So, I am updating this chapter for Christmas, because it is very unlikely that I will be online in the next few days. I hope that you guys like it, and the picture on the side is of Dahlia and Troy again. If you are sick of seeing them, please tell me! :P Please comment and stuff as usual! :)
Chapter 39
The next few hours passed in a sort of blur. People were clapping Troy on the back, complimenting him on his fighting skills. They were all impressed that a mere thirteen-year old boy could defeat Tristan who was eighteen.
Arulan finally managed to bring Troy and Dahlia outside the training arena. Reluctantly, the trainees had returned to their fighting classes.
“Wow, who would have thought that they would have been so enthusiastic about a simple fight!” Troy said, laughing as he pulled a sweatshirt that a boy had given him over his head.
Dahlia laughed too, brushing back her blonde curls. She seemed a lot more relaxed, Troy noted. Her face was happy and her eyes lit up when people spoke to her. All the exhaustion from the past weeks’ worth of fighting had gone.
“They seem like normal teenagers,” Dahlia continued, sounding surprised. “Most of the magicians that we’ve met are different. Like Kayla seems set in a different time zone and Luna is so mature although she’s six.”
“Not to mention me,” Arulan said, reminding them of his presence. “Kayla is different because she’s immortal and the length of the time she’s lived has changed around her.”
“She’s different from others,” Troy agreed. “But most of the trainees seem relatively normal.”
Arulan nodded. “Generally, they are like normal teenagers. It’s just the magic that makes us different from normal humans.”
Dahlia laughed again, and Troy was pleased to hear her laugh. She needed relaxation and the change would be good for her.
Arulan spoke again. “I have some classes to teach. And so does Rachel. I’ve assigned you a new guide. She will show you around the rest of the Elemental Academy. When you hear the dinner gong, she will show you to the dinner hall.”
“Okay,” Troy said and Dahlia nodded in agreement. “Who is she?” he continued. “Do we know her? Have we met-?”
A girl approached them. She had short brown hair tied back in a bandanna. Black combat clothes adorned her thin figure and a dagger hung at her hip.
“Hi,” she said. “I’m-”
“Sam?” Dahlia said in surprise.
The girl flushed red. “Um… actually, that was a pseudonym. I’m Marina.”
Dahlia suddenly looked mad. “You lied to me! Why? You knew I am a magician and you didn’t tell me?”
“I’m your protector,” Marina explained. “Like Olive and Ella were for Troy and Helen. I couldn’t tell you. I just had to watch you from harm.”
Troy frowned. “Where did you see her before?”
“At Camp Forrest,” Dahlia explained. “She was one of my cabin mates.”
“Oh,” Troy said, realization dawning.
Arulan turned. “I’ll see you three later. Marina, show them around the academy.”
He strode off, his cloak flapping around his ankles. Marina turned and smiled awkwardly at Dahlia and Troy.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Dahlia demanded, still angry.
Marina flinched. “I couldn’t. I promised your mother that I would look out for you and protect you while you were at school.”
“How come you were only at Camp Forrest?” Troy asked. “I mean, Olive was around all the time. And sometimes Ella was around too.”
Marina grimaced. “I watched Dahlia all the time before she met you and Helen, Troy. When Olive was watching you guys, there was no need for me to be around. The more magicians that were in one place, the more likely, it would have been that Varmer would found us.”
“You mean we can be traced?” Troy asked.
“Oh, yes,” Marina said. “Elemental magic leaves traces. Didn’t you know that? The more of us in one place, the higher the chances that one of us will slip up and do magic.”
“So where did you stay?” Dahlia asked. “I mean, you still had to watch us.”
Marina shrugged. “I was always there. Just watching you guys.”
“But what about your memories?” Dahlia asked. “Didn’t Romulus take them away?”
Marina winced. “Um, about that. Only a very few of us leave the Elementary without our memories. And those who do, well, we must have a very good reason.”
“So Romulus let you keep your memories?” Troy asked, confused. “But if you still knew about the Elementary, why didn’t you take us here immediately?”
Marina sighed. “We had to let Dahlia be claimed first. When you guys were at school, you guys hadn’t been claimed. Why do you think Sapphire was in Paris? She used to live here, you know. She went to Paris because of Dahlia’s need for her in the future.”
“You planned all this?” Dahlia stammered.
“This whole thing has been laid out for us?” Troy demanded.
“I didn’t plan it,” Marina said, guiltily. “I was just following out Arulan’s orders.”
“Did you plan Helen’s death too?” Troy shouted.
“Troy, calm down!” Dahlia hissed, putting her hand on his arm. “For goodness sake, Troy. It isn’t Marina’s fault.”
“No!” Marina said. “I mean, Arulan didn’t plan on Helen dying. Her death came as a shock to us too. Luna didn’t tell us of that part.”
“Luna was behind this whole thing?” Troy asked, suspiciously, rage flaming up inside him again.
Marina flinched. “Troy, Luna told us all this stuff when she was a baby. Helen translated for us, actually. Luna had a whole bunch of visions and Helen told us everything that happened in the branches of the future that Luna told us. We planned for the branch of the future which she saw. That’s why Sapphire ended up in Paris.”
Troy took a deep shaking breath, trying to calm himself down. Arulan was right; Troy was easily angry and flamed up about some small things.
Marina continued. “We never planned for some things to happen, like Helen’s death and the fact that Ella, Olive, Verne and August got captured. We never wanted that. But they just happened, Troy and what’s done is done.”
Troy looked like he was ready to explode. Dahlia hastily intervened, shooting Marina a warning look not to push him any further.
“Who else was allowed to leave the Elementary with their memories, Marina?” she asked.
“Um, Romulus,” Marina said. “But Arulan doesn’t let us leave with our memories unless there is some really big problem. I was the first person to be let out in a long time apart from Romulus. The last time that happened… well, let’s just say that things went wrong.”
“What happened?” Dahlia asked.
Marina flinched. “Not many people lived to tell the tale,” she said, shortly. “Your mother can tell you what happened, Dahlia. It’s a long story, and not a pleasant one.”
Dahlia opened her mouth, probably to say that she wanted to know what was going on and Troy decided that he had better interrupt before something else happened.
“Um, you said that you were giving us a tour, right, Marina?” Troy interrupted. “Where are you taking us first?”
Marina looked extremely grateful at the change of the subject and she began to lead them back towards the Elementary.
“I thought I could show you where Jared’s laboratory is,” she explained. “Where have you guys gone to already?”
“The training arena and Arulan’s tower room,” Troy said.
“And I’ve been to the library,” Dahlia added.
Marina nodded. “Come on, then. I’ll show you Jared’s laboratory.”