Chapter 31
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
To my biggest surprise, I actually had a decent night of sleep after my rather…eventful visit. My thoughts are sinful, two handsome males in the lead role. One of them is currently standing in my room, ready to examine me.
My legs dangle over the edge of the bed. The kiss we almost had replays in my head and my focus lingers on his lips. I can’t help it, I really try not to, but when he’s this close, I can’t think straight. It’s the same with the other male that occupies every waking thought.
Althea excused herself, another patient needed her aid urgently, so it’s just the two of us. I’m not entirely certain if that’s a good thing. It kind of makes me want to do reckless things, like grab his face and kiss him endlessly. Maybe I should.
By the way he is looking at me, he might be thinking the exact same thing. Or at least, that is what I’m assuming. I’m not an expert on the men's field at all, so I could be wrong.
“How are you feeling?”
“Good, great!” I answer a little too quickly.
He grins, sharp canines on display. It is the only fae thing I currently see. It makes me wonder what use they might have. Will I have to hunt, or worse, drink blood? The thought alone makes me queasy.
He stops testing me and observes me thoroughly. “Out with it, gorgeous.” My eyes go wide at his words. “Something is on your mind and it must be terrible since your parameters are being influenced because of it. So tell me, what’s wrong?”
My palms are sweaty and my heartbeat is beating a little irregularly, but that seems to be my normal for these past few days. I am warm, but I’m not sure if it is because of what I’m thinking or because of Aramis being this near to me, touching me every few seconds.
Fine, here goes nothing. “I know you have teeth, or I mean fangs. Everyone has teeth. But…are they…what is the use…” oh, come on, Mai, it’s just a question. “Do I need to hunt from now on? Or drink…blood?”
I‘ve seen other students at the restaurant, eating food and the fact that there is a restaurant, tells me that they at least need some of it to survive.
I’m waiting for a mocking laugh, but that doesn’t happen.
Maybe he didn’t hear my question, so I look up and see him smiling at me.
“You shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions, Mai, a whole new world opened up to you.
I think it would be weirder if you didn’t have any questions at all.
” He has a point, I know that, but still…
“Now, to answer your question, the shortest answer is no, we don’t need to hunt or suck someone’s blood out of their bodies.
It is more of an aesthetic feature than it is functional.
But, during more…pleasurable activities, it can make the feeling a thousand times stronger, depending on who you share it with, of course. ”
Pleasurable activities? Does he mean…oh?
Oh! The thought doesn’t abhor me as much as I thought it would and when a strong thigh pushes against my knees, my legs move on their own accord giving him the room to move closer.
I have to tilt my head back to look at him as he lifts his upper lip a little bit. “Can you see?”
I nod, it’s the only thing I can do. Never thought I would find staring at someone’s teeth so hot, but well, here we are I guess.
“Do you have any other questions, gorgeous?”
His voice drops an octave and the only other question that is currently burning on my lips is if he wants to kiss me.
But since I cannot physically voice that, I do the only thing that gives the same signal and that is staring at his full lips.
I burn in my own skin as he takes me in, head tilted to the side.
It is only then that I realise he asked me a question and is waiting for an answer. “Uhm…no…I believe not. Everything is clear.”
“Good, that is good.”
His voice makes goosebumps erupt all over my body and I gently push up on my hands as he lowers his face to mine.
The snow and pine scent that is so typically Aramis makes my heart skip a beat.
And right when I think our lips will finally touch, he steps away and holds my wrist, right when Althea enters.
“How is our patient doing?”
He looks up, the epitome of calmness as if nothing happened between us, while I sit here, flushed from head to toe.
“Her parameters are good, temperature is a little higher than usual, but that is to be expected due to the origin of her powers.”
Althea moves closer and asks permission to touch my head.
I’m surprised she asks, but nod either way, feeling her cool fingertips on my temples.
I quickly glance at Aramis who stands behind her, and the look in his eyes gives me the shivers.
He winks, which is certainly not helping to remain calm, so I shift my focus on my hands instead. Stupid hormones.
After a couple of seconds, Althea steps back.
“Your mental blockage is still firmly in place, but there are some cracks in it.” I’m not sure what that means and the same must be written across my face, making Althea smile.
“It means magic will be visible every now and then, but not continuously. Not yet.”
I blow out air I didn’t know I was holding. I don’t know what I was expecting for her to say, but that isn’t so bad. I’ve already noticed that my sight is like a light switch being turned on and off.
“If the headaches become too painful, please come visit. I can give you something to ease the pain. I hereby discharge you, you may return to your room.”
“Thank you.”
Although I was exhausted yesterday, this morning I awoke with new energy flooding my system. I’m ready to discover this new fae world.
“Do you want me to go with you?”
Aramis. Walking me to my room. And the possibility that he might actually enter my room. Who knows what might happen from that point on? I’d want nothing more, but I think being alone for a little while might not be such a bad idea. For my sanity that is.
“No, that's alright, you have work to do. I’ll be fine.”
His smile falters for a second, but I blink and it’s back in full force. “Of course, I’ll see you later then?”
“I would love that.”
“Enjoy your shower.” He sucks his lip in, my attention drawn to the movement.
“That won’t be a problem.”
Damn it. I really need to stop talking and walk away from this situation.
Aramis leaves the room with a wink and I take my leave as well.
The ancient tree hums even louder and stronger than it did before.
A radiant glow surrounds it and I almost reach out to touch the bark.
