Chapter 54-Speaking up

Chapter 54: 54-Speaking up

"Princess Varitreya..."

The entire bus went silent when they heard her voice. Varitreya paused what she was saying and slowly lifted her eyes.

Addessa stopped tapping her fingers. Her body went motionless at the interruption, and she too couldn’t help but look up towards where Maisa sat to hear what the girl had to say.

Kayden turned around. Feeling an itch on his skin at how easily the redblood was calling out to the blood heir.

Lumi lowered her book, having a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach that something bad was about to happen. Even Luan looked over from where he sat, his eyes were narrowed and lazy, but they focused on Maisa.

Maisa suddenly wished she had remained seated. With all the eyes on her, it felt as though she was trial. Still, she forced herself to continue.

"I heard you discussing the new initiatives."

Varitreya said nothing. She simply blinked, her lashes steady as they moved up and down.

Maisa swallowed. "And... I noticed something," her voice trembled.

Kayden’s eyebrows lifted, wondering why a redblood was easedropping on their conversation and why she was speaking up about it. What exactly happened while I was away?

Maisa clasped her hands together to stop them from shaking. "You’ve discussed activities between bloodlines, academic opportunities, combat teams, feeding systems, and student leadership."

Her voice was quiet but clear. "But redbloods weren’t mentioned in any of those discussions. Why is that?"

The silence that followed was enormous. Maisa could practically hear the thoughts forming around her.

Sapphire stared at her with wide eyes that held praise and pride. She now felt they had made the right decision in making Maisa their voice.

Zolani looked nervous but proud. It felt like she was looking at her younger self, taking those first steps for her blood. But if it was anything like her past self, she was sure that Maisa’s path won’t be easy.

Lumi’s expression had become unreadable. The question Maisa raised was a challenge to the currently working system. And though it aligned with what the queen had ordered, it wasn’t because of a conversation that was welcomed.

Addessa’s eyes sharpened while Varitreya simply watched her.

Maisa continued before fear could convince her to stop. "Redbloods have problems too, your Highness," her voice strengthened.

"We’re not allowed the same access to blood. We’re treated differently in the feeding halls. We’re excluded from things other bloodlines consider normal privileges. We’re constantly reminded that we’re beneath everyone else," she went on.

She breathed in.

"You’re trying to build a better future for vampire society. But how can you build that future while leaving part of the population behind?"

No vampire answered her. All the questions she raised only silenced the bus more and more but provoked no response from the student council.

Maisa looked directly at Varitreya. "Redbloods are vampires too, princess," her voice trembled. "But sometimes it feels like we’re expected to be grateful simply for being allowed to exist while not receiving any fair treatment whatsoever."

Zolani’s eyes softened. She was feeling more and more proud of Maisa. It took courage to air out problems that were usually brushed under the rug, and Maisa was braver than she had been.

It had taken her months of appeals to finally find the courage to approach the council and state everything in words while Maisa was doing it on the second week in the academy and as a vampire.

Maisa’s chest tightened. "They are your subjects too, and they deserve kindness, too."

The bus remained frozen. No one could believe their ears. A redblood! an outcast! Was looking the princess straight in the eyes and speaking up for other outcasts. It was a sight they never thought they would see.

"And if you’re really trying to unite the bloodlines..." Maisa continued, "then shouldn’t redbloods be included in that?" She asked.

For a moment, she thought she’d succeeded. She had gotten her points across, and they had heard her. At least now, they will be able to include them in the discussion, and they’ll be given a chance at a fair academy life.

Then Addessa laughed. "Hahaha!" Her laugh cut through the silence in the bus.

It wasn’t a warm laugh. It was short, cold, and cutting. A laugh that raised the hairs on Maisa’s skin.

Maisa looked toward her. She bit her teeth and waited to hear what Addessa had to say over the points she raised.

Addessa leaned forward. Having been granted a chance by nature to put her mother’s request to action, she seized it. "Who invited you into this conversation?" She fired her own question.

Maisa blinked. She had expected a debate, an argument over the points she raised, not that, "What?"

"You heard me," Addessa’s voice was calm, but there was malice underneath every syllable. "Who invited you to speak?"

Maisa stared at her, speechless.

Addessa continued. "You’ve been at this academy for barely a week. Yet somehow you’ve decided that you’re suddenly the voice everyone should listen to."

"That’s not what I’m saying."

"Then what exactly are you saying?" She asked, leaving no room for Maisa to breathe or come up with a proper response.

"I’m saying..."

"Who are you exactly to say something to us?"

The question struck harder than Maisa expected. She paused and clenched her knuckles so hard that they whitened.

Addessa’s eyes narrowed as she went on, "Why should any of us listen to you, Maisa?"

Maisa felt her stomach drop. She looked toward Varitreya, the princess hadn’t moved. She hadn’t defended her or even spoken up either to defend her and stop Addessa or to say that she would consider her points.

Addessa leaned back lazily. "You’re a newly turned redblood with no history here, no achievements, no political standing and no understanding of our society at all," her voice was sharp despite the lazy posture. "What gives you the right to speak up in front of us?"

Maisa’s cheeks burned. "That doesn’t mean my concerns are wrong."

"No," Addessa said. "It means you lack the authority to lecture people who have spent their entire lives preparing to lead this nation."

Maisa’s eyes widened. "I’m not lecturing you," her voice softened, hurt clearly evident in it.

"You certainly sound like it," Addessa stated. "Maisa, understand this. We were born vampires. We’ve lived every moment of our lives as vampires, so don’t expect us to bend and bow to a turned nobody like you."

Maisa felt her tears coning closer. She had just spoken up about the unjust treatment that the other bloods were giving redbloods, trying to elevate the redbloods who deserved better but the hostility Addessa was showing her, one would think she had ordered for blackbloods to be reduced to commoners.

"Let’s put it this way," Addessa’s voice rang once again. "Let’s say that vampires could be turned to humans. And then we come into your world and start preaching to you about the right ways to be human. Would you agree?"

Maisa inhaled deeply. Every breath hurt. It burnt so hard, the pain feeling physical.

Kayden leaned toward Varitreya. His voice was low enough that only the princess could hear. "Are you really going to sit there silently and let an outcast lecture you?"