Elements Academy (Book One)

Chapter Thirteen

     "What?" Eirlys's green eyes widen at this news. "You know where she is?"

     I nod in response, leaning against one of the book shelves. "Yes..." I lower my voice to a whisper. "Nocturna is in this school with us. Attending our classes."  Eirlys's eyes grow with interest, as I continue. I heave a huge sigh. "Cyra is Nocturna in hiding."

     The Water Elemental is quiet a long time, before she shakes her head in wonder. "I knew she did something to you three... The way she looked at you..." She suddenly gasps. "Blood! She used the Evil Element of Blood to control you! That makes sense! Yes, it also explains why you fell over..." She begins scribbling something down with a quill.

     "Are you... taking notes?" I ask.

      Eirlys doen't even look up long enough to dip her quill in the ink ontop of the smaller shelf. "Of course I am. This could be valuable information for upcoming tests." I roll my eyes. I'm not sure if she noticed, but Eirlys continued talking. "Just kidding. I'm trying to learn all that I can about Evil Elementals in case Nocturna turns out to be insane like the rest of them. I'm pretty sure she will, to tell you the truth..."

     I open my mouth to deliver a stinging retort, but instead, Eirlys speaks again. "Look Nicole. As much as a Water Elemental like myself hates the idea of working with a Fire Elemental like you..." She's picking her words carefully, and I narrow my eyes curiously. Eirlys sighs. "Maybe you, me, and everyone else who knows Nocturna's real identity should team up. You know, watch her, study what she does, how she acts. And we should find out more on the subject of her kind." She taps the old book she'd given me.

     I blink in surprise at the Water Elemental's sudden offer, and stare at her uncomfortable-looking expression. Then I sort of nod. "Fine. As long as I can trust you to keep this quiet. This is between you, me, Chloe, Eralyn and Lydia. Okay?" She nods slightly in response as we shake on it.

                                                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     I toss and turn in bed that night, the orange curtain concealing me from everybody else. Finally it strikes me that I'd never called Erika back. Oh well. Erika will have to wait. I have more important things to worry about at the moment. Apart from the occasional snore from Piper's bed, the room is soundless. Not a sound comes from Nocturna's side either. I turn onto my back with a sigh.

     Why is it bothering me so much that I can't hear Nocturna? I mean, she's probably asleep, because it's after ten at night. No student activity outside of the dorms are allowed after ten. Giving up on sleep at last, and trying to stop thinking about where Nocturna might be, I stare up at the roof. That's when I remember the book. I hop silently from my bed, and make my way down to the foot of it, where the wooden chest lays. 

     I open it up with a simple tugging motion, and grab the book, that's buried under my school textbooks, ink, quills, bag and parchment. I freeze, listening for any noise, and I can't help but cast a direction that Nocturna's space is in. Then, I crawl back in bed and turn on my lamp, huddling near the headboard.

     I blow off a cloud of dust from the cover, brushing the rest off with my sleeve. Carefully, almost as if I'm afraid something will pop out of the pages and grab me, I open the book to the first page.

     "Evil Elements." It reads on the yellowed, aged page. The words are in delicate and handwritten in cursive ink. No author's name is given. The book is obviously extremely old. Carefully, I turn the page, half curious about there being no author listed, and half excited to read on.

     The pages are yellow, and crumbling at the edges, but I can still make out the neatly written cursive words in front of me:

                    February tenth, 1456: