AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The peculiar woman appeared on campus days ago, yet between then and now she’s managed to cause quite a stir with the staff. The energy that’s radiating off her has even me cautious and that’s something I’ve only ever felt on two occasions; first when I was in the presence of an ancient witch priestess, and the second time being when I got within a hundred metres of the man who is the reason I’m here. Yet she hasn’t actually shown a drop of that power. It’s very odd, and I’m not sure what to make of her, but I know that runes class is definitely going to be interesting this term.
With Nessa now out of sight I shake off my mixed feelings and head to my next class of the day.
Chapter Six — Nessa
Ayawnslipsfrommy lips as I sit through yet another lecture from my fight instructor about safety. I’ve been at this academy for over a week now and other than now having an Oscar attached to me like velcro whenever we’re not in class, nothing exciting has happened. He’s a lot like a lovable golden retriever.
A grin spreads across my lips as I think back to the weekend when I FaceTimed my dads. It was hilarious watching them trying to figure out how to use the laptop and sit in the right spot. When I mentioned Oscar, Diarmuid’s face got so red. Warmth pulses in my chest at the memory of his overprotectiveness. If I’m not careful they’ll show up and demand to meet him and any other male friends I make. My mind drifts back to the class as my eyes roam the room.
I’ve been looking forward to this class, but it has been cancelled for the last week because the instructor had a death in the family. Thankfully she’s back today, but her speech about the expected safety precautions had my mind drifting thirty seconds into it. I zoned out her voice ages ago and I roll my bottom lip between my teeth as I practically salvate over a beautiful set of short swords that rest on the wall to our left.I’m enrolled in two fight classes, one focuses on the actual fighting part and the other covers a whole range of abilities and physical capabilities. I’m attending the second one right now, which means hopefully we’ll get to check out the obstacle course soon.
Adrenaline buzzes through my veins as my thoughts drift to the obstacle course they have here. I spotted it a few minutes after stepping into the room. It starts with a rock climbing wall, which is fairly basic and not unlike a normal course, except this building is spelled and the course winds its way up the walls like a strange concoction of a giant spiral staircase and an obstacle course hybrid. When I tip my head back to see where it ends, I can’t see the finish line and it has a grin tugging at my lips.I can’t wait.
When an elbow brushes against mine I have to suppress a grin. Oscar is in this class with me. It’s the only one we have together, and I can’t wait to try out my sword skills against him. Maybe if I hold a sword to his throat he’ll stop trying to hit on me? We’ve been doing a strange dance over the past week, him showing his interest and me pretending I don’t notice because I can’t get into a relationship right now. I need to figure out my magic before I think about my love life, because if I don’t have magic, I’ll never reach my career goals.
A shiver rolls through me at the vivid mental image it paints for me, but I scold myself.Bad Nessa. No dirty thoughts about your new friend.
I draw my eyes and mind back to the instructor with difficulty and shift in place.Goddess. If I wasn’t so worried about my magic, and wasn’t clearly going through an internal crisis because I’m attracted to two guys—at the same time—then I might say yes to his pestering. I have nothing against polyamory, I’ve just never considered it an option for me. In fact, up until very recently, I’ve never even been interested in one guy enough to date them, let alone more than one. I’m definitely attracted to the guy, he’s like an adorable puppy with his enthusiasm, but also a sweet guy in general, just not at the moment.I have a goal and men are not part of the equation, no matter how tempting.
I swallow hard when I think back to the shitty lays I had when I was back in my hometown. Yeah, no, I’m not after a repeat of that. No thanks. My right hand and the toys under my bed keep me satisfied just fine. A slight smirk tugs at my lips.
“Choose your weapons of choice and get into a circle,” the instructor says, and my attention snaps back to the present. “I don’t care who your partners are, I’m going to figure out your level. You know the rules.”
I snatch up those swords the instant she’s finished speaking. These babies are now mine. I test the balance, weight and length compared to my stature and find that they may as well have been made for me. When I step into yet another circle, my eyes narrow.What is it with this school and circles?Judging by the looks of other students in the class, the jitters that I should probably have right now are absent and my hands are steady as I take up position facing my new friend. I’m not sure what my expression looks like, but the slight paling of Oscar’s cheeks gives me an idea. I probably look like a psycho. My grin grows even wider and I swear I hear him swallow. This is the one thingI knowI’ll excel at. My dads have been training me since I was big enough to hold up a sword. No other weapons have ever felt comfortable to me like these. When I’m holding them it’s as though they’re an extension of me, and fighting is as easy as breathing.
When the instructor says go, I’m on Oscar in an instant. In under ten seconds I have his sword knocked aside, one of my blades at his throat, and the other held to his nape. In this position we’re so close that my chest scrapes his whenever I inhale, and I suppress a small sound when his arms lift in an ‘I surrender’ movement and they brush my arms. He whispers, “Holy shit,” and I hold the position for a few seconds longer just for the hell of it.
