The Rune Smith

Chapter 6- Exhaustion

This is a much longer chapter than usual, and it is my favorite chapter so far. Thanks for reading this far!

Alia awoke cold, her legs covered in silky blankets.

Her canopy surrounded her, ever so slightly translucent, a ghost wafting about on the wind through her open window. The room was small, but its lofty ceiling made up for the lack of space.

It was exactly the way Alia liked it, and she found comfort in the familiarity of the bedroom. She genuinely loved the small space, as when she had originally came to the Imperial Academy she had been given a much more spacious room.

She slept very little the first week, though a large portion of that sleeplessness had come from homesickness.

When she had suggested a smaller room, the king had happily obliged.

Alia suspected that he only gave her the large room because he was trying to remain in her favor. He wanted to be able to use her without guilt.

In all honesty, Alia didn't care that the king, as nameless to her as he was, was using her her. She would end up the equivalent of a slave if she chose not to help him. Or worse, she could be tortured for information. Alia definitely did not desire pain.

Alia's eyes caught movement in a corner. She jerked up, tearing the curtain away.

Terris rubbed his eyes, and groaned.

Alia has woken him up.

"Whass happenin."

"Terris, you scared me. What are you doing in my room?"

Terris shifted on his stool in an effort to get comfortable.

"The scary commander lady said I had to sleep in your room."

He yawned audibly, his words slurring together as he spoke.

"Somefin abouts protection."

Alia suddenly realized how alert she was. She was certain that she had been sleeping well. Her mind meandered back to the previous day, and she found herself remembering something. She had fallen asleep during lunch.

She had missed the rest of the day. Alia felt sick. Missing class without a valid reason had dreadful consequences. She leapt out of her bed, dashing to the door.

It was a decision she immediately regretted, as the granite floor was icy and her toes were really sensitive.She shivered, and ran back to her bed, searching for a pair of slippers.

She was still wearing her school clothes, but neither her flats nor her slippers were anywhere to be found.

After a minute of seeking, she felt her toes going numb and dove back to her bed to cover her feet in her blankets.

She was back at square one.

Her original question infiltrated her mind, and she turned back to Terris, who had fallen asleep during the minor commotion. Leaning over the edge of her bed, she called his name. Loudly.

"Terris!"

The preteen fell from his seat,  jarred from his light sleep.

"Whassup!"

"Where is Alex?"

"Who is Alex?"

"The 'scary commander lady,' as you so politely referred to her as."

"Oh. I don't know. She left just before I fell asleep I guess."

Alia rubbed her temples. She had to find Alex.