Chapter 41-Best news

Chapter 41: 41-Best news

During the early hours of the day, the redblood dormitory had never felt warmer to Maisa than it did than the early hours of the previous night.

Since she had awakened as a vampire, she wasn’t surrounded by whispers, suspicious stares, or suffocating expectations.

She was simply another student sitting on an old couch whose cushions had long ago surrendered to years of use, sharing blood candies with Sapphire while the rest of the redbloods drifted in and out of the common room.

Someone was playing music in another room, two boys argued loudly over a card game nearby while several girls laughed over embarrassing classroom stories.

It was softly ordinary and Maisa found herself loving every second of it. She leaned back, crossing her legs beneath her as she watched Sapphire animatedly explain which professors secretly favored which bloodlines.

"Professor Dorian pretends to hate everyone equally," Sapphire said around another blood candy, "but everyone knows he gives extra marks to bluebloods since he is a blue blood himself."

Maisa laughed. The laugh that came out was genuine and one that surprised even herself.

Sapphire looked over before smiling. "That looks beautiful."

"What?"

"That smile, it looks beautiful."

Maisa blinked. She had realized that smiling came easy when she had nothing weighing down her shoulders.

"You finally look like someone our age," Sapphire pointed out.

The words settled quietly inside her heart. She hadn’t realized how exhausted she’d become until someone pointed it out that she was finally relaxed.

For days she’d been running... from hunters, the academy, vampire politics, the bond and her past.

Today, she had simply been Maisa and nothing else. They stayed awake long after the artificial sunset lamps dimmed inside the dormitory, indicating that it was the sun was high outside.

They spoke about ridiculous academy rumors, the topic changed to which vending machines stole vampiric coins, the professors that secretly dated and which corridors were haunted.

Sapphire even confessed she’d once accidentally walked into the boys’ bathing quarters because she’d been too sleepy to notice the signs.

Maisa laughed so hard tears rolled down her face. By the time silence finally settled over the dormitory, she felt lighter.

She hadn’t healed, not fully but her burdens and pressures had lessened. She could hold soft conversations and smile openly. She had even forgotten the secrets buried deep in her soul.

When sleep finally claimed her, it came gently. She didn’t have nightmares about her hunter days, being exposed or death,her mind was filled with burning dreams as her mind was drawn to that feeling of Varitreya’s feeding.

She tossed and turned uncomfortably as heat pooled up under her skin. It burnt as though Varitreya was feeding on her.

She awoke to Sapphire violently shaking her shoulder. "Maisa!" The girl shouted so loudly as though possessed.

"Hm...?" Maisa hummed, opening her eyes.

"We’re going on a trip! Wake up!" Sapphire announced happily.

Maisa blinked blearily. She wiped the sleep from her eyes. She shot her head to the side and glanced at the open window, it was dark outside.

"What?" She asked. "Where did all the hours of the day go?" She had just closed her eyes to sleep and immediately it was night.

"A school trip!" Sapphire answered, unable to hear anything else that Maisa was asking.

That woke her completely, she sat upright. "What?"

Sapphire was already dressed in her dark red uniform, excitement radiating from every inch of her. "The Headmistress announced it early this night."

She tossed a folded notice onto Maisa’s bed. "The second years are leaving tonight."

Maisa unfolded it with curious eyes. The elegant silver lettering immediately caught her attention.

VERIS ACADEMY OFFICIAL NOTICE: In light of recent events affecting campus harmony. All Second Year Students will participate in a mandatory three-night educational excursion to Old Scaris under faculty supervision.

Purpose: Historical education, bloodline unity, combat exercises and relationship rebuilding.

Supervising Professors: Professor Primrose and Professor Suzyanne. Departure: Tonight at dusk.

Maisa read the paper twice. That was going to be her first trip as a vampire and her first school trip altogether. As a human, she never got the chance to go on school trips as her family kept moving around. Her expectations were raised high. That trip was the best news she’d received all week.

"Old... Scaris?" She read, there was no clue in her head about where that place could be. "What is that?"

Sapphire nodded. "Old Scaris is the oldest vampire town in existence. They say that’s where the first vampire opened her eyes."

Maisa looked up. "Really?" She inquired, she was even more excited about the trip now.

"That’s what everyone says," Sapphire lowered her voice dramatically. "They also say the streets are haunted."

Maisa smiled. She didn’t believe in ghosts, people with breath in their lungs were scarier than people without skins.

"You believe that?"

Sapphire shook her head, "No, but it would be nice if it were... mostly."

Both girls laughed. It would be quiet nice ro see how vampires would react to seeing a ghost. How fast would they run from there in fright.

The second years were talking about the trip in every corner of the school. It felt normal and less chaotic. By dusk the academy buzzed with renewed life.

Students hurried between dormitories carrying travel bags. Excited conversations filled every hallway and the oppressive atmosphere that had weighed over the academy for days had eased ever so slightly.

Even vampires who still disliked Maisa seemed more interested in preparing for the excursion than glaring at her.

As Maisa finished adjusting her uniform, a polite knock echoed against her dormitory door.

She opened it, expecting a friendly redblood face but was surprised to find that standing outside was none other than Lumi Ashbourne.

Her blue hair shimmered softly beneath the enchanted corridor lamps, falling like flowing water over one shoulder. Her immaculate blue academy uniform fit her slender frame perfectly, crisp without a single wrinkle despite the long days she’d endured.

One arm held three thick books against her chest while the other rested casually by her side. She looked as elegant as always, calm and collected. More impossible to read than ever.

"Good evening," she greeted.

Maisa smiled nervously. "Good evening."

Lumi’s blue eyes studied her for a moment. "I was wondering if you’d accompany me somewhere?"

Maisa looked at her for a full long minute before glancing down the corridor where Sapphire had disappeared.

Her roommate had ran off to go and fetch more blood candies, she asked Maisa to wait for her so that they can go to the blood archives together and have their first bag of blood and Maisa could donate for the first time.

She didn’t feel good leaving without informing Sapphire of her movements.

"Where are we going?" She asked, trying to stall for time.