20. Zeina
ZEINA
“Ahmina. You startled me.” Zeina froze, unable to speak.
Professor Hashiluna was one of the younger professors; if it weren’t for her clothes she could be confused for a student.
Her shiny, straight black hair hung down to her waist, and her almond eyes glared down at Zeina.
“I thought you were in my afternoon lecture.”
“Extra practice.” The lie was out of Zeina’s mouth before she could think about it. Professor Hashiluna sighed at her display of incompetence—or perhaps she thought it eagerness. Either way, she looked annoyed. “Alright, then. Take a seat.”
Zeina did what she was told and sat in the middle row.
She considered sitting where Ahmina had in the previous lecture, but the thought of sitting at the front of the room where everyone could see her made her skin crawl.
She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, putting two and two together.
The familiar face. The girl, Ahmina, looked so similar to her that Professor Hashiluna thought she was Ahmina.
She didn’t know what shocked her more: that the professor mistook her for Ahmina or that there was a lecture in the Amphitheatre immediately after the previous one. She had studied the schedule all week; there wasn’t supposed to be another lecture in this room for hours. Something was off.
Students trickled in, books in hand, and Zeina pretended to be very interested in something on her arm so that no one spoke to her. Finally, after what felt like forever, Hashiluna began.
“Welcome. It looks like you found the lecture despite our location change. Thank you for your adaptability as the Apothecary is temporarily unavailable.”
“Since when are you in this lecture?” The man beside her leaned in, talking over the professor's instructions.
Zeina glanced at him quickly. He was lean, with windswept golden hair and a single tattoo of a phoenix on his inner forearm.
Second year, if she had to guess based on his level of confidence.
First years tended to wander around the campus like lost children.
Even the more arrogant first years had a sort of nervousness about them, like a creature was about to jump out at any moment.
This man looked relaxed compared to every first year she had seen.
Why would a second year be taking a first-year course? She was about to respond when the man said, “Couldn’t get enough of Hashiluna’s wrath, hey?” He lowered his voice. “I avoid this woman like the plague.”
He spoke to her like he knew her. Like he knew Ahmina. Think, think, think. Adrenaline flooded her veins; she was used to thinking on her feet but all she could squeak out was a short agreement.
“Where are your books? It’s not like you to go anywhere without them.”
She sat up straight, forcing herself to act more like Ahmina had in the previous class.
Knowledgeable and eager to learn. “I don’t need them; everything I need to know for this lecture is in here.
” She tapped her temple. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, before shrugging and leaning further back in his seat.
“Why are you in this lecture?” she asked, curious.
“Failed last year.”
“Don’t they kick you out if you fail? Banish you from the Academy? Ruin your family name?”
“I had a good reason.”
“What kind of a reason?”
“None of your business.”
Professor Hashiluna paced in the center of the room, explaining the makeup of plant magic, her stern voice coming in and out of Zeina’s thoughts.
A few moments later, Zeina broke the silence to whisper, “Why is Alchemy in here?” It was the only reason she had been seen. “What’s wrong with the Apothecary?”
He shifted to face her. “What’s with all the questions? Don’t you want to pay attention to the professor?”
Zeina couldn’t help it. She had barely spoken a single word since she arrived at the Academy almost two weeks ago.
She wanted to know, no, needed to know what was happening around her if she was going to stay safe and protect her real identity.
It had only been a fortnight, and she had already found herself in a less-than-ideal situation.
But he was right—Ahmina would be paying attention. She shifted her gaze to the professor.
She could feel him eyeing her up and down, like he couldn’t quite figure her out. “Break in,” he finally answered in her ear.
“A student?” she whispered, keeping her eyes forward.
“Why would a student break in? No.” He shook his head lightly. “A creature.”
Professor Hashiluna stopped and turned towards them. “Lennox and Ahmina, am I interrupting an important conversation?”
Every eye turned to Zeina, who sat frozen. Too afraid of being exposed, she stared straight ahead, keeping her attention on the professor.
Lennox sat up in his seat, tossing his dagger in his hand. “No, professor. Carry on.”
Hashiluna glared at him for a moment before continuing the lesson.
Zeina dared a quick glance around, relieved that everyone else had returned to normal.
The entire classroom thought she was Ahmina without giving it a second thought.
Which meant she really could pass as her.
A little star of hope sparked to life inside of her.
The ability to be so visible opened new doors for her. She could attend lectures as Ahmina.
Zeina stayed silent for the rest of the class. She didn’t want to push her luck.