The Unmated Mate

Five : Strange Reflexes

"I heard she was that girl" Hera heard a random girl gossip from behind her so she turn around to look but as soon as she did, the girls suddenly act like they were doing something else.

Hera's eyebrows met and just go back in her book as the professor in front continues to talk.

"I heard she flirted with the prince first" another whisper was heard and Hera is starting to feel uncomfortable. Hera doesn't know who they were talking about, but it sure is disturbing her. Especially it made her feel like they were really making her hear it on purpose

"Ugh! How shameless" The girls from Hera's back keeps murmuring which distracts her even more.

"She wasn't even as pretty as Olivia" girls from behind continue to gossip. And it's their luck for not having the professor to hear their chats.

"She's even in our class, she must've pulled some strings from the admission office for them to put her in our class" 

Hera can't stand it anymore. She already can't understand what the professor was saying in front because of them. Hera was about to look at them and complain about their improper gossips at the wrong time when a knock on their classroom's door happened.

"Pardon me" professor Glum said as he pivots his wand in the air and made the door open on its own. And a student, definitely from a different class, asked for professor Glum's assistance on something urgent. So the professor asked a little spare time from our class to check what happened in the other class, and it's not like we have any reason not to agree so everyone just agreed.

Then the girls on her back started to gossip again, but this time it is louder since the professor wasn't there anymore.

Hera then looked at Agatha beside her. She wanted to ask if she has any idea what the girls from their back were gossiping about and who. It's not like she wanna gossip too, but maybe just to make order in her mind.

"Hey, Agatha" Hera called, then Agatha who is busy studying her book, stopped and looked at Hera and gave out a gentle smile.

"What is it?" Agatha asked but when Hera was about to open her mouth to speak, a group of girls went near them from nowhere. There are three of them and they all looked pretty, but somehow they looked very unfriendly.

"Well, well, well, look who we have here" The girl in the middle said as she sits on the side of Hera's desk, sitting on her book.

"Excuse me?" Hera reacts when she saw that her book almost tear up after being sit.

The girl who sits on her desk then snorts.

"Ugh, how dare you talk the queen like that?" the girl from the left side said crossing her arms.

"Do you even know her?" the girl on the right asked too. Everyone then started to notice the situation and with just a blink of an eye, everyone is already looking at them.

Hera looked around seeing everyone who seems to be looking forward to what's going to happen next. Hera sigh in dismay, she already has trouble for the day and if she gets in on another one, she'll probably be kicked out by the school by tomorrow.

"We're just new here so, we don't know you" Agatha politely said instead of Hera who looks like she really needs a little help for the time being. Then the girl who is sitting on Hera's desk looked at her with eyes stabbing her with daggers.

"Who dares to interfere when I'm talking?" The girl said.

"I---" Agatha couldn't finish what she was saying when the girl on the right splashed water on her using her ability. Everyone in the classroom then laughs.

"She's the crowned princess and to be the queen of Irelania. How dare you peasant mock his royal highness?" the girl on the right who splashed water on Agatha said.

"Helena, don't waste such precious water on her" the girl on the left said to Helina the girl on the right.

Hera clenched her hand. She has too held up. Even Agatha gave her a smile that tells her not to worry. And in just a flash, Agatha was all dry and fresh again by using her ability. So Hera felt relieved and look at the girls who suddenly barge in front of them.

"What do you want?" Hera asks looking fiercely at the girl they call queen.

"How dare you look at the----" 

"Nadia," The so-called queen said as she raises her right hand stoping the girl on her left named Nadia from interfering.

The Queen looked at Hera from head to toe.

"So you're asking me what I want?" The queen repeated her question as she stands up and walk to Hera's back and leaned to her as she holds her shoulders lightly before she speaks up.

"I want you to get away from my prince" She whispers to Hera's ears at the same time, Hera looked at the prince the queen was probably pertaining to and saw that he was also looking in their direction.

Hera rolled her eyes. She can't believe she's being treated like this just because of him.

Hera then took the so-called queens' hand's off her shoulder.

"I am well aware of that..." Hera said then professor Glum got inside the classroom just in time before the queen could blabber anymore nonsense.

"It's good that we understand each other. By the way, I'm Olivia, the crowned princess of Irelania" The so-called queen finally said her name.

