Black Sapphire | Xaden Riorson | S/H

XLI

・・・　・・・　・・・

     It takes a long time to get all the way down the tunnel, despite me jogging half of it. Even still, when I do, I'm at the opposite end of the college from the riders'. That facility must be incredibly far away.
     I push the door closed behind me and look around the area. I'm in the central campus. Central issue is only a few feet behind me and the infantry section in the same direction. The healers are forward and the scribes are down the stairs on my left.
     My brows furrow as a dull headache begins to pulsate into my head. I reach up to hold it. My hand is so cold, but it helps as I press my chilly fingers into my forehead.

     A warm heat builds against the inside of my skin and I blink toward the dark hallway. I begin walking, slowly this time on account of the pounding in my skull. It takes a while to get to my room. My glaive is digging into my back, reminding me I'm real, and that whole situation is real.
     I drag myself up the stairs, almost tempted to use my glaive like a cane. If it were a spear, I would. When I get to my room, I drop everything and strip as fast as possible from the tight leather. I throw on the thin nightgown just in case someone breaks in and then take some of the mild pain relief medicine the healers give us with a gulp of water out of the bathroom sink.
     Finally, I clamber onto my bed and fall asleep under the cool air.

     The sunlight is warm on my skin. I furrow my brows and then sit up quickly with a harsh breath. I reach up and then groan at the tenderness across my face. I glance back over my shoulder to see the window is open and then forward again. It's already mid-afternoon judging by my clock and the set of the sun.
     I stand up and stretch my arms over my head. I sneer my nose and then hum when it hurts like hell. This is going to be a nightmare. I get over to my desk, pulling my hair back sloppily. The green sun gel is in my topmost drawer on the left and I make quick work to smear it over my face. I let it stay on my eyelids—which I usually wipe off—because even blinking hurts on my left side.

     Everything always goes wrong for me, doesn't it? I glance around the room and am unsurprised to find my luck charm is destroyed. I move toward it and it looks like maybe a critter ate at it. Probably got in and back out through the window.
     I pause. My head slowly turns toward the glass and I narrow my eyes at it. I had never left it open, because why would I do that? I stare a moment longer as my head reels. Who opened my fucking window? And why?
     I reach up to scratch my nose and it seers my skin. I move to tapping it next but it doesn't help nearly as much.
     It wouldn't be any leadership. They have access to all the doors. I pull open some of my drawers but nothing is missing, not even my notebook. I move to the wardrobe next but everything is there. Leadership wouldn't have left the window open unless they were trying to make it look like someone else was in my room, but why would they do that if they didn't touch anything? If the window wasn't open, I'd have no idea anyone had been in here.