Solasta Academy: Blood & Moonlight

Chapter Ten

It happened again. This time, her two roommates were there to see her in the other state. One that made her paranoid every second of the day in fear of others finding out. Calia wasn't sure why it was happening to her now instead of months ago when she first became a Fae, but she had a feeling it had to do with Solasta. It had to be. She could feel Lottie's blazing gray eyes on her as she told them everything, though she knew she was as scared as Calia. However, Jade listened intently as she kept pouring tequila shots every two minutes. She overlooked Arzhel until he stood over her with a bowl of cereal, making her raise a brow. "You haven't eaten all day," he said. "Eat."

Arzhel Koen was a mystery to her. It is the one thing she knew for sure. Arzhel, who was the captain of the lightball team, ditched parties to smoke a cigarette and somehow made it his mission to protect her from the violence closing in on her. The Fae male noticed she didn't eat anything all day—not for any reason besides the nervousness knotting her stomach. Calia curled her dry lips into a small smile, grabbing the bowl from his hands. As she felt the tingle as her fingers touched his a little. "Thanks, Arzhel."

She noticed how he froze in place as she said his first name for the first time since they met. It was a beautiful name, she thought. Something that just fit in her mouth. As she ate, she returned to confessing everything to Lottie and Jade—who had enough decency not to speak about the thing between her and Arzhel. Not while he's here, anyway. He sat down on the other armchair and crossed his arms over his chest, making his muscles seep through his burgundy t-shirt. Gods, Calia needed to focus. "We found out yesterday that my mother attended Solasta. None of my guardians figured that part out, or no one told them. Either way, I think someone here knows why she ran away."

Lottie nodded. "Coach Gideon knew your mother?"

"Yes."

"And she ran away sixteen years ago? The same age you are now."

Calia stopped chewing, dropping the spoon with a thud. "Whatever you're going to imply, Lottie, don't. They weren't a thing."

"How would you know?" Jade asked. "She made you believe you were a human all your life. So whatever happened to her when she attended Solasta will give us answers to what is happening now with you, Calia."

"Why would she keep this a secret? All of it," she muttered.

"Juliette was in danger," Arzhel finally spoke, making her turn her head. "She wasn't safe. People do unspeakable things when they are afraid. More specifically, when they love someone so much, they would rather live among humans than endanger a child from the horrific world of the supernatural."

As she finished her cereal, she set it on the table before her and placed her cold hands in the jacket pockets she borrowed from Arzhel. Or, rather, one he gifted her because she was shivering as she woke up from her daze. He was right. Calia's mother protected her from the danger of this world until her last dying breath. She sacrificed herself for Calia's safety, and because of that, she will make sure to avenge her death. When she stood up, all eyes landed on her. There was nothing any of them could do tonight. "Thanks for helping me. If you don't mind, I'm going to wash off the blood on me and get a semblance of rest before classes," She focused on Arzhel, who still stared at her like he knew what she was feeling. "Arzhel, you can let yourself out."

When he stood up, Calia noticed how tall he was. He towered over her, and it took everything in her to focus on his eyes and not...anything else. Arzhel curled his lips into a smirk—so lopsided that it made her want to figure out the exact angles of it. "Thank me later by giving back my jacket at the game on Friday, Nox. I expect to see you there."

"I have to be somewhere on Friday," she explained.

"Where?" he pressed.

"I'm joining the swim team," she announced, which made Lottie spit out her drink. Jade hit her in the shoulder. "That is if I win against one of the girls."