Solasta Academy: Blood & Moonlight

Chapter Six

Solasta was built like a labyrinth with different hallways and classrooms that made Calia go into a circle twice. She stopped, breathing in frustration and releasing slowly when she felt an arm go around her shoulders. Turning, her body relaxed when she met the irises of Torin Lemes. His dazzling smile was enough to make any girl here fall head over heels for him, but not Calia apparently. Next to him stood Elliot with a bag over his shoulder and lightball equipment in the other. "What are you doing in the Athletic Wing, new girl? Torin asked.

"Swim team tryouts," she answered honestly. "Though I keep getting turned around."

"Here I thought she was the artsy type," Elliot replied with a smirk. She watched as the Werewolf pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and handed Torin a couple of bills. Whatever bet they made, it was about her which meant she was the subject of one of their conversations at one point. "Sorry, Calia. You're very mysterious, you know."

She shrugged her shoulders. "Give me directions to the pool and I will answer one of your questions," Both of the immortal boys brightened as soon as she uttered those words, making her think it was a bad idea.

"Deal," Torin said. She moved away from him by that point, shrugging his arm off her shoulder. Torin did not even blink when he started walking on the opposite of where she was going, her and Elliot following close behind. "One question for each of us?"

"One question in total."

Torin scoffed but kept his dazzling grin intact, which made Elliot roll his eyes. Calia did the same as she waited for the ultimate question from the Vampire. "As much as I want to ask the ultimate question every guy here wants to know the answer to and that is whether you have a boyfriend or not, I won't because I have a better one," He seemed to blink slowly at her, his long eyelashes making Torin beautiful in standards unlike any human. "How did you know something bad happened at the Cove if you had no idea it existed before?"

That, she could answer. It was an easy one. "I have no idea, Torin. It was a feeling in my gut and no matter how much I tried to ignore it, it would not go away. It's why I had to leave early. I could not stand it anymore, the feeling of blood surrounding that gorgeous Cove."

There was another feeling, however, that made her pause as she left last night. It was the feeling she got when her mother was present—the sense of safety. No matter where she lived in the world, she was not in any danger as long as her mother was near. It almost sent Calia into a spiral of sobs that the Cove could make her feel that loss again.

The boys that were twice her size frowned for a minute, analyzing her response as though it was for a grade. One by one they slowly nodded in understanding and Calia sagged her shoulders in relief. Hopefully, they were done with their inspection of her, she thought. Elliot waved his arm over to the double doors beside him, motioning for her to enter. "Coach Gideon should be in there. He's the one to talk to about tryouts."

She smiled at both of them. "Thanks. I'll see you later."

She took a deep breath before entering the swimming pools, wondering whether or not she was experienced enough for the team. For this, she had to be. Calia would not give everything she had to be able to swim again. To make everyone at Solasta believe she was worthy of being here.

It was a promise to herself and to everyone who ever took a chance on her. She would not fail this time.

***

Coach Gideon was a mean Werewolf, Calia realized a little too late. He wore navy athletic shorts slightly above his knees and a t-shirt with Solasta's emblem on the front, paired off with dirty sneakers and knee socks. He blew his whistle hanging around his neck as he shouted obscenities at the girls swimming in the pool. If there was a sign she should turn away from this opportunity, it would be right now. But she didn't. Gently, she tapped on his shoulder as he did not realize she stood next to him—to focus on the powerful strokes of the girls in the pool. One she desperately wanted to be a part of. When he diverted his attention toward her finally, she could tell why he was a coach at the most prestigious academy in the world. His curly brown locks and seething dark irises were enough to make anyone walk the other way. Part of it was his claws and sharp teeth protruding out of his skin as if he never cared to hide them in the first place. Maybe to scare people off. However, she merely gave a subtle smile. "Hi, I'm—"

"Calia Nox," he finished, his gaze scrutinizing as his voice was rough from yelling.

"Yes," she mumbled as she wrapped her arms around her torso, glancing back and forth from the girls and Coach Gideon. "I know try-outs were a while ago and you probably don't have any space left on the team, but I was wondering if there was a chance—"

"There's no space on my team, Nox," he uttered as he turned his focus on the swimming team again. She did the same, amazed by their magnificent techniques and strokes that made her want to dive in and learn. In a world where creatures had impossible hearing, it took her a moment to realize Coach was whispering only for her to hear. "But I knew your mother years ago. We were in the same year and she won medal after medal on this team."

She frowned, wondering what the hell he was talking about. Her mother attended Solasta. How did no one know this kind of information until now? Did everything keep this a secret from her? Did Amias and Soari...

No, that was not possible. If they'd known, they would have told her.

"She attended Solasta?" she questioned, her voice shaking as she clutched the pendant her mother used to wear. Coach Gideon's eyes whirled toward her, widening at the realization she had no idea that part of her mother's life. He was the one who broke the news to Calia. "And she was on the swim team." It did not make sense. Any of it. But she had to find out everything her mother was before she died even if it hurt her in a million tiny pieces that she had to hide from her in the first place.

"I'm sorry. I thought you knew and that's why you enrolled," he said as a way to comfort her. But she did not need that right now. What she needed was answers about who she was and how the hell her mother had this secret life before Calia was born. "Tell you what, Nox. One of my girls is struggling to meet the requirements of being on this team, so if you're determined to win her spot, you will show up on Friday ready for battle."

"If this is your way of making an exception for me because you knew my mother, I won't let you," she replied as though he did not radiate darkness and destruction within his veins.

Coach Gideon laughed. Actually fucking laughed in her face at her accusation. "Did you not come here to ask me if there was a spot on my team? I'm giving you a chance and it's best to agree before I change my mind. Yes, I knew your mother but that does change the fact I will treat you any differently than the rest. Okay?"

Before she could think it over, she replied, "Fine. I'll be here on Friday."

"Don't be a minute late or you will suffer through fifty laps." Scowling, she faked a smile as a way to tell him she was never late for anything she found important to her. This was at the top of her list. Then she nodded and waved him goodbye, just before he said something that made her heart beat frantically. "She's in the yearbook."

Frowning again, she turned her head. "What?"

"Your mother," he whispered. "Her picture is in the yearbook twenty years ago. You can find them in the library. Just ask Miss Hildred and she will grab them for you."

"Thank you."

He nodded before turning back to the swim team she was desperate to join, shouting at them once more. When she left the swimming pool, Calia was focused on nothing else but her mission to the library. But before she could do that, she made a promise. She tucked in her pride and pulled out her cell phone, finally sending him a message back.

Calia: I'm sorry. If you still want to help me, I just found out something about my mother. She attended Solasta. Meet me in the library.

She waited impatiently for a message back, awkwardly standing in the hall as other students passed her—eyeing her as though they knew everything about her. But they didn't. Neither did she. Finally, after a minute, he replied.

Arzhel: On my way.

And at that, she let out a sigh of relief before she headed to one of the sanctuaries at the new school she attended—the only place she knew where it was located. Placing her phone back in her back, she headed there with one thought in her mind. One that brought her here to this very moment. Who was she so afraid of?