A shiver rolls over my skin when his breath tickles my sensitive neck, and I step back, lowering my weapons. When there is a comfortable few feet of space between us I glance up to find him watching me with wide eyes. My forehead bunches,it wasn’t that amazing. But I survey the room and find the majority are still fighting.Maybe Oscar’s just really bad with swords?
I’m about to say something to him when the instructor calls out, “Switch.” With an apologetic smile I shuffle to the next fight circle.
I once again drop into a fighting stance. This time I’m facing off with a tall woman with bright orange curly hair. While I’m waiting for our teacher to say we can fight, I study her form, the hold she has on her sword, and I eye the dagger that’s attached to her belt. This time when we get the go ahead, we circle each other, taking the time to watch how each of the other moves. After thirty seconds or so she lunges and I deflect with ease, repeating this a few times until I see an opening and go for the offence. Within a few moments I have her disarmed and lightly slash the tip of my sword along her stomach. I’m careful not to draw blood or tear her clothing. We shake hands before switching again.
When the end of class bell rings I’m feeling a heap better than I was before it. I’m a middle level fighter for now, but the instructor did mention that she couldn’t rank me any higher without magic so I’m quite happy with that. So far I’m failing at all my classes, including runes, because I refuse to touch the ground again in that room. That jolt of magic that was so similar to my own has me hesitant. I haven’t felt any different since then, and neither has my magic. It hasn't been unblocked since that day. However, the class only has me more intrigued about the Mountain Man who sits beside me every runes class. Or, I suppose, I sit beside him. He doesn’t seem to mind though.
Those swirling eyes, that can’t seem to settle on a colour, have me enraptured. As does the peculiar way he seems to know how to do everything in the lessons, but when I catch him out he pretends he doesn’t. It’s very strange. I still don’t know his name and I haven’t worked up the courage to ask Lexi or Oscar yet. After overhearing some of the academy gossip and watching other students interact with him, he seems to be a social pariah, so I don’t want to make him uncomfortable by drawing attention to him.
On another note, I have a tutor. Yep, the headmaster assigned me one for accessing my magic. I’ve yet to meet the guy yet, but Lexi speaks highly of him.Dylan. I have my first session with him this afternoon and frankly I’m a little nervous, but mostly embarrassed. He usually only works with first years. Scrubbing a hand over my face I shake off my feelings.I need this. And he’s willing to help, so it’s a win.
“Do you want to go to La La’s Coffeehouse for afternoon tea?” Lexi’s voice interrupts my negative spiral and my shoulders relax a touch.
“I would, but I’ve got that first tutoring session in twenty minutes.”
She waves it off, linking arms with Oscar before heading off to find her bonded. The latter throws a grin at me over his shoulder. “Okay, see you later then. You have to tell me all about it when you’re back later.”
I smother a groan.Fun, us spending hours talking about my failed magic tutor session. Just,so, so fun. The sarcasm is definitely strong in me today. Using my trusty map, which isn’t trusty at all because I suck at reading it, I try to find the room we’re supposed to be doing this at. It’s all the way at the back of the academy.
It’s all going well until I miss a turn, and somehow end up in a hallway that leads to a dead end. “Shit.” I have absolutely no clue where I am. Just to make it even worse, my phone is dead so I can’t call anyone for help. And the halls that are usually swarming with students are currently a ghost town, oddly. There is literally no one to ask. I let out an exasperated sigh and lean against one of the huge stone walls. “Anybody who is listening right now, I’d love some help getting to my tutor. Please?”
Not expecting an answer, I jump when a woman’s voice comes from my left. Raising my head, I’m equally as startled to find that it’s the same Ghost Girl who saved me in the fight circle. She’s still see-through and now that I have time to study her more, I realise that she’s actually in black and white. I can’t see the tone of her skin, eye colour, or the colour of her clothing. Though, it’s rather old fashioned. Something you would have seen a hundred years ago. Which makes sense if she’s a ghost, I suppose.
“If you ever need help, ask the castle for guidance and it will come to your aid,” she manages to say before her form flickers, then vanishes, as if she were never there to begin with. I glance either way, my face scrunched up, half expecting her to appear again. But no such luck.Ask the castle?After taking another long look at the dead end, I sigh.
“It’s worth a shot,” I murmur under my breath.
Unsure of how to do it, I place my palms against the oddly warm stones and say out loud, “Could you please give me directions to Dylan Falner.”
A tingle ignites in my sternum then the stones heat even more beneath my palms, and I tug them away from the wall and step back. My brows lift when I look to my left again where there is now a path of glowing stones for me to follow along the wall.Huh, I wasn’t expecting that to actually work.When I get to the end of the hall and look back, I’m surprised to find that the ones behind me have returned to normal.Wow. This place really is sentient.
