by Lynette Noni
As if reading her mind, Aurileous drew in an audible breath and straightened his shoulders, visibly steeling his emotions. She knew it was only for her sake, and that made it even harder for her to remain composed when he wrapped his arms around her in one final embrace.
“Remember, we’re only a holo-call away,” he said into her ear. “Or an authorised Bubbler vial, if needed. Just ask Darrius, and he’ll make it happen.”
“I’ll be okay,” Delucia said, having no intention of pestering the headmaster for a trip home outside of the scheduled holidays. No special treatment—she was determined to see out the school year just like all the other students. “Kaldoras will be here before we know it.”
“Not soon enough,” Aurileous said, his voice hoarse, but he released her and handed her over to her mother.
“Be safe, my darling girl,” Osmada said, drawing her close. “We’ll miss you every day.”
She said no more, as if knowing Delucia was only hanging on by a thread.
“Go now, sweetheart,” Aurileous said, his voice still thick with emotion, “before the Bubbledoor closes.”
Aware that lingering would only make it harder on them all, Delucia sent them both trembling smiles and, with tears glistening in her eyes, she said, “I’ll be back again before you know it.”
With that, she turned and stepped through the Bubbledoor, the swirl of colour transporting her away from the palace…
… And finally—finally—to Akarnae.
Nine
Delucia hadn’t given much thought to what would happen upon her arrival at the academy, and that was probably for the best, since when she came out the other side of the Bubbledoor, she experienced a moment of panic as disorientation took hold.
The time difference—she’d forgotten all about the time difference between Akarnae and Tryllin. And while it was only early evening back at the palace with the sun having just set, the academy grounds were fully dark, the half-moon shining brightly overhead offering the only indication as to the hour.
She was late—beyond late—with the silent grounds surrounding her highlighting as much.
Inhaling a nervous breath, Delucia allowed the balmy summer air to calm her, hints of pine and cedar drawing her gaze to the forest beyond the grassy fields. The trees continued right up to the edge of a massive lake, and beyond the water, far in the distance, a stunning mountain loomed, capped with snow even in the middle of summer.
The Ezera Forest, Lake Fee and Mount Paedris—Delucia had heard about them all her life. Never had she imagined seeing them with her own eyes, at least not as a student of Akarnae.
Suddenly, it didn’t matter that she was late. Because she was here. That was what counted.
Except… because it was late, she had no idea what she was expected to do, where she was supposed to go. She’d obviously missed dinner—by hours, it would seem—but she still needed a place to sleep. And a class timetable for the next day.
Shoving a flyaway lock of hair behind her ear, Delucia looked around at the buildings bathed in the moonlight, wondering which one would offer her some answers. But before she could attempt an educated guess—or really, just choose one at random and hope for the best—a voice called out for her attention.
“Wonderful—you’ve arrived. We’ve been expecting you for hours.”
Delucia spun until she faced the closest building, an ancient tower structure that seemed oddly out of place. Standing in the light at the top of the steps leading inside was a tall man with perfectly combed hair, his eyes friendly as they looked at her from behind rectangular glasses.
“I’m Administrator Jarvis,” he introduced himself, walking towards her. “And you must be—”
“D.C.” she said quickly, firmly. “I’m D.C.”
A knowing smile touched his lips, enough to confirm that he was aware of her real identity. “Indeed. It’s a shame about your illness today, but no matter—you’re here now.” He gestured with a hand towards the path leading from the building. “If you’ll follow me, I’ll take you to your dormitory. It’s late, and you’ll no doubt want to get some rest before classes start tomorrow.”
After having slept all day, rest was the last thing Delucia wanted, but she nodded dutifully and followed as he led the way forward. He pointed out specific buildings as they travelled—not quite the tour she would have been given had she arrived with the rest of the first years, but it would hopefully be enough to help her get by until she had time to investigate herself. Preferably in daylight.
As they walked, he told her that the professors all resided in the building he’d just stepped out of—aptly named the Tower building—and that the school library was located there too, but underground. He shared where she could find the food court and the Medical Ward, as well as indicating vaguely in the direction of where her Combat, Equestrian Skills and Species Distinction classes would be held. PE, he explained, rotated between the forest, the lake and the grassy fields, and he pointed out the meeting places for each, along with where she would find the Archery fields.
The campus was beyond impressive and Delucia couldn’t wait to see more of it. But for now, what she wanted most was to meet the students. Her fellow first years—the people she would be spending the next five years of her life with, or more, if she was offered an apprenticeship. Most especially, she wanted to meet her roommate, anxious yet excited for the friendship that she hoped would form between them.
Her first ever real friend—Delucia was terrified… but so very ready.
“Here we are,” Jarvis said as they arrived at a large, multi-levelled building. There was a welcoming feel to it, with lights glowing out from numerous windows and a handful of stairs leading up to a large, inviting entryway. “This is the dormitory for first through to fifth years. Bedrooms are located upstairs and to the right and left wings, with the Recreational Room downstairs and covering the entire basement level. Please—after you.”
