goodbye. Or worse."

"What is worse?"

"No fancy supernatural academy anymore." I remain silent. "We need money to grow and that family keeps us running. Anyway, enough trying to change the topic. What's going on with you?"

I sigh heavily and hold her gaze. Can I really trust her with everything Alistair revealed to me? The thought of my parents again draws tears automatically. I blink trying to push them away but they fall anyway. I wipe them off quickly and sniffle.

"That sensitive, huh?" Sage asks gently and joins me on the bed. I look down with a nod. "You don't have to say anything if you're not ready."

As if compelled by her words, more tears fall and I let them. Sage pulls me towards her and envelopes me in a warm hug. I haven't felt safe for so long but the moment I let myself go, I feel safe. She runs her hand through my hair several times. A few minutes later, I gather myself and manage to look at her. She looks back at me expectantly.

"I ruin everything I touch, Sage."

"Why do you say that?"

"There is a darkness inside me. I can feel it," I respond. "I always thought it was because I felt abandoned, unloved, uncared for, and lonely but being here leads me to believe otherwise. I'm the problem, not others."

"Wren... we all have a darkness inside us. It is why we are in this school to learn how to control it."

"Not like mine," I shake my head sadly. "Have you ever killed someone?"

Sage shakes her head slowly, "No, but I have broken someone's bones. Well, several people."

"Did you enjoy it? Do you feel the urge to do it again?"

"It was an accident. To be honest, I don't like the sound of bones breaking."

"I wish I could say the same," I state gently and slowly meet Sage's horrified gaze. "Before they brought me here, I did something."

"Something like what?" Sage asks me fearfully. "Did you hurt someone?"

"Yes," I nod. "Me."