Electra Mangold and the Elemental Academy

Chapter 7: The Arena

Since her fight with Tom, Electra had a lot freer time than she wanted, between classes, dinner and after dinner, and she hardly knew how to occupy all those hours. Rosa had told her to give Tom space. << He'll come back when he feels ready >> and that he was probably << Angrier with himself than with you, I guess >>. But she had probably said that to make Electra feel better. At the same time, Electra had found herself doing things she had never imagined. For example, she had visited the Academy Library for the first time, an ironic gesture for anyone who knew Electra well. She had found a stall, hidden

among the shelves, where no one could disturb her. And she had already begun to discover some interesting things. For instance, in a book from the one thousand eight hundred, she had found out that Elementals did not need phones to communicate but would simply use elements to send out messages, with a technique called the Press. After a few days' training, she could send messages in letters of fire. A trick that she and Rosa had immediately used during History of Elements lessons, to disturb Pixie. The latter had been confused at first, when letters of fire started appearing in front of her, generating all kinds of insults; but when a leaf had dematerialized before her eyes, with the inscription 'Pixi: one name one neuron', she had begun to understand. Electra's stifled giggles had not helped. But it was too funny not to laugh; even Hayes was having a hard time to keep serious, and miserably failed to hide it from his friend.

When wandering around the school, Electra had discovered that on one of the top floors there was a music room, with a piano, a cello - now the pick collection was good for something - and other instruments. She would no longer have to share the piano with Aaden Ash. But on second thought, she

would drop in the piano room of their dormitory from time to time, just to disturb him. Seeing how Tom ignored her, she imagined Ash had put two and two together. But Ash had never brought up the subject again and seemed, if anything, content to see Tom as little as possible. When Principal Cassidy had found her in the room playing, she had looked at her with strong suspicion. << It had been years since anyone had used this room >> had been her only comment. She had then looked with intensity at the bracelet, which Thorin had made for Electra. The principal must have realized that Electra and the others had left for Ironhold, because now a patrol of gargoyles guarded the garden during curfew hours. Not that Electra wished to go back to Ironhold, her first experience had been enough.

In her wandering hours after dinner, Electra had discovered that the academy had even a pastry chef, called Wolly. The chocolate shop was on the first floor, and was accessed through a violet door, hidden at the end of a corridor. The first time she had knocked, Wolly, who did not often receive visitors, had welcomed her happily. So often, after dinner, she would enter his workshop for a hot chocolate and a chat. She had discovered that Wolly was an

entrepreneur and had to all intents and purposes a chocolate company. He had proudly shown her photos of his franchise, which he had hung on the wall. Soon Wolly had become her confidant: Electra would tell him about her days at the Academy, about Sister Mary and about Pixi. As for the latter, Wolly had promised to purge Pixi's chocolate if she came to him. Electra had also told him about Tom and the dwarf. Wolly had listened attentively as he decorated a huge cake with skulls. <<I don't know, Mon Cherie>> he had said. <<Dwarves are terrible. They built my factory you know. Next time I'd rather rely on trolls, even if they are a bit more ... >> he stopped searching for an appropriate word <<there.... rustic >>.

She also had never thought to apply for a job. But when Ivor had let his class know that Fani, the Poison Guard, was looking for an apprentice for 10 gold coins a week, Electra had decided to give it a try. Wolly had helped her put down her CV. He must have been in another life a very good writer salesman, because Electra had never done anything they had written on her CV. << Fani has no idea how human schools work so we are allowed to use a bit of fantasy>> he had explained later to her. In the end,