Delucia moved up the steps and into the brightly lit entryway, allowing Jarvis to take the lead again as he headed towards the staircase heading to the upper and lower levels.
“Your dorm is on the third floor,” Jarvis explained as he ascended the stairs. “Unfortunately, due to the hour, most of your classmates will already be in bed, but you’ll get to meet them tomorrow.”
Delucia sighed inwardly, cursing the stomach virus that had ruined what was supposed to have been her first day at the academy. But at least she would still get to meet her roommate—presuming whoever she was wasn’t already asleep. It wasn’t that late, though. Delucia felt confident that—
“Also, you’ll be pleased to know that you have an entire dorm room to yourself,” Jarvis said as they stepped off the stairs onto the third floor.
Delucia nearly missed the last step, her neck snapping up to look at Jarvis as she all but whispered, “What?”
“Yes, it worked out rather well,” Jarvis said, not seeing the stricken look on her face as he led the way along the hallway lined with doors. “While it’s unfortunate that you were ill, the upside is that your fellow first years have already paired up, leaving you free to enjoy your own space. No doubt you’ll appreciate the privacy, I’m sure.”
Delucia felt a pain in her chest, a sharp, sudden ache at the realisation of what her late arrival had truly cost her. Her roommate—she wasn’t going to have a roommate. Everyone in her year, they’d already paired up. Already begun to make friends with each other. All except her.
“This is you here,” Jarvis said, his words pulling her from her growing despair—at least for the moment.
Together they’d stopped in front of a doorway labelled with the number seven. Jarvis explained that it was keyed to her specific biochemistry—how they’d organised that, she wasn’t sure—and that she’d be the only one who could open the door from the hallway. He then indicated for her to press her hand against it, and it unsealed at her touch.
“This is where I leave you,” Jarvis said with a warm smile. “
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to come by my office in the Tower building.”
“Thank you, Administrator,” Delucia said, her words feeling thick in her throat at the knowledge of what lay beyond the door.
That being nothing. And no one.
She was going to be alone. Just like always.
“Oh, I nearly forgot,” Jarvis said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a lollipop. He handed it over, and Delucia wrapped her fingers around it, already having been briefed by the headmaster about the test that would decide her potential-based classes.
“Once you’ve finished, place the stick in here,” Jarvis instructed, passing her a small, sealable bag. “Your schedule will arrive moments later.”
Delucia nodded her understanding.
“Good night, then, Your—erm, Miss D.C.,” Jarvis said, looking unsettled for the first time, clearly uncomfortable not addressing her by her title. “I hope you enjoy your time with us here at Akarnae.”
And with a respectful tip of his head—not quite a bow, but close—he left her standing beside her doorway, and all the loneliness that was awaiting her on the other side.
Delucia didn’t have a good night.
She tossed and turned in her sleep, all too aware of the empty bed on the opposite side of the room. When she did finally succumb to her exhaustion, her dreams were plagued by images of Maxton’s smirking face and the words she’d thought she’d managed to put behind her: ‘You’re going to be alone forever.’
Upon awakening in the morning, her stomach was in knots as she readied herself for the day. She’d taken her potential test last night, her schedule having arrived just as Jarvis had said. To her delight, her results had been almost perfectly average, with her being rated a mid-levelled Gamma for PE, Archery, Combat and Chemistry. Her Equestrian Skills class, however, rated her at an Epsilon level, which wasn’t surprising, though she knew it was rare for students to be rated higher than Delta for anything, especially first years. She only hoped that her mediocre potentials in the other subjects would keep her from standing out, because despite her restless night and the fears tormenting her, she was determined to start her new, normal life today.
So what if she didn’t have a roommate and she hadn’t met anyone yet—that didn’t matter. She had days, months, weeks and years ahead of her to make friends. It was going to happen, she was sure of it. Because she’d promised her mother that she would try, and that was exactly what she intended to do.
Dressed in cut-off shorts and a simple top—a perfectly normal summer outfit—Delucia consulted her timetable one last time, collected her Medical Science textbook from the pile she’d discovered on her desk, and left her room. Her plan was to head directly from the food court to her first class, lingering at breakfast so as to meet as many people as possible.
However, as Delucia left the dorm building and ventured across the grounds in the light of day, she passed numerous students—some smiling, some yawning, some harried, some relaxed—and realised the error of her plan.
There was no way for her to tell who might be first years.
Fourteen-year-olds didn’t look that different from fifteen-and even sixteen-year-olds. As such, Delucia wasn’t sure how to locate her age-based classmates. And when she stepped into the food court, her stomach sank, because she had no idea where in the large space to go, where to sit.
People were clustered around tables of all shapes and sizes in groups of twos, threes, fours and more. All of them were talking, laughing and eating together, their obvious joy at being back at the academy like a hum of energy filling the air.
Part of Delucia wanted to just go up and sit with a random group, hoping for the best, but another part of her was terrified by the very idea. What would she say to them? How would she introduce herself? What if they didn’t have anything in common? What if they didn’t want her to sit with them? What if they just stared at her, waiting for her to leave?
