RAIN'S POV
The physical training completely depleted my energy. But if I must admit, having Freda with me was actually nice.
Heard some student gossiping about how on my way back to the dorm. Apparently, she is an uneducated girl from some village. But after spending a bit of time with her, something tells me that Freda is not who we think she is.
The day went by fast. Usually, I spend my nights in the gym and would only return to my room late at night.
I had just finished swimming and was in changing room drying my hair with the cotton towel when the sound of footsteps echoed across the room. Then a familiar voice spoke, another answered. It sounds like they were having an argument.
Suddenly, I heard the water splash as if something had fell in. Maybe someone was swimming?
Something about spelt ominous, I couldn't contain the feeling and eventually strolled out.
Two people were in the ocean, one on top of the other. Under the dimly lit room, my eyes barely recognized the one on top, it is Storm, and it seems she is strangling the other person.
Am I witnessing a murder?
My heart bounced, my feet racing towards them. When I got there and was about to jump in, all of a sudden, a white light flashed from within the water and envelope the entire pool. Right before my eyes, I witnessed Storm's body burning from the inside out, light coming out of her hanged mouth, and then she exploded into nothing. And then the light disappeared, darkness embracing the pool area again.
I leapt into the cold water and pulled out the other girl who had drowned. Carefully, I set how down on the floor, pushed her hair off her face and only then did I recognize her.
"Freda?" The name left my lips softly. My hand sandwiched her palm and I started rubbing her gently. "Come on, wake up. Come on!"
She sharply sat up and retched. When she was done, she sighed, now turning to meet my widened gaze.
My mind races and I wanted to ask how she was feeling but the question that escaped my lips was "What are you?"
Her already pale face whitened. She looked away and tried to get to her feet but the slippery for made it impossible as she falls back but on top of my thighs as I managed to hold her.
Her body was freezing. Her lips instantly went blue, body trembling slightly from the cold.
"You? How did you get here?" She asked, her confused voice still rough from the cold.
"You killed Storm with light. She disappeared from my eyes like she wasn't there before." Replaying what happened felt even more surreal, "How is that possible? The only people that had the gift of light were Luminares and if I remember correctly, none are in existence after they were ambushed and completely wiped off the face of earth."
I noticed her eyes slowly closing and the she whispered, "That was not Storm." Then she fell unconscious, her head falling against my chest.
My head could not wrap around what she said but as long as she is not awake, the questions in my head would have no answer.
Freda was quiet heavy despite her skinny body, I scooped her in my eyes and furtively snuck her into my dorm room.
Thank god I share the room with no one.
She was still drenched and her body just as cold. I had no choice but to change her clothes. I put her into my hoodie and tucked her under the blanket.
Whatever Freda meant by 'She is not Storm' kept me awake all night. I didn't realize when I dozed off next to the bed.
FREDA's POV
Last night was a nightmare, a nightmare I sharply exited from, sitting sharply up with a gasp.
My eyes scanned the unfamiliar room, a relieved breath leaving my lips as I finally relaxed.
I was almost unalived by a crazy dark shapeshifting monster last night, waking up unscathed was like a blessing.
I turn with the intention of climbing down the bed when my eyes fell on Rain's handsome face, he had fallen asleep on the floor, his head resting on the hand that he kept on the edge of the bed.
Ah, Rain was there last night. The memory was now clearer.
He asked me some questions but I was too shaken up to answer.
The plan was to sneak out but the second my leg moved, his eyes snapped open.
Giving a nervous chuckle, I flashed him a slight wave. He sharply staggered to his feet, "You are awake."
"Obviously." I jumped down the bed and only then did I noticed I was in an oversized black hoodie barely covering my thighs.
Sheepishly, I jumped back on the bed and covered my legs with the blanket, "What the hell?"
"Oh, sorry about that." He scratched his temple, "You were freezing last night, I had no choice but to change your cloth. But I promise, I did not do anything wrong. I didn't even touch you with the wrong intentions."
"And how would I believe that when I was completely out?" I sneered.
He shakes his head, "I didn't touch you." Affecting a seriousness, he said, "I would never do anything of sort to any woman, I give you my word."
Maybe that was too dramatic, my nerves calmed down, then I sighed and said, "Okay. Fine."
