Chapter 76: _ Hallway Brawl

No, I thought fiercely, shaking my head so hard my scalp stung. Stop it, Elira. Stop being an idiot.

A markless, nameless trench rat who wore borrowed clothes and paid for her mother’s choices couldn’t possibly be involved in a legendary prophecy. That was the delusion of an insane person. A girl like me was only chosen in desperate, foolish dreams.

I was a glitch in the academy system, nothing more.

Beside me, Miriel let out a dream-like sigh, resting her chin in her palms as her eyes sparkled. "Oh, gods... imagine being her! Four gorgeous, hyper-powerful, lethally dangerous men fighting over your soul! One divine mate and three dark, forbidden illusions! It’s the most romantic, tragic thing I’ve ever heard in my life! I wish it were me so badly!"

Bren snorted loudly, shaking her head in complete disbelief. "Are you insane, Miriel? That sounds like a nightmare! Imagine having four terrifying, possessive men breathing down your neck, trying to kill each other while the literal Hell Lord tries to eat your soul! That’s not a romance, that’s a death sentence! I wouldn’t wish that kind of burden on my worst enemy."

I looked over at Bren, a sudden wave of gratitude washing over me. "I agree with Bren. It sounds awful."

"You two have zero appreciation for dramatic tragedy," Miriel huffed, crossing her arms and pouting.

"Class!" Professor Vespera’s voice commanded as she tapped her pointer against the slate one final time. "For tomorrow’s practical, you will read Chapters one through four of your codices and prepare a written breakdown on the signatures of artificial bond-magic! Dismissed!"

The horn sounded again, signaling the end of the lecture.

The amphitheater erupted into a flurry of shuffling feet, clattering satchels, and noisy chatter as students began packing up their heavy textbooks.

I packed my satchel slowly, my mind completely consumed by a suffocating cloud of thoughts. My heart felt massive in my chest, beating with a dull thud that echoed in my ears.

Four bonds.

As we walked out of the lecture hall into the bustling corridor, I pulled my sleeve down tight over my wrist, feeling the cold metal resting against my skin.

I couldn’t wait any longer. I couldn’t spend another day drowning in secrets, mysteries, and terrifying suspicions. Tonight, the moment the dormitories fell silent, I was going to steep the Starlight Lotus tea. I was going to force my lost memories out into the open, no matter how much it hurt.

"Elira! Look out!" Bren suddenly yelled, grabbing my tunic and yanking me backward.

WHAM!

An iron-tipped crossbow bolt buried itself four inches deep into the pillar directly behind my ear, sending a spray of sharp marble grit across my cheek. Attached to the black iron shaft was a square of parchment, stiffened with dried blood.

Miriel let out a glass-shattering shriek that made three nearby sophomores drop their leather book-satchels.

"Is it a shadow-spike?! Is it a curse-bolt?!" Miriel yelled, ducking behind Bren and using her canvas bag as a human shield. "Are we under siege by the Borrowed?! Is this how I die?! On a Moon day after a history lecture?!"

"Shut up and stay down Elira, don’t touch it!" Bren snapped, her hand reaching for the hunting dagger hidden inside her boot lining. She scanned the vaulted rafters above and her eyes darted between the stone gargoyles overhead.

My hands were shaking so hard I could barely feel my fingers. Ignoring Bren’s warning, I reached up and plucked the parchment off the iron shaft.

Written across the paper in red were seven words:

Watch out; I am coming for you.

"What does it say?!" Miriel whimpered, peeking over Bren’s shoulder with wide eyes. "Is it a curse? Is it a love letter from a blood-demon? Please tell me it’s not a curse."

My thumb traced the edge of the parchment. "It’s a threat. Someone is coming for me."

"Or someone really hates your tunic," a condescending voice purred from the edge of the corridor.

Lady Elsie, the same girl who had been the thorn in flesh from the very moment I stepped into this realm, stepped out from the shade of an arched doorway, her arms crossed over her bodice.

Standing beside her were her two equally grating friends, one of whom was Lady Caelia who had a smirk that looked as if it had been painted on with venom and Heidi.

Elsie and her friends had been watching the whole thing.

"Look at that, girls," Elsie giggled, turning left and right to her friends. "The markless rat hasn’t even finished her first morning of classes and she’s already drawing target practice in the hallways. You really do have a special talent for making enemies, don’t you, glitch?"

Bren growled, stepping past me and shooting the girls warning glares. "Back off before I carve that smug look off your face and feed it to the courtyard drakes."

Elsie didn’t even flinch. She merely raised a hand, inspecting her gold-painted nails with infuriating calmness. "Oh, save your commoner posture, iron-smith. I’m not the one shooting arrows at your little street-stray friend. Though, if I’m being completely honest, whoever sent that bolt deserves an academic commendation for public sanitation." ℴ

Caelia let out a high, artificial titter behind her sleeve. "She won’t even last the term, Elsie. Look at her! She’s shaking so hard her cheap boots are rattling."

"Last the term?" Elsie sneered, taking another step forward until she was towering over me. "She won’t last until the weekend. You don’t belong here, Elira. You are a dirty, markless mistake riding on the temporary whims of royal princes who will get bored of you by nightfall. Prince Zev threw a brawl over you today, but tomorrow? He’ll remember you’re just a servant girl who got lucky in the dirt."

A crowd of first-years was gathering now, whispering and nudging each other as they watched the spectacle.

"She’s right, you know," a boy called out from the back of the crowd, crossing his arms with a mock groan. "Hey, trench rat! If you get assassinated tonight, do we all get a passing grade on tomorrow’s history essay?!"

A wave of harsh laughter rippled through the gallery of students.

I swallowed the lump of bile in my throat, forcing my spine straight as I looked Elsie dead in her eyes. I was done taking shit from these people. Back in Stonewick, I didn’t let anyone mess with me. However, I’d told myself being meek might get me out of trouble in this hellhole, but since even that couldn’t do the job, I might as well be me to the fullest.

"If I’m such a harmless little mistake, Elsie, then why are you standing here wasting your breath on me instead of getting your boot licked by someone who actually cares about your family’s money?"

The corridor went dead silent. Caelia’s jaw dropped.

Elsie’s face went as white as chalk, her chest heaving as her fingers twitched toward the signet ring on her left hand. "You insolent little—"

"That is quite enough, Elsie." someone called from ahead.