The Silver Knife

Chapter 8

Students thronged near the bulletin board outside the library. The name lists had been pinned up. Many students were cursing loudly, causing the librarian, Professor Swan, to shoo them away. Lilith and Eden had made it to the committee for music, and Melea had made it to the writing. Melea was bouncing in excitement and skipped steps on their way back to their dorm after breakfast.

The committees were to assemble for their first meeting at ten that morning and they had two hours before it started. Laurina basked her golden scales in the sunlight that was streaming in through the window inside Lilith and Melea's dorm. Corvin had flown out to the bird house to spend his time with the other bird familiars. Lilith sat near Laurina's basking spot, skimming through the pages of a book she had recently borrowed from the library. Melea was busy looking through her notes for her story that was still undergoing planning.

Soon it was time for them to depart. Lilith and Eden split ways with Melea at the second landing on the West Wing. Professor Treble was standing in front of Music Room 3, talking to two graduated students. One of them noticed Lilith and gave her a smile.

"Oi, Lilith, remember me?" He said, interrupting Professor Treble's chain of words. The professor turned to the two figures walking towards the room and sighed softly. The other student looked a bit curious as to who they were.

Lilith looked at the elder boy's face and then realisation hit her. He was a family friend. His parents were loyal to the Royal service and despised the Steward with passion. They were one of the people who secretly believed that the Steward's family had been instrumental in the demise of the Royal Family. However, feeling the need to keep up his high cost of living, his father had entered the service of the Steward as one of his chief advisors. His family lived in the High Vales but he had refused to leave the Academy and had thus stayed behind.

"You! Where have you been?" She said running up to him and enveloping him in a hug. "I haven't seen you around for sometime Aiden."

"Went to meet my family in the High Vales. I was bored to death there having to listen to my father complaining about the Steward all the time.... and to his utter dismay I met the devil himself at the Academy." Aiden laughed as he returned her hug.

The students walked into the room. A few others were pacing around the room and two sat at the long table, talking among themselves. On seeing the professor enter, the students returned to their seats at the table. Most of them didn't know each other, or had only passed by them at the corridors between classes.

"I believe it is time for introductions...." Professor Treble said. "Now, we can start from here." He said motioning to a girl on his right. 

The girl who stood up to introduce herself had short red hair, leafy green eyes and had an ornamental clip on her short fringe. She smiled at everyone and spoke in a sweet, smooth voice. "Alzena Ambrose....currently studying in sixth year, Ruby dorm. I play harp..." She said and sat down. The professor nodded at her and the girl next to her stood up.

The girl had long, lustrous black hair, dark brown eyes and had a slightly different accent. "Uhm...I am Ciana Bellevue. I play viola...." She said and quickly sat down and ducked her head. Lilith looked at her from across the table as the student beside her stood up to speak.

"Rayden Storke." The student said in a deep voice. "Graduated student. I play cello, that is mostly, unless another clarinet player is required." He said with a chortle.

The next student who stood up had a strikingly neon blue hair, and had quick grey eyes that darted around at the faces of the others at the table. "Azul Clanwillow.... seventh year student. Trombone...." He said and glanced at the Professor who gave him a curt nod.