The Esper's Academy ( Book 1){ Wattys2017}

Chapter 24

Lying here, in front of all these powerful people, who were waiting like crows to laugh at the possible humiliation of lowest in rank beings, as the day's joke, the enormity of it all suddenly hit Anna hard.

She was probably thousands of kilometres away from home, and she knew absolutely no one in the vicinity.

Truly knew, that is...

But each passing day in Avalon, she was one step closer to her dream of becoming a professional and powerful esper. One step closer to her goal. One step closer to the reason she came here in the first place.

Annabella wanted nothing more in the world right now and this was the perfect opportunity.

The Founders Ball was still going on on full force and she was pretty sure that it wasn't about to end any time soon. She wanted to leave, but the thing was that she didn't know if she should just leave like that or how. She didn't know what to do in such...royal occasions. Would it be considered rude to leave without saying anything?

The atmosphere inside the Ballroom was suffocating and nerve-wracking. In the beginning it was okay but after spending over than tree long hours with loud aristocratic crowd, laughing and making ridiculous jokes about lower ranked people's capabilities or talking about politics, the only alarming feeling that was ignited in her, was to run out of the room.

The excuse she gave to Remus: I'll just go get some air and explore the place...

And here she was... Walking like the lone ghost that haunted the palace, in one of the magnificent balconies of the enormous estate.
The Arcadia's Palace was a really beautiful place to be. It was magnificent and was radiating a powerful aura that everyone could sense from miles away. Magic. Raw magic was surrounding it.

Although, the Palace was everyone's dream come true, Anna couldn't help but think that it was...lonely. Suffocatingly lonely. If that Palace had that feeling on it, then... What about the Apollonia's Palace? Was the things even worse there? Probably.

Her insides got twisted. Anna couldn't understand why she was feeling like that at the simple mention or thought of the so called 'Shadow Kingdom'. Was it just a simple understanding of its horrific situation, feeling for its people and the destroyed family or...something entirely else?

Why was she feeling so...guiltily sad? It wasn't her fault, after all, nor she could do something about it, but still....

She couldn't quite understand it...

Nor that she could actually understand how she was feeling about a lot of things revolving her life for the past ten years. Especially from the moment she set foot in the Magical world. So many things happened and so many questions aroused.

Anna's hand instantly rose at her nape, touching the spot the seal once was...

No longer there...

The seal was gone and even though she finally learned about its purpose, Anna couldn't help but think what was she suppose to do from now on. According to Tenjin she must be more careful. More hidden. 

And... That was her family's pendant job now.

She sighed...

Anna was so drowned in her thoughts that even though, she was walking with not so soundless steps ( because of her heels ), she was quite shocked when she saw a tall built figure, leaning against the railings of the bridge-like balcony, viewing the horizon.

Gazing at the dark majestic ocean ahead. An ocean that was hiding so many secrets. Dark secrets.

Just like the person before her.