It had been around 20 minutes before all the Nevers were called to their last lesson of the day. Usually Ana and her friends had history but today they had a study period. They all decided to go outside to the gardens of evil, as it was empty and the weather was nice. Not sunny but the wind was still as strong as earlier but it wasn't too cold. They were all sat near the dried out stone fountain. Raven sat in the fountains bowl, as it was empty, playing with her pet dragon. Watching and helping it fly and eat. Chris was sat on the ledge near Raven starring at her hands, she'd been acting off since the encounter with Ana.
Maybe she regretted it Ana thought sitting on the floor next to Jay who was invested in a book he was studying for Lesso's quiz at the end of the week. Hazel got the short end of the stick and sadly doesn't have many classes with us. Yet hung out with us when she could.
"So how old is he?" Ana asked Raven as she brought her knees to her chest to rest her head on them.
"He is around 3-4 months old yet in dragon years he's probably 2 going onto 3 years old," She explained, feeding him another piece of meat from her pocket. The only question Ana wouldn't ask was what the meat was.
"Oh, that's cool," Ana responded dryly drawing circles on the floor. "Oh god this is boring,"
"Tell me about it," Jay said finally lifting his head from the book "I've been staring at this page forever and I can't remember a thing!"
"Yeh, Lesso always seems to be too harsh," Raven said now leaning on the edge of the fountain, watching Adam, the dragon, wander across the edge and carefully fly down.
"No, I think there is something else behind it," Ana said. Everyone turned their heads towards the princess in confusion, all except Chris. She was who knows where. "Probably got something to do with the fact Dovey doesn't want to talk to her anymore,"
"What?" Jay questioned with a laugh "The women hate each other,"
"Is that what you think?" Ana laughed petting Adam who was coming closer to her. Adam ended up sitting under her lifted knees, like it was a tent, and falling asleep slowly. Adam, unlike a few weeks ago, was now the size of a small cat. Raven could still fit him in her blazer but, at this rate, not for long. "You have no idea what I've walked in on,"
Jay and Raven exchanged looks before looking at Ana. Ana didn't lift her head up from the dragon. Jay finally broke the silence after registering what Ana had said "I'm sorry, go back... you walked in on what!?"
"I'm not meant to say," Ana laughed covering her smile with her free hand.
"Bitch you better spill," Jay said.
"Ok but you didn't hear it from me, and you don't tell anyone," Ana said before Raven and Jay nodded so quickly. Ana explained how she'd walked in on a... heated moment between the deans around a month ago. She didn't know how she kept it that long but to be fair she'd been so caught up in everything, it was impossible to keep up with everything. Raven, Jay and Chris' mouths hung open. Chris had been intrigued from the moment Ana said "heated moment". She too was astounded.
"WHAT!" Jay yelled smirking
"Shush or she'll hear you," Ana said trying to hush her friend
"YOUR TELLING ME LADY LESSO AN-," Jay continued to yelled before Ana covered his mouth.
"No, seriously you can't tell anyone," Ana said holding his hand on his mouth. He mumbled something to which Ana replied "I did say not to yell bloody murder,"
Jay pushed her away from him "but like, surely this changes everything,"
"Yes it should but," Ana paused before she continued turning to the rest of the group too "I kinda sent them on a little adventure around the castle to find a spirit that kept following me. Ever since they have been distant and cold from each other. Lady Lesso just seems heartbroken, Dovey just seems like she's ignoring her,"
"Hmm weird," Chris mumbled "maybe they just realised Evers and Nevers really can't be together,"
"Oh my goodness she talks!" Ana said a little too loud and Chris gave her a small smile. "She smiles too! What a lucky day it is for me,"
"Don't get used to it," Chris responded
"You know what be cool. We could work on our powers together. That way we won't die like Ana almost did. How's your neck?" Jay said as he went to sit back where he started as Ana followed. Yet she stayed standing.
"Better then it was," Ana laughed feeling her scar left by Professor Sheeks stopping her from bleeding out.
"That sounds wicked though," Raven said "ha ha get it, wicked,"
"Haha very funny," Chris rolled her eyes as he head lowered looking back at her hands.
"Ok I'm up first," Ana said excitedly "who am I fighting?"
"Chris why not you?" Raven suggested
"Yeh Chris! You said you wanted to improve your combat," Jay said building on Ravens point.
"No I'm not feeling it today," Chris said faking a smile
"Come on Chris!" Ana said jumping from left to right like a boxer in the corner of the ring, ready for their fight. "Is this because of what happened earlier? Look I don't care about my lip I'm fine,"
"That is not the problem," Chris uttered raising her eyebrows still not looking up.
"Well I don't get it. What is?" Ana asked, hands on her hips and stationary now. There was a pause as the group waited for Chris' answer. Chris didn't realise till she looked up that everyone was waiting for a response, before she did she sighed and laughed shaking her head.
"I'm not having this conversation again," She laughed picking her books up and piling them high in her arms.
"Where are you going?" Raven asked sitting up from the fountain.
