Shcielle (Draeyer Academy 2)

Chapter 35-Flame Defender

Icefall Academy
Icefall City
Arktis Skyland
Northern Space

Ignoring the blaring sound of the audience in the arena, Areisha forced her mind to focus on the game and forget all distractions. She sat on a bench found in a room of the arena, where the other representatives for Flame Defender were. Their coaches and some of their teammates were in the room with them, all giving last moment good lucks and reminders.

She looked down and flexed her hands. The special gloves she wore fit well enough that they felt like a second skin. It was also enhanced by crimas to allow her to summon her Flame without the material hindering it, all the while keep her hands from freezing.

Gael stood in front of her, a smug smile forming on his lips. Areisha squashed the urge to roll her eyes at him. The older man was too confident in her abilities, and it was annoying her. It made her feel pressured and she doesn’t do well when she knows that people are expecting quite a lot from her.

Alec was the only person who wasn’t expecting much from her. Oddly enough though, she wanted to please him more than anyone.

She felt warmth rise up to her cheeks as her gaze went to Alec, who sat on a bench talking to Krizton and the others.
Ever since that night, when Alec directly admitted for the first time that she was one of the strongest people he knew, she started having weird thoughts and even stranger feelings. She couldn’t forget how he held her and tried his best to comfort her, the tenderness in his voice as he spoke to her, and his smile as he gazed at her with softness in his pale eyes.

She hated being weak. It made her feel like the child crying alone over her mother’s death or the shaking child trapped in a hole with a giant snake. Hearing someone she considered her rival say that she wasn’t such was a big boost on her self-esteem, which had been crumbling the last few days.

With a shake of her head she looked away from the young man. Both her hands rose and slapped her cheeks. The sound cracked the air around her, stunning the other occupants into silence. She ignored their gazes and once again tried to shake every distraction off of her mind.

“Are you alright, Roselintine?”

Speaking of distractions, she thought.

She heaved a sigh before looking up at Alec. She nodded, instead of uttering a word.

One of his brows arched at her silent answer, scrutinizing her with those beautiful crystal eyes. She didn’t have time to even scold herself for the word she used to describe Alec’s eyes, when Gael leaned down and spoke.

“You sure you’re fine? The cold isn’t starting to get to you is it?”

“I’m fine, really,” she said. “Just trying to focus myself on the game.”

Gael straightened and sighed, before ruffling her hair. “Tie your hair up now.”

“I’ll do it!” Solana said as she stood. Areisha handed her the black ribbon, and waited as her friend gathered her brown locks into a high tail. She managed to mumble a thank you before Solana crushed her into one of her tight hugs and knocked all the breath out of her lungs. “Good luck! Even though you have the skills, everyone still needs a little luck, don’t they Knox?”

Their gaze fell on Knox who sat next to Alec. Areisha’s brows rose when they found him staring at the floor, unaware that he was being addressed.

“Kosmiks to my sugar-crazy brother! You’re beautiful sister is calling you,” Solana said, annoyance in her tone.

Gael, Alec, and her chuckled when Knox’s mind returned to the present and he nearly fell off the bench.

“Are you okay, Knox?” Alec asked. “You’ve been out of it since the day before yesterday. Did something happen for you to look like you’ve seen a ghost?”