-----

Hours felt like days to Hera as she put up with the girls in the class, who has been sending her cold and deadly looks. Like telling her that she doesn't belong here or something. But she won't back out just like that, not now that she was already here. She was already expecting the worst. What's confusing her, is just that, she can't understand why would the girl's in her class looks at her like that. They can't be thinking the same way as Olivia, can they?

"Okay, now to page one-hundred and twenty-two section 1 clause 5." Their professor said.

Hera then turned her pages when a strange piece of paper slid inside her book. Hera looked around to know where the paper came from and she saw Adam.

Hera rolled her eyes. 'Of course, it was him' Hera said in her thoughts. And just as she was about to open it, she can feel a strange sharp stare at her peripheral vision. And when she turned to look where that strange feeling came from, she saw a girl exactly looking at her with her sharp eyes. So instead, Hera put the paper in her pocket and decided to read it later and continued listening to their professor.

"Coming fort from the distant land, King George came back as a hero from the grave fight, for his love" The professor said. Their class is about the Celliondales history and it seems to be really interesting in Hera's prospect. But the bell suddenly rings as a sign of the class ending.

"What happened to them after professor Glum?" a random student asked the same question Hera has in mind

"Well, about that. We'll be discussing that tomorrow since professor McKenry is already here." Professor Glum said that disappointed all of the girls in the class while the boys seem excited seeing professor McKenry.

"Goodbye professor Glum" Few students including Hera said a temporary farewell.

"See you tomorrow" professor Glum said as he went out.

The room's aura suddenly changes as soon as professor McKenry went in. From the light atmosphere to a heavy one.

The professor's eyes scanned the whole class for a minute, just to see new faces before he decided to talk. 

"Okay class, before we start. I would like to say a few words to the newcomers" professor McKenry said as he looked at Agatha, Cyrus, and lastly Hera.

"So we only have three transferees, I see" Professor McKenry said as he turned around and looks like he was going to the board when suddenly an ice knife flew fast as lightning towards Agatha's place, and with Hera's fast reflexes she catches the ice knife with just her hand. Agatha then seems paralyzed that she can't seem to move a muscle as she looked at the ice knife just an inch away from her eyes and couldn't even blink.

Everyone gasps as Hera's blood slowly drip off her hand.

"Hera!" Cyrus rush to Hera as he took the ice knife from her hand.

"Impressive" Professor McKenry said looking proud at Hera while nodding his head. While Hera felt otherwise. She then looked at the professor with eyes burning with anxiousness and anger as Cyrus wrap her hand with his handkerchief to stop the bleeding.

"When will you stop getting in trouble Hera? You have just been in an infirmary, and now we have to go back" Cyrus complained but Hera wasn't even interested in answering him, instead, she looked at the professor with irking eyes.

"With all due respect professor.....professor Mckenny---McKerry--or whatever. What you did almost blinded a student! This is my first day of school and I don't know what rules this school has but that was clearly a student endangerment!" Hera protest that made everyone in the room felt stupefied by how she speaks towards the professor. The classroom was filled with silence for a moment until professor McKenry laughed out loud that confused all of them.

Even Adam was impressed by how the professor acted. He never once laugh before, and it is strange for him to laugh at someone who just rudely speaks to him.

"I have always been wondering how it would feel to have a student to talk back to me, even his royal highness never dared to try" Professor McKenry said as he looked at Adam then back to Hera with his outspread smile.

"But here you are!" Professor McKenry said and went back in front still wearing a wide smile on his face.

"By the way, I am professor McKenry, and not McKenny or Mckerry." the professor introduces himself as he looked at Hera teasingly.

"And I am your pedagogue. Both fighting skills and ability-enhancing. Overall, you're all going to spend half of your day with me and as your mentor, I would gladly guide you" Professor McKenry said.

-----

"How is everyone scared of the professor? I heard a scary story about him from the other kids. He seems nice and approachable for me though" Agatha asked Hera in a low voice since they were out following the professor to the arena and they were following him close enough for him to hear every gossip, but he doesn't seem to notice Agatha talking since everyone was also murmuring. They were going to be having a light battle for a warm-up and ability try out for skills introduction. So they also change their clothes into more comfortable ones.

"Because he's the scariest and weird professor in our year" a random girl said out of the blue cutting in with Agatha. She then distanced herself when she noticed that she herself was being weird too for just cutting in without permission.

