Eyes on Me #3
“I didn’t know that.” I realized then that Sevrin had jumped immediately into my abilities, and we never talked about magic in general. “I don’t know much about Veythryn or Umbrathren magic.”
We walked side by side toward the classroom that Kaelor and I used for our lessons.
“Well, I’m neither of those, so I can’t give you much,” he said. “Best to ask Aerie or Dray about Veythryn magic and Sevrin about Umbrathrens.”
“Wait…Drayce is a Veythryn? And Sevrin is an Umbrathren? I mean, I guess I suspected both, but I didn’t know for sure. What’s Drayce’s vey form? And what umbra magic does Sevrin have?”
“Jeez, so many questions. Why don’t you ask the ones that those questions are about?”
“Isn’t it rude to ask fae what their abilities are?”
“Sure is.”
“Well then, that sounded like great advice, Bramick. Thank you.”
We bantered all the way to Kaelor’s classroom, where Bramick said goodbye and left.
“Sorry I missed yesterday, I was on a supply run to Fallorian,” Kaelor said when I sat down in front of the desk he was occupying.
“I wanna go on a supply run.” More than that, I wanted to go back to Fallorian.
“No can do. All of Ashenholt is looking for you by now. Even Elyndor isn’t safe. We don’t know who here would turn you over to Caedryn for the right price.”
Of course…I leave Ashthorn’s prison just to be hidden and stuck behind wards on another continent because of Caedryn.
So for another hour or more, Kaelor droned on about different wars, who was on what side, and the various battle strategies each employed. His lessons were fast becoming my least favorite, worse even than Sevrin’s first lesson.
“You know, I’d really hate to tell Dray that you’re too busy daydreaming to pay attention in the lessons he asked me to give you.”
“Well, maybe he should ask me what I’d like to learn, and then he would know that it’s not this. No offense, Kaelor, you’re a great teacher.” I added a fake smile and batted my eyes.
He was not amused. I wasn’t sure that this male liked me so much as tolerated me. Better than outright hate, I guessed.
Aerie saved me from having to sit through any more boring history when she fetched me for lunch. “Come on, Orrin said the sandwiches are extra special today. Wanna get one before Bramick eats them all.”
“I never see him in the dining hall. Or Drayce, for that matter.” In fact, other than when he magically materialized in my weakest moments, I hardly ever saw Drayce.
“Most captains don’t eat with the soldiers and civies. I personally like the excitement and bossing people around.”
“Civies?” I asked as we made our way to the back of the lunch line.
“Civilians.”
Ah. I guessed it made sense that not everyone here was a soldier and a fighter. There were children and old folk. “Are there many families here?” I asked. I’d been wondering since the boy’s water magic emerged at the school.
“Some, yeah. Some people have brought their whole families here to join the cause and keep their loved ones close while they fight the good fight. Others have left their homes with nothing but the clothes on their backs, fleeing for various reasons. There are plenty of orphaned children, too, though. We all have our reasons for being here.”
Suddenly, the rebellion felt less like an army or a movement out for the king’s blood and more like a safe haven, a hope for a brighter future—a close-knit community.
And then I understood that I was an outsider.
The actions of those males last night were actually…
understandable. I wasn’t sure how to feel about this realization.
I either needed to leave—to set out on my own and eliminate the people on my list and protect the people here from my powers—or put every effort toward establishing myself here, including establishing trust. And I would never be able to do that without getting control of my shadows.
I would have to double down on my efforts with Sevrin. Whether I left the rebellion or stayed, it was a necessity.
We left lunch, Aerie flying off for gods knew what, and me heading back to my barracks alone.
It was one of the few times I’d walked in to find other people here and awake—previous nights, I’d fallen asleep early or left before they woke—and I could feel all their eyes on me as I walked to my bunk.
There was utter silence, which put me on edge and alerted the monster to potential trouble.
That bastard was always looking for trouble.
I saw a note on my pillow and quickly grabbed and unfolded it to reveal the same messy handwriting from the last note.
Drayce.
I have a safer place for you to stay. Bring your things to my quarters after dinner tonight.
-Drayce
A safer place? I looked around at the females and women and noticed they were still staring at me—Drayce was definitely onto something.
So after a rushed dinner in the mess hall, I gathered my books and my mom’s journal and headed toward Drayce’s.
“Naci,” he said by way of greeting.
“Good evening, Drayce,” I said with a stern voice and a salute. “So serious all the time.”
He closed the door behind me with a smile.
“So where is this safe place for me?”
“Here. With me.”
My jaw hung open. Stay in the same house as Drayce?
Gods help me.