Chapter 37: The Blood Seeker Orb
"I fu*king killed him. I am a murderer." Reynold was pacing in small circle inside the private dorm room with his hand running through his hair. The dorm was Nymeria’s dorm room.
Nymeria was just looking at him from the edge of the chair in the parlor. She too was looking a little scared but she was trying to hide it.. Her eyes shifted from the glowing plant she had been staring and to Reynold. "Stop that, Reynold! And get a hold of yourself!" she hissed. Already getting frustrated. "Whatever happened down in the Pits stays between us. Only us."
Reynold stopped moving. He wiped a hand across his sweaty brow, but his eyes were still looking worried.
The fact that Nymeria had told him the boy he killed was Hektor Blackwood and the only son of the fourth richest family in the North was really freaking him out.
And the worst? They dumped the body into the river and erased any evidence that would track back to them..
He face Nymeria fully. "How am I supposed to trust you? How do I know you won’t turn me in when the pressure gets high? You saved me, yes, but why? Why risk it for some Dragon Rider you barely know?"
Nymeria did raised her eyebrow before she let out a short humorless laugh. "Believe me or don’t, but I am in just as much trouble as you are or maybe even more." She lifted a hand to her neck, pulling the collar of her dress down and it was just enough to show the sliver of black iron which is the binding collar around her neck. "The Council sees us who are mind Magic users as a threat, Reynold. They ship us off to the Enclave facility with these locks on our necks to bind our power and only remove it from our neck when they need our power. I was only spared because of who my father is, and even he could not stop them from putting this on me."
She pointed a finger at the iron ring. Her expression full of anger. "I risked everything for you today." She paused for a while, making sure Reynold understand her too. "I altered the lock, slipped past my limits, and wiped the memories of over twenty students in the Pits. And then, I helped you discard Hektor Blackwood body.. Does that sound like the actions of someone who is about to turn you over?"
Reynold let out a frustrated sound or it was a mix between a scoff and a gasp. "Aha," he muttered, his mind struggling to process what she had done just to happened.
The both of them are fu*ked up!
His eyes landed on the small table that has a jug of water and a glass and he walked towards it. "Sorry, I need a drink."
He poured the water into the glass and his hand was shaking slightly. "Hope you don’t mind I am drinking your water."
Nymeria said nothing, just watching him with those her unreadable eyes. Reynold gulped down the water, setting the glass back down with a soft sound. He placed his hands on the table and his head bent.
"I do not understand," he said, his voice suddenly becoming very low. "How did I... how did it happen? Riders are not supposed to have magic. We just have our dragons."
"That is because you are a Two," Nymeria simply said.
Reynold straightened, turning back to face her. "A what?"
"A Two." Seeing the confusion on his face, Nymeria explained. "It means you are both a Dragon Rider and a Magic User. It is rare and never has it happened before but is also not impossible. And there is a possibility that you are also a Shield."
"I think I need more drink," Reynold mumbled, pouring a second glass and downing it in one glup. The cold water was not even helping to stop the panic in his heart.
Before he could opened his mouth and asked the next question, a massive thunderous CLANG sounded throughout the entire academy. It was the sound of the academy big bell which is only used for extreme emergencies. The bell sound was instantly followed by a deep voice that also echoed throughout the academy.
"All cadets should mmediate report to the Assembly Hall. Now."
Reynold and Nymeria quickly stared at each other, the tension in the small room suddenly rising to 99 degree.
"Do you think they know?" Reynold murmured with his mouth shaking.
Nymeria stood up, pulling her dress collar back into place. Her expression turned suddenly to all business like the real bad ass Queen of Wyrmwood she was known for. "Listen to me, Reynold. Whatever happens, you saw nothing. You went to the Pits with your friend Gwyn, but you two left shortly after. That is the story. And you better stick with it."
Reynold swallowed hard. Dammit! He wished he could take back the hands of time and prevent this. But it is what it is.
He nodded and together, they walked out of the private dorm and into the busy academy hallway.
The Assembly Hall was now a chaos and it was filled with hushed voices and fears.
Every cadets gathered in lines. Their faces all looking confused and stunned as they started murmuring..
"Did you hear? Hektor Blackwood... he’s dead!"
"The Dragon Rider? How? He was not injured during the Aetherclaws attack."
Reynold stood at the back, as guilt was already eating him up. He kept his eyes lowered, trying to look normal and shock just like the another cadets talking but he couldn’t.
"Reynold!"
He raised his head to see Gwyn pushing through the crowd and standing just few lines away from him. Nyx was behind her with her arm wrapped protectively around Gwyn waist.
Gwyn’s face was pale just like the other cadets in the hall.
Reynold just forced out a smile, and waved back at her.
Seeing Gwyn and knowing that she had idea if what happen in the Pits and that her memory was wiped like the others, only made the guilt worsen for Reynold.
The air in the Assembly Hall was filled with murmurs. Silence finally fell as three figures walked im to the high stage. It was Professor Valerius, Sergeant Veridian, the Dean of the dragon Riders and the Headmaster. Their faces were also cold.
Behind them was Lord Damon Blackwood who was standing at the right corner. He looked like a statue and his black leather was still a bit wet. His expression was even colder than the Headmaster. He was looking like a man who had lost his greatest possession. Well he did lost his only son.
His eyes scanned the crowd.
At the other left side, a group of Magic User professors, wearing green and black robes took their positions near the front.
The Headmaster cleared his throat, getting the attention of the cadets. "Students of Wyrmwood, you have heard the terrible news. Hektor Blackwood who was a promising young Rider and the son of Lord Damon Blackwood, is no more with us." He paused for a while before he continued, "His body has not yet been recovered, but his death has been confirmed by his family’s and the academy’s ancient magic."
He looked toward Lord Damon, then back at the students. "Given the nature of this tragedy, and the lack of enough evidence, we must turn to other means."
He nodded to the Magic User professors and they stepped forward, each holding a small crystalline orb that was flashing with a blue internal light. The orb was a magical artifact or more like a blood seeker orb. If the professors passed close to the cadet responsible for the death, the orb will turn to a dark red
As the professors started to move and passing between the lines of the the gathered crowd, Reynold’s breath almost stopped. He closed his hand into a tight fist, and grabbing the material of his shirt as he was freaking out. He closed his eyes and prayed to whatever gods or spirits that was listening to help him.
"Please... please... Don’t turn red."
A professor, a tall woman with red hair, stopped directly in front of him. Reynold almost fainted. His leg almost giving up. Sweat instantly starting to form on his forehead. He swallowed, the sound loud in his own ears and his eyes fixed on the orb just inches from his face.
He was already prepared for it to turn red, and how to defend himself. But the orb remained like it was, just pale blue.
The professor’s eyes stared at Reynold’s face for a moment, then to his hand grabbing his shift before she moved on to the next student.
Reynold was stunned. He let out a shaky breath he had not realized he was holding.
Why did it not turn red?
He looked away from the professor, and then his gaze suddenly landed on Nymeria. Their eyes met across the rows of students, then his gaze shifted instantly to her hands.
She was twisting them slightly, and her fingers were interlaced and moving with a slow intricate motion, like that kind of movement used to weave a simple and powerful spell in movies.
𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚
Dammit! Of course, it was her.