"Oh sorry, I got sensitive ears that can hear every whisper from a 10-meter radius" the girl explained.

"Oh right..." Agatha said with an awkward smile.

"I heard professor McKenry once have a favorite student but died after several days of being close to him, so he was more like distancing his self from us" The girl said that just made Agatha and Hera nods. While discreetly, professor McKenry heard what she said but just pretended like he didn't and just put on his blank expression.

"I'm Liza by the way" the girl who introduced herself as Liza said.

"I'm Agatha and this is Hera" Agatha said then Hera smile at Liza.

"It's nice to meet you Liza" Hera smiled.

------

"Check out the transferees, they both look hot" a random guy from the same class as Hera said while looking at them from the back.

"You bet man, but they both looked easy, I bet I can sleep with one of them in just a week" another guy said.

"I'll make it days men" the third guy said and they all laugh.

"Wanna bet?" he replied.

Adam who has been listening to the guys in front of them felt something strange for unknown reasons. So he looked at them and saw how they seem to be lurking at his enemy. Adam didn't even know if he should feel great or unpleasant after hearing them talking so nastily.

Adam looked at Hera. But this time a familiar picture comes to mind.

'A smiling little girl, as her soft peals of laughter linger in Adam's ears.'

Adam's vision darkens when a scream for help changes those soft peals of laughter, for as soon as he remembers Luna's little laugh, he also remembers how those smiles and laughter were wiped out by a heinous beast like Hera's father.

Adam looked away, he knows it wasn't Hera's fault. But she is one of them. Which only means she also killed Luna.

---

"I hope you all remembered the rules. But for the sake of the newcomers, I will state it again and make sure none of you ever forgets it" professor McKenry said and unlike earlier back at the classroom, his mood has totally change into a different one.

"One! Don't turn you back at your opponents as long as they can still stand!" Professor McKenry said that surprised Hera.

"But that means---" Hera can't finish what she was saying when professor McKenry looked at her with cold eyes. And he seems like a whole different person from what he is earlier.

"Two! In the arena, your opponent is always your enemy, whether they are a friend or not" professor McKenry continued. Hera looked at everyone but they all seem to agree with what the professor was saying.

'Are they trying to kill us?' Hera asks in her mind.

"And lastly! Win the match no matter what" The professor said then held his hands high as a bolt of lightning from his hand came out and it went all through the arena as the ice started to form and cold smoke is scattering the whole ground.

"First game, I will split you into ten groups and every group consists of five members. And all you have to do is to survive and get to the finish line. Points will be based on teamwork and strategy on taking down forest monsters" Profesor McKenry said as the face of the arena change into an ice land.

"Woah," Agatha said in amusement when she saw how the arena just turned into a different place and looks like it was a snowy forest.

"The number of monsters taken down will be recorded and how big the monster is the bigger the points. But remember, on this first lesson. You are not allowed to harm each other. Understood?" professor McKenry said and the class said yes in unison.

Then the professor started to assign every group.

------

"What luck, I'm in the same team as Hera" the guy who was badmouthing Hera and Agatha earlier said that piqued Adam from his own thoughts.

Adam directly shook his head. He can't care about that girl. Besides, this will be easier for him to punish her without even getting his hands dirty.

"Nice start dude" one of the guys replied to the first guy.

"That's a good start for the bet" The third guy said.

"Go to your groups now!" professor McKenry ordered and everyone obeyed.

Adam looked at the guy who said he was on the same team as Hera earlier and followed him with his eyes.

"Adam.." Lucas called out for the spacing out Adam who seems to be looking at something.

"Hey, Adam..." Lucas called again but Adam seems too busy to hear him or even notice him so Lucas moves in front of Adam and blocked his view.

"Adam" Lucas called for the last time and this time Adam finally looked at him, and because of what Lucas did, Adam has no way to avoid him now.

"What?" Adam asked.

Lucas then showed his paper.

"I'm in the same team as you" Lucas explained. 

"Again?" Adam asked.

"Oh you guys are in the same group again? Don't you think this is unfair?" Julius complained when he heard Adam and Lucas talking.

"I don't think so" Adam said with a teasing voice.

"The selection of your tone says the otherwise" Julius sarcastically utter.

"Where's Koda and Angelo?" Lucas asked, Julius then look down said just pointed Koda and Angelo in the same group chatting with their teammates.