Rain dragged his feet to the other end of the room and crashed on the black bean bag. He rubbed the sleep out of his eye, giving a sigh of defeat, "You might not remember it but you killed your dorm mate last night."
I did? I don't remember.
"You incinerated her with your light …" he shuddered slightly, his voice trailing off, then he regained his composure and casts me a glance, "Not even her bones were left. She just exploded into nothing. I know what you are, you are a Luminare."
My throat instantly dried up, "I have no idea what you are talking about."
"Fine. I will tell everything to the dean then." He headed for the door.
"WAIT!" I ejaculated.
Slowly, he faced me, "You ready to spill the truth now?"
There was no other option, I had to tell him everything that happened from the moment I was attacked by the changeling to how Eagle brought me to Ellorhia. I omitted the 'Murdering Connor and spending ten years in prison' part. There was no need to reveal that much.
He seemed to buy into it, settling back down on the bean bag, "I knew you were unrelated to Eagle. There were so many red flags and also, it looks like you don't seem to know anything about what you are."
"What do you mean by that? Am I not just like you?"
"No." He fired his bloodshot gaze on my face as if I had said something insulting to him, "Luminares were never mages, you had always been different from the rest of us. You are monsters!" His dark voice was now thick with anger and distrust, "You are cold blooded murderers!"
I blinked, clutching the blanket in my grip. "I am not a murderer." The words softly left my lips.
"I have never met a single Luminare that was not a murderer." He growled, "As long as you have that light flowing within you, you will always carry the darkness. Do you think the changelings come after your light? No. They can sense you because you are also one of them."
I couldn't believe my ears, "What did you just call me?"
"Changelings and Luminares are not that different, you are all sadistic creatures." His eyes went heavy, glazed from the tears welling up inside them, "You kill with no remorse."
"Why do you hate Luminares so much? Why does nobody like talking about them? What is everyone hiding? Why did Eagle tell me to hide my identity from everyone? WHY??" I rained my questions on him.
He scoffed, his voice holding a repressed fury when he said, "Get out of my room."
"What?"
"I said GET OUT!!" He barked, pointing at the door. "NOW!"
"It is not like I wanted to be here anyway." I said, stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind me.
How could he treat me like this? Does he think I like being a Luminare? Well Eagle said we were mages, but now he's saying we are monsters. So I wonder what the truth about me could be.
What a prick!
Swivelimg abruptly, my head bumped into broad chest. I stumble back, lifting my head to see a familiar face.
His eyes darted on Rain's dorm door, then he flashed them back at me - leering over my body in a slow perusal.
"Oh, it's not what you think." I tried to explain the complicated situation.
"And how do you know what I think?" Ash responded, his calm voice like music to my ears. "I do not put myself in that which doesn't concern me." He added.
"That is true. Well, just pretend you didn't see anything then." I requested, turning to leave when he said,
"I don't think I can do that."
Sharply, I faced him, my expression questionable, "And what do you mean by that?"
"A female student is now allowed in the male students dormitory. You two broke the rule, something tells me that you even spent the night here." His brows narrowed, "I am not questioning whatever you share with him, but I believe as a new student, concentrating on your studies is far much better than spending your nights with the likes of Rain Grey."
It looks like I am not the only person who dislikes Rain.
"It is my duty as a student to report what I saw to the school discipline committee so …"
"Fine." I interrupted him, "Do whatever you think is right. I have had such a rough night I don't think i give a f**k about the school discipline committee or whoever it is you are going to tell."
Turned on my heels but changed my mind and faced him again, "You know sometimes, what the eyes see isn't necessarily the reality. Afterall, the eyes can read the lips but they cannot see the mind, and as a …" my eyes scanned his ironed clothes, "A top student, you should at least know that." Gave him a nod and stormed off.
I rushed back to my door room, relief washing over me when I found Storm asleep on her bed.
"Hey." She opened her eyes with a weak smile, "When I got back to the room last night, you were not here. Do you know I don't even remember how I got back here last night? I remember nothing actually." She mumbled.
That only means that someone must have messed with Storm's memories. Could it be the 'Master' that the changeling was talking about last night?
"Are you okay." She asked worriedly as she sat up.
My lips curved into a reassuring smile, "I think I will be fine."