Draeyer Academy (First Ver.)

Chapter 40-Flames

A crease formed between her brows when she saw Alec glance at her from the corner of his eyes. There was something akin to fear or apprehension in their pale blue depths.

"No," Solana said. Right after she spoke, she tugged on the string holding the cloth. It came undone and the fabric fell on top the table.

Once she saw the object, it was as if time stopped. Her gaze ran over the shining metal blade all the way to the black hilt decorated with small sapphire stones. It was a dagger she was too familiar with. Her mother's dagger.

"One day, I'm going to give this dagger to you," she heard her mother's kind and loving voice. "But you must be strong enough by then, all right?"

She shook herself out of the memory and stood from the blue-cushioned bench. With shaking fists, she narrowed her eyes at Alec while she spoke in a low tone.

"Why do you have that?"

Alec tensed as he met her gaze. He broke away and picked up the cloth. He took the blade from Solana and wrapped the fabric around it. Her friend had a light frown of confusion on her face as she stared back and forth between her and Alec. Without any more words, he left with his Draelings trailing close to his heels.

Areisha stood there amidst the stares of her friends and schoolmates directed at her. She ignored them and followed after Alec who disappeared behind the doors of the cafeteria. With heavy stomps on the shiny stone floor, she ran out of the large room. Her eyes darted around to find Alec and she saw him heading further into the East Wing of the building.

The few students in the hallway whirled their attention to her when she zoomed passed them. However, she paid them no attention. She reached Alec in a matter of moments and grasped a fist full of his school jacket. He stopped in his tracks. The triplet Draes jumped to the side and looked on with curious amber eyes. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Emera sitting close to them.

"Why do you have my mother's dagger!" she yelled. They were alone in that hall. "Answer me, Arden!"

She removed her hand when he turned to face her. When she saw the stone look in his icy eyes, she had the sudden urge to punch him. Not now, she thought.

They continued their staring contest, none of them daring to break away from the other's gaze. As moments passed, Areisha's urge to beat his face with her fists got worse.

"I can't tell you. I'm sorry," he said. She wasn't sure if it was just her imagination but she heard something snap from inside her. She swung her right fist and it hit an unsuspecting Alec square on the face. He stumbled back as he groaned, but managed stop himself from losing his balance. One hand covered his bleeding nose as he panted. The Draelings released an earsplitting shriek. Alec raised a hand toward them and they stopped any attempts to approach them.

"Don't give me that 'I'm sorry' shit! I've had enough of everyone using that as a bloody excuse to hide things from me!" she said. When she was angry, she couldn't really stop profanities from escaping her mouth. Not that she wanted it to stop. "I'll ask again. Why do you have Erinna Roselintine's dagger?"

When he kept quiet and stared hard at the ground, it didn't help her calm even for a bit.

"That dagger was lost when Mother was...was...murdered," she panted out through the pain of recalling the memory. "I've been searching for it ever since...and then I'll learn that all along you had it! Don't tell me you―"

"I had nothing to do with your mother's death."

"No," she said. "But maybe your father or your brother―"