"Away from this conversation," Chris gestured to the conversation and walked off. Ana followed not getting fair before she grabbed Chris' shoulder to turn her around.
"I really don't get it,what's the problem?" Ana said before saying in a more hushed tone "you told me I was ok,"
"I thought so but I can see it in your eyes. You crave it. The violence. The chaos. People's pain for your entertainment-" Chris said before she was interrupted
"It wasn't her idea. If you didn't want to do it then you could have just said," Jay said before Chris ignored him and continued.
"I thought you were fine but I thought about it. No amount is safe and how dare you put me in that position," Chris said holding up her guard. Ana would usually look hurt or confused but Ana just smiled. Smirked at Chris. "Even now. Look at you. No sympathy at all," Chris pushed Ana's arm out of the way but Ana grabbed her again. "Do you want another busted lip?" She said coldly.
Ana let her go and watched walk inside. Raven swiftly followed as Ana shrugged at her. Raven returned the same shrug and walked off to follow Chris inside.
"What's her problem?" Jay questioned Ana
Ana just shrugged and replaced Chris' place with her. She grabbed Jays book and they started to take the piss of each other, like nothing had happened, while Chris was inside with Raven.
"Chris! Chris! Wait hand on! I can't walk that quickly," Raven yelled at Chris who walked away quickly "Chris please talk to me! What was that about?"
Chris finally got to Evil's hall and sat on a bench on the side of the hall. She placed her books to the left of her and placed her head in her hands. Her curled, white hair drooped down past her face. It wasn't long before Raven poked her head around the corner. It doesn't take much to recognise Raven, the green skin does the trick quite well. So Chris knew she could start talking.
"She- I just," Chris stuttered trying to explain but not finding the words to do so. She just got more angry before she took a breath "Sit,"
"I'm good standing," Raven said happy but Chris interjected.
"You're gonna want to sit down for this," Chris said moving her books to the floor. There were only around 3 and a little notebook with a quill and a little pot of ink on top. She set them aside before she fixed her hair behind her ears. Raven took a seat next to Chris and Adam followed by taking the seat inbetween them. "Do you remember my father?"
"Not personally but I've heard your stories," Raven responded in a reassuring tone. Raven and Chris had been friends from a very young age. Chris' ship would sail to the villiage Raven grew up in every month and her father, mainly her father's boss, worked closely with Raven's mother. So they knew each other well. Their parents didn't agree with the friendship but they remained friends no matter what. Hazel joined their group later. They deemed themselves the coven but then were informed Hester and her henchmen had already taken that title. So tales of Chris' father were told often to Raven.
"Blood magic," Chris said plainly
"Yes it turned him mad, I'm sorry I don't get what your getting at," Raven said
"I saw it," Chris muttered
"What? Your dad? Or the magic?" Raven asked confused
"Ana! She has blood magic! I don't know where she got it but she has it. Only a little, still enough to turn anyone mad," Chris said starting off strong before mumbling towards the end.
"What? Ana has blood magic. How did she get it?"
"Did not listen to a word I just said," they both started to whisper to each other like an old married couple.
"Not my fault your muttering uselessly again,"
"Well open your ears," Chris said before continuing "after it driving my dad mad, I can't watch a friend struggle,"
"Oh so she is our friend now?" Raven asked
"You know what I mean," Chris said feeling embarrassed she even said the word to describe Ana. "I know all he wanted was power over the fuckwit running the ship, of which we do not name. But for him to go mad and then turn the captain to madness too. If me and short hadn't stayed together that night we would have been dead. I guess I'm grateful for them both killing each other in the end..."
"Go on,"
"I just can't watch it happen again," Chris said tears filling her eyes thinking about it but she didn't get a chance to show her emotion as the wolves howled and the school day was over. Chris wiped her face of any sign of emotion and said "but that doesn't matter. She can do what she wants. Just she comes near me and tries to fight me with it, not a bloody chance,"
The girls stood up and walked to the dining hall but not before picking up their books. Adam tucked himself away in Ravens uniform and they started their short journey. Dinner wasn't a hard thing to quiet and when they did they sat on separate table to Ana and Jay. Yet they didn't look too lonely. Rumours of her power in Yuba's class had spread around the school and people came to congratulate her. It wasn't even her magic! It was fake! It made Chris want to throw up, the food didn't help. It was then Hazel sat down.
"Ok, why do we hate Ana?" Hazel said starting on her gruel. Her skin was much better than a few weeks ago. Her skin had scars of where her spots and boils had been casted onto her face.
"What makes you sound that?" Chris said in an angry and provoked tone. Hazel frowned her eyebrows and looked at Raven who was secretly feeding her dragon the picked horse heart on her platter.
"I'll tell you later," Raven said to Hazel. H decided to leave it to continue eating. She then continued the conversation with random questions. Like how was your day? What did you do in that class? Normal shit, you know. Hey Chris couldn't take her eyes off of Ana. These conflicting feelings didn't help her or make her come to a conclusion. She just stared. Angry, offended, sad yet a part of her didn't want that to be the case.