THE FORTUNIST

44. Leurayssa

“People who tap into the Twin Mountains have telekinetic and necromantic abilities as well as teleportation. Fowella Dropp uses this cryfix to enter the realm of the dead and talk to their spirits.”

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The days when Leurayssa used to be loved for the satisfaction she could bring to her customers are behind her. The harsh reality of being hated by all takes a mental toll on her. Her only solace was in books and studies, learning things and facts she had never given thought to before. In her spare time, she tried to find Zephyr but so far, she has had no luck.

She is not just a ledder, she's a leper. The golders hate her for not being blue blood. The ledders hate her for… how did Feng put it? "Wearing shoes that did not fit."?

In the trying times, she could have used a shoulder to cry on but Lay has gotten distant, cold and angry even. She can always feel his rage when he is near. Recently, he is always near. As her champion, he has the permission to be seen in her hostel suite till a certain time in the evenings.

That's right, Leurayssa has a suite of her own, all to herself. She is waiting there when Lay arrives. His duel with Andrionne had lasted only a minute after Mose's own with Tophe. The two matches had been fought simultaneously. Ciara had gone to the empty cafeteria to watch Lay fighting for her from the projectors.

Sometimes, his movements were jerky, other times they were ridiculously smooth. Leurayssa knows a little bit of martial arts from Anarella and she could tell when Lay was lessening the power in his blows or deliberately staying in the way to be struck. At the seventh minute, Andrionne was getting frustrated, probably because she thought she would be through in two. Even then, Lay did not take advantage of her disconcertment. He let the fight drag on, till roars came from the other arena. Andrionne had gotten distracted since she had been certain that her match would finish first. Lay put his weapon to her throat, her butterflies fluttered over her head. There was no roar in his arena.

"You fought well."

"I know," he says gruffly.

"You know, everyone's asking if Andrionne's charms don't work on you. Everyone was certain she would win."

"She's not my type," is all Lay says.

"Very well. We need to talk."

"We'll talk at the end of the week when I'm done fighting Mose."

"You won't be able to beat him. You haven't seen him fight."

"Knowing that his match can drag on for up to fifteen minutes is good enough for me."

Leurayssa gasps, shocked by the level of cockiness.

Lay looks her dead in the eye. "I just want my drawing Ciara and you just want me to win and tell the banea which is really you to do nothing."

Ciara. There is that too. He still thinks she is Ciara. She doesn't even know where the actual Ciara is. The drawing with her is supposed to be her backup plan, to appease Ciara considering the possibility of Anarella's copy being truly gone.

"I'm concerned for you," she says, "Mose is heartless. He can turn his blood to weapons. He'll play you like a toy."

Lay gives her a tired smile. "I've been meaning to ask. Why do you need a week with the drawing? You've drawn it. You drew it for payment. You don't even know what it is."

"Trust me and I'll tell you later on," she says as she turns away from him. He doesn't know that it is not the original drawing. He doesn't know that she knows the drawing is of the Winter Solstice. Nor does he know that she constantly wonders why him, a peculiar commoner would know about the drawing of the Winter Solstice and go through great lengths to get it. How a peculiar commoner like him would know how to fight. He does not know what she is thinking as she stares at him, perhaps he would have fled then. He sits down on a sofa and runs his hands through his shiny black hair. Leurayssa notices the circles around his eyes for the first time.

"You haven't been sleeping," she says almost accusingly. He puts his hands over his eyes and grumbles how it was only last night. "You fought Andrionne Sene sleep deprived?" She stares at him with disbelief. He doesn't budge. "There's no way you're doing that with Mose, I won't let you," she furiously fumes. He still doesn't respond. Warily, she moves into his personal space and removes the arm he has over his eyes. The glimpse she catches of his peaceful sleeping features is brief as he hisses like a wildcat and re-covers his eyes.

The lights, he is sensitive to them. She claps her hands and all the lights in the room go out. She sits on another sofa opposite him and waits for him to wake up.

In the meantime, she reviews all the ways she finds him fascinating. His pride for one must have an endless source. Leurayssa can sense an anger simmering in him since the moment he had stood in an arena and waited and waited and waited.

And Feng Lemohn never showed.

She thought too that it was unlike Feng who could have been the next Mose. Feng and Mose have a lot in common. Feng, like Mose, was done with all aspects of his studies before attending Albenarum. Mose, like Feng was just in Albenarum to flaunt, brag, and waste money. So what had changed? Especially when Feng had been looking forward to “putting” Lay in his place.

Feng hadn't even been brave enough to forfeit in Lay's face. Even after Lay had automatically won he still did not show up. Even till now. Leurayssa begrudgingly admits to herself that she misses Feng's high and mighty attitude.

"Ouch," she slaps an arm. An ant had bitten her, she cusses. Her feet feels weird. She looks down. She screams. Lay is up in a second, a dagger in his hands out of nowhere. He looks at the horrified girl, then at her feet where a horde of ants have now swarmed.

He steps forwards, sheathing the dagger. A whole arm wraps around her waist as he sweeps her off the ground. The swarm of ants swarm around him, marching forward.

Both their eyes are on the ants which continue to march until they are high on the walls where they begin to break into segments.

"It's forming something," Leurayssa mutters the obvious, her voice hoarse, "words." The ants are moving.

Royal Highness

The swarm scatters.

Banea

The swarm scatters.

Fortunist

Again, the swarm scatters.

Fortune

The swarm disperses and it is for the last time. Within minutes, the room is empty of their evasive presence. Like they were never there.