Moonveil Academy: Trapped With The Five Kings

Elara:

It turned out nothing related to me could remain confidential inside Moonveil Academy.

By the time I stepped into Professor Fenrith’s office roughly an hour after my little incident with Reign, the man already knew exactly what had happened. Not just that I had slapped Reign, but apparently enough details to make me wonder whether the academy had a secret communication system dedicated exclusively to keeping everyone updated on my daily disasters.

Sometimes I genuinely wondered if these professors spent their breaks discussing my misery over tea.

I dropped into the chair opposite his desk with a sigh and waited for the inevitable lecture. Professor Fenrith studied me for nearly a full minute, his expression impossible to read, before finally releasing a quiet sigh.

I braced myself. Considering how many times he had warned me to stay away from Reign and his friends after realizing I had no intention of accepting Reign’s ridiculous offer of friendship, I expected another reminder about choosing my battles. Instead, he completely ignored the incident.

”Yesterday,” he began, ”during your combat class, you used magic.”

My entire body went still. Every thought about Reign and the incident from Weaving class disappeared instantly. ”I did?” I found myself asking even though a part of me had already known that I had used magic.

Professor Fenrith nodded. ”When Ms. Everhart launched her elemental attack at you, your magic responded instinctively. You didn’t consciously summon it, but you did channel it.”

I leaned forward. ”So that wasn’t another illusion?”

”No.” His answer came immediately. ”It was you.”

My heart began pounding. For weeks, I had been trying to make something - anything - happen. I had felt warmth in my palms, managed one tiny illusion with Crazy’s help, and experienced strange surges whenever my emotions became overwhelming, but none of that had given me proof that I could actually use magic reliably.

Yesterday had been different. Yesterday, my body had reacted before my mind even understood what was happening, possibly just like it did that night during the hallway incident outside my dorm.

”There’s a strong possibility that the seal has loosened further,” Fenrith continued. ”The fact that you were able to summon enough power to counter another elemental attack suggests the crack has expanded.”

Hope surged through me so quickly that I almost forgot how exhausted I had been feeling. ”Then I can use magic now?” I asked, trying to hold back the excitement.

”Not reliably.” He immediately tempered my bubble. ”But you are getting closer.”

I nodded, trying to contain the smile threatening to appear. Finally. After all this time, I was actually getting somewhere.

He then glanced at his wristwatch. ”I asked Professor Elowen to examine you again. She should already be here.”

Barely ten seconds after he finished speaking, the office door opened. I turned toward it expectantly, only to find my breath catching when the person who stepped inside wasn’t Professor Elowen at all, but Lorien Moonveil.

My entire mood changed instantly. The excitement I had felt only seconds earlier disappeared beneath a layer of discomfort. Our eyes met for the briefest moment before I looked away, pretending the table in front of me had suddenly become fascinating.

Ever since the incident outside my dorm two weeks ago, I had effectively shut him out. I still attended our Saturday evening sessions because I needed his help with my seal, but that was all. A greeting when I arrived. A respectful farewell when I left. Nothing else.

Last Saturday, he had tried more than once to break the silence, but I’d refused to give him the opportunity. Simply because I didn’t want to mistake his kindness for anything more again. I didn’t want to forget what he’d done when it mattered. And I certainly didn’t want to become dependent on the one person who could ultimately choose his friends over me.

So seeing him now, on a Friday afternoon in Professor Fenrith’s office, was the last thing I expected.

Fenrith seemed equally surprised. He immediately rose from his chair. ”Headmaster Moonveil.”

I stood as well, more out of instinct than respect, but Lorien was already lifting one hand. ”Please, sit.” His voice was calm, but there was something about it that made both of us obey. I lowered myself into my chair again while Lorien moved toward the empty seat beside me.

I kept my eyes firmly on the desk as he settled down. I could feel his presence beside me without looking. It was ridiculous how aware I became of him whenever he was near. His scent, the quiet movement of his clothes, even the faint sound of his breathing seemed amplified simply because I was trying desperately not to notice him.

Professor Fenrith finally broke the silence. ”May I ask why you are here, Headmaster?”

Lorien didn’t answer immediately. I could feel his gaze shift toward me, lingering for a moment before he turned back to Fenrith. ”Professor Elowen has several final-year assignments to handle today, so she wasn’t able to come.” His voice remained perfectly composed. ”I’ll examine Ms. Argentis’ seal instead.”

My fingers tightened around the edge of the chair.

Professor Fenrith nodded as though there was absolutely nothing unusual about the Headmaster suddenly taking over another professor’s assessment. ”Of course.”

But Lorien wasn’t finished.

”I’ll also be taking over her special session today.”

My head snapped toward him.

He finally looked at me, and for one fleeting second, something unreadable crossed his eyes. ”I’ll take her with me.”

I stared at him. ”What?”

The question left my lips before I could stop it, but Lorien had already risen from his chair. Professor Fenrith didn’t question him. Didn’t even look surprised anymore. He simply gave a respectful nod.

”Understood.”

I looked between the two men, completely bewildered. Why was Lorien taking over my session? Why was he taking me somewhere else? And why did Professor Fenrith seem to think this was perfectly normal?

Lorien turned toward the door. ”Thank you for your work, Professor Fenrith.” Then his gaze shifted briefly toward me. ”Come, Ms. Argentis.”

He didn’t wait for my response. He simply walked toward the door, leaving me with no choice but to grab my things and follow him.