Legends of Mirandis Academy

Chapter 2: What Happened Last Night

Iridia wasn't really a fan of parties, to say the least. The Quincy parents were out of town for a charity gala, and thus Kelam Quincy went balls-to-the-wall with a massive party—Iridia never knew him to be that kind of person, but then again, she didn't know him much at all. Sure, their parents were kind of friends, but her parents were also kind of friends with the Prescotts, and the two houses had a very mutual, very deep hatred for each other. The most influential families in the city of Far'Runa were all acquainted with each other—mostly for business purposes—but the Trilliaris family stayed out of every conflict.

So coming to this party left her in a bit of a rocky boat.

Many upper class homes were reminiscent of each other: a chandelier up high, clean light colored walls, but in reality, all Iridia looked at was the floor. Her boots would have been audibly tapping against the pristine marble flooring had there not been likely over a hundred people flooding the main open area and the expansive backyard. The massive space buzzed with loud conversation and music. Her fingers twitched inside her jacket pockets as she maneuvered through a crowd that didn't acknowledge her. As soon as she saw a familiar silhouette in the backyard, she quickened her pace. She booked it for Luna: the extrovert that her introverted self tended to latch onto.

"Hey Lu—what are you doing?"

"Spiking the punch. Someone's gotta do it." Luna dropped an empty, unlabeled gallon jug at her feet and proudly put her hands on her hips. "Oh yeah, this'll fuck up some football players."

"I would disagree, Luna. Someone does not have to spike the punch. What the hell even is that?"

Luna avoided answering and instead replied, "Did you know that Brielle is here tonight?"

Iridia's eyes briefly went wide. "What? No way... you can't be serious. Why?"

Luna grabbed the ladle and gave the punch bowl a few thoughtful stirs. "I don't know, but I can smell the incoming tension."

"Doesn't she have some sort of extracurricular thing to do?" Iridia said. "She always has something."

She had tried to speak casually, but there was a hint of disappointment in Iridia's voice. Luna's eyes flicked up briefly, but Iridia frowned, dismissing the question before Luna could even ask. Iridia had spoken to Luna, on rare occasions, about Brielle Prescott. But in the middle of the Quincy's backyard, with half of Mirandis Academy surrounding them in drunken revelry, Iridia could hardly bear to have such a conversation.

Fortunately, Luna let it go. "I guess Brielle is free tonight," was all she said, and then gave a wide, evil grin. "I hope she gets some punch."

Who challenges someone to a drinking contest with wine, Iridia asked herself as she watched Brielle stand with her arms crossed and Kelam with his hands on his hips.

They were in the smaller of the western dining rooms, placed at opposite ends of a tasteful, white tulip table. There was an array of expensive-looking bottles between them. Iridia didn't drink, but she suspected that Kelam would be facing some trouble after the evening was over and the Quincy parents discovered their cellar had been so thoroughly plundered.

"I'm going to drink you under the table, Quincy," Brielle growled as Kelam poured the first glass. The girl was flawlessly manicured, as usual: she had replaced her school uniform with a smart black dress, buttoned tightly at the throat and at the end of long sleeves. Iridia wondered how she wasn't sweating in the warm space. But she wasn't. She was surrounded by onlookers, yet Brielle Prescott was just as pale and cool as ever, except for the furious glare she directed at her opponent.

Kelam sniffed, but otherwise did not acknowledge her goading. The senior boy was also dressed in unnecessarily formal attire. His long hair was pulled back into a characteristically neat ponytail, the end coiled upon one shoulder. He glanced down at Brielle with fathomless disdain, then grabbed the first bottle and uncorked it.