Her palms clammy, she tightened her grip on her textbook as she considered her options. She couldn’t stand in the entryway all morning—that was bound to draw unwanted attention. So she made her decision and headed to one of the smaller, empty tables.
Just this morning—just until she met some of her classmates—she would eat her meal alone. That way she wouldn’t have to worry about impressing herself upon a group that didn’t want her, or strike up an uncomfortable conversation with unwilling ears.
But after her first class, Medical Science, she would know who to look out for, who she could join. Who she could become friends with.
And as she ate her breakfast with only her book for company, she tried not to let the hollow feeling within her spread, determined to hold onto her hope. The day wasn’t over yet—it had barely even begun. There was plenty of time left for her to begin her new life, she was sure of it.
Delucia was the first person to arrive at her Medical Science classroom.
Part of that was because she hadn’t wanted to sit alone in the food court for longer than was necessary and had decided to take her own tour of the academy, but the other part was simply her desire not to miss out on anything. Again.
Because of that, she was already seated up the back of the laboratory room when her fellow classmates began to stream in from the hallway, and she sat straighter in her seat, her heart pounding in her chest as she waited to see who she would end up sharing bench space with.
Her classmates—they were all so happy. They’d only met yesterday and already they were full of smiles and laughs as they took their seats around her. This—she could be a part of this. She would be a part of this. She just had to find a way in.
Just when she was beginning to fear no one would join her up the back, thwarting her plans before they could take root, two boys burst into the room right as the professor was closing the door, making it just in time.
“Tardiness is unacceptable in my class, gentlemen,” the woman said in a stern voice, her hard tone at odds with the glaring multi-coloured lab coat she wore. “See that you don’t push your luck again in the future, or you’ll find yourself with a detention. Understood?”
Delucia would have been mortified if she’d been the one scolded in front of the entire room, but the two boys looked like they were barely holding back laughter as they tried to school their features into contrition. Nodding, they hurried past the teacher and right up to the back—straight to Delucia’s bench.
Her heart gave a jump, not sure how she felt about this development when it was clear the two boys, one dark-haired and one blond, were still trying to rein in their amusement.
Delucia had been raised with the understanding that she should always respect those in authority. Whether it was her parents, her tutors, the royal council or any manner of others around the palace, regardless of her title, they were people and she was to treat them accordingly.
When it came to her studies, she was to be nothing less than the most dedicated of students. Any slacking off led to consequences—such as the punishment that left her learning tedious languages. Her schooling, her life, was to be taken seriously. And these two boys… Well, one look at them, and Delucia wasn’t sure if they took anything seriously.
But then again… she also wasn’t in a position to be picky. So when they took their seats beside her, she turned to the nearest one, the blond, and gathered her courage.
“I’m—”
She froze, because when he faced her, she saw his features properly for the first time, and the combination of his tanned skin, light hair and bright blue eyes sent a jolt of panic through her. For a moment, all she could see was Maxton, the breath leaving her in a whoosh and the blood draining from her face as she swayed in her seat.
“Are you okay?”
Delucia’s vision snapped back into focus, her cheeks heating when she caught the raised eyebrow the boy was sending her.
It wasn’t Maxton. It wasn’t Maxton.
Aside from his colouring, there were no other similariti
es between this boy and Maxton, but the shock of what Delucia had just felt was lingering enough that she struggled to form a response.
The boy’s eyebrow arched even higher as he said, “Hello?”
The dark-haired friend leaned towards them both and said, “What’s going on, Jordan?”
The blond—Jordan—shook his head and gave a shrug, his eyes moving from Delucia to the other boy. “Not sure, Bear. But if I had to guess, I think she’s been stunned into silence by my intimidatingly good looks.” He grinned, turning back and winking at the incredulous Delucia. “Can’t blame her for that. Girl’s got good taste.”
Delucia sucked in breath so sharp that it hissed through her teeth. The audacity—she couldn’t believe his nerve.
“Hey, easy, it was a joke,” Jordan said, his brow furrowing as he read her expression. “You know… the ‘ha-ha’ kind?”
“Doesn’t look like she found it very funny, mate,” said Bear, a little too entertained for Delucia’s liking.
Unable to keep the scowl from her face—because he was right in that she didn’t find it funny, at all—Delucia was saved from responding when the professor cleared her throat, calling for their attention.
“Welcome to your orientation lesson for Medical Science,” the woman said. “I am Professor Luranda, and in my classroom, you will abide by the following rules…”
The professor went on to offer a list that she expected them all to follow, with Jordan and Bear snickering at Delucia’s side as that list grew longer and longer.
Truthfully, she couldn’t blame them, since some of the rules were utterly ridiculous—like how they weren’t to eat their textbooks or deliberately wear their clothes back-to-front—but while Delucia was laughing on the inside, she couldn’t condone the disrespect the two boys were showing the teacher, slight as it was. Professor Luranda had authority over the classroom, and if she decreed that they weren’t to chew on their classmates’ hair or use the word ‘pistachio’ in her lab, then as far as Delucia was concerned, they should all follow her instructions without question. And certainly, without derision.