"You're left alone?" Lucas asked that made Julius looked at him dreadfully.

"I'm not!" Julius replied strongly.

"Get to positions!!" professor McKenry shouts and every team gathered to get ready.

"ops got to go" Julius said ad went running towards his group.

Lucas and Adam then went to their own groups that are just beside Hera's group.

-----

"Laurence right?" Hera asks the guy who has been smiling weirdly at her.

"Yeah, good thing you remembered" Laurence guy replied as he went near her.

They were already in their own positions and Hera has to be near this Laurence guy while the others scouts ahead as planned, but his looks alone are making her feel uncomfortable.

Since the icebergs are so big, and the road is getting narrow Hera can feel Laurence getting near her than usual. But before Laurence could do any more moves towards her and before Hera could punch him in the face an attack has happened.

"Goblins!!!" their team captain shouts and loads of Goblins started to attack them.

Hera jumps back and used her force field to protect her teammates from the first attempt attack of the goblins by throwing big rocks. As they ran for the exit.

"As soon as reach the exit, we attack, Laurence, blind them!" The team captain ordered and Laurence nods and his eyes turned red, and by just looking at the goblins they stopped throwing rocks at them.

And when they finally arrive at an open space their team started to fight. But the longer their fight is taking the tougher the fight is getting. A little while later, Hera saw Adam fighting a hobgoblin with his team.

"Kill more goblins, the other team is here. We need to surpass them!" the team captain said.

"Copy!!!" everyone on Hera's team answered in union as they keep slaying goblins.

While fighting, Laurence looked at Hera and smirk as he let one of the goblins hurt him, as part of his deeper motive.

"Hera! Laurence is down!!" The team captain said as a sign of Hera to go and heal him.

------

Adam looked at how Hera fight from the other team, and he admits, she was good. Not until Laurence started his act. Their team was going on a retreat and they were struggling out to protect Laurence and Hera from the Goblins and Adam notice that Hera doesn't have enough mana to protect herself while healing Laurence.

"Team, initiate defense for the other team" Adam ordered that made his team confused, even Lucas. Since Adam was their chosen team captain, they couldn't disagree, so they did help the other team to escape from the goblins. And finally, Hera and Laurence got out of the scene.

And Adam still seems unsure about the fact that Laurence is with Hera alone after what he heard from them before the game starts.

"Why did you do that for?" Lucas asked Adam while still fighting the goblins pertaining to his actions to protect the other team.

"I was aiming for their preys, and bigger points" Adam simply replied.

Then Adam saw how some goblins followed Hera and Laurence's track. 

"Lucas, take charge" Adam said and before Lucas could say anything Adam has already gone to where Hera and Laurence are. 

------

Hera finally found a place where she can heal Laurence without any goblins interfering and made him sit down beside the snowy tree. Since the arena's snow was just an illusion, they can't feel cold but they can feel pain.

"Stay still" Hera said to Laurence but he did otherwise. Laurence grabs Hera's arms and pulled her closer to him.

"Since we're alone, don't you think we should have a little---" Laurence didn't finish what he was saying when Hera pulled her arms back and stood up.

"If you have the energy to act like this, then we should head back now" Hera said that just made Laurence laughs.

"Oh come on, I know you'll love it too" Laurence said and with his vampire speed, he went close to Hera's face.

"Don't worry, they won't know it..." Laurence said pervertedly and is about to touch Hera's face when another hand stops him.

"Don't you think you're messing something?" A cold voice asked that send chills through Hera's spines. And terror was seen on Laurence's face.

"Y-Your highness..." Laurence couldn't even properly utter his words.

"I bet you have enough energy to help your team back there right?" Adam asked and Laurence nods quickly.

"I absolutely do, and I am on my way now" Laurence said then looked at Hera with embarrassment and ran away.

Hera then was dumbfounded by just how her enemy acted in front of her.

Adam, without looking at Hera is about to leave when Hera speaks.

"You know, I can handle myself just fine" Hera said that stopped Adam.

"Don't have funny thoughts 'Hawkins', what I did was just reflexes, nothing more, nothing less. Besides, you are our school's student right?" Adam sarcastically said emphasizing Hawkins then turned to leave.

Hera then looked at the fast-fading shadows of the prince.

"Yeah reflexes..." Hera said to herself.

".....Strange reflexes" Hera continued.

--------------------

To be continued......