Moonveil Academy: Trapped With The Five Kings

Elara:

For once, I had walked into Advanced Elemental Studies hoping for one peaceful class.

Reign was nowhere in sight, and I had already wondered that perhaps the universe had finally decided to give me a break. That hope lasted approximately thirty seconds. The classroom door opened and Alaric Ravenshade strolled inside as though he had every right to ruin my morning.

He didn’t even glance around for an empty seat before making his way directly toward me and dropping into the chair beside mine. I stared at him, genuinely stunned. Of all the seats in this enormous classroom, he had somehow chosen mine.

A few students noticed too, because whispers immediately started spreading around us. I considered telling him to find another seat, preferably one on another continent, but Professor Fenrith chose that exact moment to walk through the door. And just like that, my escape route disappeared. I was trapped beside another one of Reign’s friends, and considering my previous experiences with Alaric, I couldn’t decide whether this was worse than having Reign beside me or simply a different kind of torture.

Surprisingly, Alaric didn’t do anything. He didn’t tease me, didn’t make some arrogant comment, and didn’t even acknowledge my existence for the first part of the lesson. He simply sat beside me with his elbow resting against the desk, his gaze somewhere ahead while Professor Fenrith explained elemental manipulation.

I didn’t trust the silence for even a second. The last time Alaric had been this quiet around me, he had turned my notebook into an apparent fire hazard through an illusion and watched me panic while the entire class laughed. And though the flames had never been real, that didn’t make the humiliation any less real. So I kept my attention on Professor Fenrith and ignored the man beside me. If Alaric wanted to sit there and pretend he didn’t care about me, I was perfectly happy to return the favor.

Halfway through the lesson, Professor Fenrith closed the book in his hands and announced that we would be practicing in pairs. My heart sank before he even explained the assignment.

Each student was supposed to create a temporary elemental replica of their partner. It wasn’t supposed to be an exact living duplicate, but a magical construct representing their partner’s physical form and elemental signature. The exercise was meant to teach us how elemental energy could be shaped and controlled around a living target.

Everyone immediately began turning toward their partners, and I slowly turned toward Alaric. He was already looking at me. For a moment, neither of us spoke.

The problem was painfully obvious. I had no elemental power to use. It had been more than two weeks since I’d arrived at Moonveil, and despite every assessment, every attempt, and every lesson, I still couldn’t summon a single visible element. I could feel that strange warmth inside me sometimes, especially whenever I tried hard enough, but it never became anything I could control.

Even the incident outside my dorm remained a mystery. I’d spent days wondering whether that sudden burst of power had actually been mine or another illusion created by Alaric. At this point, I wasn’t even certain anymore.

Alaric tilted his head and spoke, ”Ladies first.”

I stared at him. ”You are aware I can’t use elemental magic.”

”Am I?” His expression was almost innocent. ”I thought princesses were supposed to be gifted.” There was something deliberately provocative in his voice.

I remained silent, hoping he would eventually get bored. He didn’t. Instead, he leaned back in his chair and spoke loudly enough for several nearby students to hear. ”Come on, Princess. Don’t tell me you need the professor to hold your hand too.”

A few students chuckled. Someone behind us laughed openly. Another voice muttered something about how perhaps I should have started at primary school before attempting advanced elemental studies. The laughter spread through the classroom, but I refused to give them the satisfaction of reacting.

Professor Fenrith didn’t intervene. He continued reading from his book as though nothing was happening. Apparently, humiliation was simply another acceptable teaching method at Moonveil.

I slowly turned my head toward Alaric. ”Do you know how to do anything besides run your mouth?” My voice was calm. Too calm.

The laughter around us died almost immediately. Alaric’s smirk disappeared. His eyes sharpened, and I saw the same dangerous expression I’d grown accustomed to seeing on Reign’s face.

He leaned closer until only I could hear him. ”You really haven’t learned anything, have you?”

I raised an eyebrow. ”Apparently not. Why don’t you educate me?”

His jaw tightened. ”Don’t cross me, Princess.” His voice dropped lower. ”Unless you want a repeat of our first elemental class.”

I stared directly into his eyes.

There it was. The threat. The same arrogance. The same certainty that because he belonged to one of the most powerful families in Starfall, everyone else should simply accept whatever he decided to do to them. Maybe once, that would have frightened me. Maybe before I arrived at Moonveil, before my family was murdered and my entire life was ripped apart, I might have worried about making powerful enemies.

But something inside me had changed.

I had already lost almost everything. What exactly was I supposed to be afraid of now?

I leaned slightly closer, keeping my voice low enough that only he could hear. ”You know what, Alaric? I’m starting to think that’s the only trick you actually know.”

His eyes narrowed.

”Threaten people when you can’t impress them,” I continued. ”Hide behind your status when you can’t win an argument. And use illusions when you don’t have the courage to face someone directly.”

His expression darkened.

I smiled faintly. ”Maybe you should learn something new.”

For several seconds, neither of us moved. Then Professor Fenrith finally looked up from his book.

”Mr. Ravenshade.”

Alaric straightened.

”Since you are finished distracting your partner, perhaps you would like to demonstrate your elemental control for the class.”