From then on it felt like I was back at the castle at a royal gathering. Everyone bowed to me. The students stayed clear. The wealthy men and women in lavish attire couldn’t wait to speak to me and shake my gloved hand. I hoped this wasn’t going to be a common occurrence. I came here to train and learn, not to appease.
I spied Zyacus and Aric across the room also in formal attire, wearing crowns, surrounded by a small crowd. “Excuse me,” I said to my admirers and after a few steps a dark-haired girl bumped into me. Hard. Her drink spilled all over my boots and on half my pant leg.
I arched an eyebrow waiting for her to turn her head. When she did my blood boiled hot with magic.
Jennika put on a huge fake smile. “Oh, I’m sorry, your highness. Did I spill on your boots? Oops.”
Murder. I sucked in a breath and held it for a moment to quell my murderous rage. The wench was supposed to be expelled from this academy. “Move out of my way,” I said through clenched teeth.
She tipped her glass so more red liquid cascaded on my boots. Slapping the stupid out of Jennika on the first night in front of the existing and potential benefactors wouldn’t look good. She knew I wouldn’t react too. My eyes darted around to see if anyone watched us.
A few students with towels in hand rushed over. “Princess, let us clean this up.”
I stepped back, glaring at Jennika who looped her arm around her friend Jade’s and skipped away laughing.
When I beat her face in later I’d make sure to tell her payback’s a real wench.
One of the students, with the help of a spell, cleaned my boots till they shined. “Thank you,” I said and she bowed to me.
The crown sure did have an effect on people. Appearus. I materialized across the room, appearing at Zyacus’s side.
A few of the gowned women gasped and then mildly clapped. Clearly they weren’t magic-born. One with glossy red lips and shiny black curls turned to the man at her side. “I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to women fighting. It doesn’t seem right.”
“And why is that?” I asked.
She turned to me with a defiant expression. “We’re smaller, not as strong, more delicate. Less aggressive by nature, and our appearance is a distraction to the men.” Her lips curled. “Prince Aric had to save you from that trap today rather than free his royal highness, Prince Zyacus.”
I couldn’t keep myself from sneering. The nerve of this woman. She was correct about some things but those facts didn’t make women unable to fight especially with magic ability. We trained a little differently than the men when it came to a fight with no magic. I clearly couldn’t win in brute strength but rather in speed and skill.
I opened my mouth to speak when Aric said, “I would have chosen to save her first even if she were a man because she was in imminent danger and Zyacus was not. It had nothing to do with what you’re suggesting.”
“And,” Zyacus cut in, “All of the women training here are formidable, most especially Princess Visteal. A capable woman isn’t a distraction; she’s a warrior. Only someone from Hesstia would need this explained.”
The woman blushed and fanned herself, “Of course, your highness,” she said and bowed her head.
With a serpentine grin, I said, “It’s a little stuffy in here. I’m going to get some fresh air.”
Many in the group bowed as I excused myself and made for the back door. I really did want to get away from everyone for a few minutes. When I was about to shove it open Zyacus popped up a few feet ahead of me.
Eyebrows drawn close, he frowned. “Don’t let that woman get to you.”
“Oh, she didn’t,” I said, lifting one shoulder. “I am simply tired of talking to people. It feels more like a royal function than the first day back at academy. I hope this doesn’t become the norm with our new Headmaster.”
I pushed the doors open and walked into the stone courtyard. I turned when I didn’t hear Zyacus’s footsteps. With a slacken jaw he stared into the evening sky.
“What?” I asked and followed his line of sight.
A red moon shone above, beautiful yet horrifying. I’d never seen the likeness of it before. Occasionally I’d seen it with a red tinge but this was as if the moon had always been scarlet. As if the moon itself had been inflicted with a terrible wound and blood seeped from its core to bubble over its surface.
Chapter 11
If I had questioned what the old man had said about an impending blood moon, if I had thought it but a fantasy, I didn’t anymore. My stomach twisted as I stared. I couldn’t take my eyes from it; it was so... wrong.
“Shit, that old man was right,” Zyacus mumbled. “You were right. My father is going to kick himself.”
“I don’t even truly know what this means. Before it was just some wild birds and one rogue Fae, but now...”
Soon several others came outside marveling at the scarlet orb in the sky. Some whispered of a bad omen for this to happen on the first day of academy. Others that this place was cursed. A few wondered at its beauty.
Perhaps the Allied Kingdoms Academy was cursed. My vision fell on Zyacus and I watched him stare up at the sky with the others. Maybe God or Zyacus’s gods didn’t want our three kingdoms to become one unified people. They had a vengeful god, Arcta; could he be behind this?