But something within me hesitates, as if I’m not ready to do so just yet.
I leave the tree behind and walk through the halls of Moonveil Academy, grateful to see it with my fae sight. It isn’t stable, the view shifting between bright colours and duller ones.
Another thing I notice is how more people — fae — wander around me. Were they always here and was I unable to see them or were they away and returned when I was out?
I take the stairs up to my floor and when I stand at the beginning of the hallway where my room is, I believe I’ve taken the wrong one.
For a whole month I didn’t see a single person. But now, every door looks different except for mine that looks very basic, and I hear sounds, maybe even music.
I turn back to my door, noticing small carvings along the edges. I’ve never seen those before, or maybe I didn’t pay enough attention.
“It might take a while before your door manifests.”
I nearly jump out of my skin. I spin around, heart hammering, I didn’t even hear footsteps or a whisper of fabric. But there she stands.
She is close enough that I can see the shimmer of her violet eyes, like cut amethyst under moonlight. Her skin is luminous, kissed with a pink natural blush and a deep violet braid drapes over one shoulder, golden charms interwoven in it that chime softly when she tilts her head.
She is draped in a midnight fabric and on her collarbones rests a gemstone the same shade as her eyes. She is night incarnated. Her serious expression makes me a little uneasy and I take a small step back, but as soon she notices, her features soften.
“Oh, I’m sorry, love, I didn’t mean to frighten you.
Which is of course exactly what I did. I’m surprised you can see — and hear — me.
I tried talking to you many times before, but you were still shielded, or we were shielded from you.
” Her voice is as smooth as a river, the sound gentle and soothing.
“My name is Neoma and you must be Maily.” She looks at my door. “Do things look very different to you?”
I haven’t seen much yet, I’ve only been discharged minutes ago.
“Yes and no. Everything looks the same, but more vivid and there are definitely more students than there were before. Seeing you is a surprise as well. Although living alone in a hallway with eleven other doors would have been a little weird, but hey, I got a nice room, who am I to ask questions?” I hesitate a second or two. “I presume you sleep here?
She points at the door behind her. “That is my room, so we’re basically neighbours.”
I take a few steps forward, faintly noticing how her door is glowing. The phases of the moon are carved into the wood with a very skilled hand. At its apex, a great crescent moon is etched in silver relief, its curves cradling delicate swirling patterns that shimmer like captured stardust.
Vine-like filigree sprawls across the doors surface, knotting into delicate twists of ivy. The handle is made of twisted silver, shaped like entwined branches. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a door so beautiful.“That is quite a door.”
She stands next to me, taking in her magnificent door. “Oh, thank you, that is very kind! I’m sure yours will be too.”
“There is a door designer here in the Academy?”
Her laugh is soft and high, but pleasant on the ears.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh. It’s not like that at all.
The door represents the fae who occupies the room.
” She gestures to her own door. “For me — you can probably guess it already — but I have a strong connection to the moon. That’s what my door represents, because it is such a vital part in my life.
And the inside of our rooms change with it as well, whereas yours still has the standard lay-out. ”
This school is extraordinary and I believe I’ve only seen the tiniest glimpse of it. I walk back to my door, noticing small sparks edged on the wood. I guess it makes sense, the first manifestation of my powers were small fiery embers.
“Hey, if you ever want to hang out, don’t hesitate to knock on my door, okay? I would love some company.”
“Thank you, I will keep that in mind.”
“Sure thing! I’ll see you later.”
I wave her goodbye and watch her disappear in her room, which has a purple interior and lots of windows. It makes my room look very basic and standard indeed, but I’m not complaining.
I lean against my door, taking a deep breath before slowly releasing it. What a wild couple of days I’ve had. Finding out Ami is still alive, learning I didn’t actually kill my mother, hearing I’m fae and have powers… I think I need a break, and a shower sounds like a very good idea.
I push myself away from the door and head into the bathroom, turning on the shower head. I undress and happen to catch my reflection in the mirror.
My curls reach halfway my neck, they definitely need to be freshened up, but since I’ve been in bed for five days and only did a quick wash when I awoke, I think they look fairly decent.
I’ve never seen my hair this long and it’s something I have to get used to.
The colour seems different too, not as black as before, more a shade of the darkest brown. But that might be the light.
My cheeks have filled up a little, my high cheekbones accentuated, but not in an unhealthy way. My lips are still full and when I lift up my upper lip, my canines look sharper and elongated.
My skin has a healthy glow and when I finally meet my eyes in the mirror, I see a spark in them that hasn’t been there in a long while. They look more golden now, with hints of brown in it. I push back my hair to reveal my ear, feeling for the slightly pointed tip that is surprisingly sensitive.
When I look at my body, I notice the difference there too.
Probably due to the training with Conláed and good nutrition.
My body looks stronger, the muscles more defined, my breasts look fuller and so does my backside.
And for the first time since knowing the scars on my skin make me stand out, I am not as bothered by them as I used to be.
Especially not when I see golden red lines running through them, creating what looks like a shimmering drawing of lines on my arms and hands.
A smile spreads across my face, my mind wandering to places it probably shouldn’t. Calling myself beautiful would be a bridge too far, but I look better than I did before.
I hop into the shower and take my time to clean and scrub everything, until my skin smells like flowers and feels like satin.
And when I’m wrapped up in a towel and take one more look in the mirror, I’m surprised to see my fae self still looking back and I wonder if this is a gift of my own mind, since it is the first time I can look at myself without disgust.