House of Bone

Chapter 4

I wake up with a start, where am I? Then I realise I'm at the Institute. I sit up and see that I'm still in my gown from yesterday. I open the closet and see that there's already clothes in there. All in various shades of pink. They look like they'd be clothes for studies, plus some others presumably for dinner parties and casual wear. There's more hooks so I put the clothes Lady Bone made me bring there. I change to casual wear so I don't look like an idiot wearing the same outfit two days in a row. Also, I don't look like someone who slept in their clothes all night. Which I did.

"Hey Kyra!" Tia waves to me from the table "How was your sleep?"

"Good, thanks." I answer "What should I wear? There was an outfit that looked like it was for studies and I wasn't sure if I should wear that or not. And they're all in shades of pink."

"Mine's all in blue." Tia says "I guess it's more magic that changes to what suits you. My favourite's an ocean blue, which makes sense since I love the sea."

"I want to see the ocean someday." I respond wistfully

Tia nods "I'll take you someday, they're really pretty."

Shade walks in gloomily "I heard talk about colours. The only socially acceptable one is black." they say

"Mhm," I say "So what am I meant to wear?"

"The study clothes," Tia informs me "And we're required to go to a dinner party once a month. They really suck."

I laugh "Back home Lady Bone hosted dinner parties at least once a month, usually more, but who knows how many. She probably has a log somewhere where she records them."

"Lessons start in twenty." Shade tells us and walks back to their room "Get me when you're ready."

"We should probably get ready." I look at the time and agree.

Tia walks back to her room and I go back to mine. I get changed and do my hair up in a loose ponytail, and when I head back to the main room I see Tia waiting patiently.

"Come on!" she says "Let's get Shade!" she pushes the door open to Shade's room and walks right in, I feel awkward following her but I still do.

Shade's room is a mess, but also really neat. And really... black.

"Come on, slow poke!" Tia teases

"Like I was the one who wasn't ready." Shade grumbles, putting down their book "Let's go."

On the way there Tia explains what we do everyday.

"We have one hour on regular studies such as, lettering and laws etc. And one and a half hours on languages. Then another one hour of magic practise. Then there's the tests. Those are only once a week, we're due one tomorrow. "

I was about to ask what happens in the tests but then I remembered about the rules. Why couldn't you talk about your tests? I wondered What was so bad about tests?

We arrived at the room for lettering and started writing.

"You've got some good lettering there Lady Kyra," the mentor remarks

I smile awkwardly "Thanks, I had good mentors back at Bone House. Madam Pamyar was one of my favourites."

"Madam Zestari Pamyar?" he asks, a brow raised

"Yes!" I exclaim excitedly "Do you know her?"

He chuckles "Do I know her? Do I know her? She's my twin sister! Of course I know her!"

"So you're Master Pamyar?" I ask

"Master Zylar Pamyar. But feel free to just call me Zylar."

"Ok Master Zylar." I say testing out the name