The Rise of a Blood Queen

Chapter 2: Cold Beginnings

For a moment, there was silence, and everyone was lost in their own set of confusions. Laila stood still, almost holding her breath, waiting for something to happen.

The man in the black robe watched in displeasure, and his sharp features demanded an aura of fear to swim in the room.

"If you wish to speak, stand on the pedestal." His raspy voice echoed, and Laila had no choice but to obey. 

As she walked towards it, hushed whispers filled the rows. Once she securely set foot on the pedestal, the man cleared his throat as he demanded, "Speak!"

Laila gave one good look around before her trembling words surfaced, "Um...where am I?"

A girl stood among the rows, "Oh! For night's sake, Alyssa! This isn't funny! You're still in your nightgown too. Tell me, have you finally lost it?" she yelled, crossing her arms. 

Laila bit her bottom lip and narrowed her eyes, looking directly at the girl as if she was angrily contemplating if she should reply and then, suddenly, her lips flapped, "Okay, listen, lady, I don't know who you are, but I'm not Alyssa!"

The man immediately yelled, "Both of you, enough! And Alyssa, I advise you not to make us part of your plays or else dire consequences surely await."

Laila could feel the offense in his tone as if he thought that he of all people could threaten her after all she had gone through? Laila's tongue clicked, and her ears turned pink in anger as she blabbered out, "Excuse me? Who the hell are you? and why the hell do you think you can talk to me that way?"

Everyone fell into silence until, "Pfffff... ha...looks like Alyssa has a new trick up her sleeve and I wouldn't be surprised if the daughter of deceivers came up with an intricate plan to fool us all."  Said a boy sitting, crossed legged, with a playful smirk.

"Altarays, please be quiet and don't mingle yourself in this." hissed the man.

Altarays smiled with a devilish glare at Laila that highlighted his sparkling red eyes. 

Red eyes? How is that even possible.

Laila didn't realize it, but she said it out loud.

"Oh, shut up! You worm!" Yelled another boy.

The man in the black robe seemed as if he had more than enough at this point as he shouted, "Silence!"

Everyone turned to him, and once he ensured his demand was in place he relaxed his shoulders and continued to speak, "Alyssa tell me your last name." his eyes shined, and Laila felt pain clogging her throat, but she gulped it down and answered, "I'm not Alyssa, and so I don't know her last name."

The man looked doubtful, but he tried to hide it as he said, "It seems you speak the truth...which leads me to believe that Alyssa has..."

"No! She would never! She can't!" cried the girl from before.

The man's eyes widened as he warned, "Isabella, please contain yourself. And you..." his eyes darted towards Laila as he resumed. "...will be referred to as Alyssa. Now, please head back to your chambers and note that you are now a student at this university. I will let my assistant provide you with further details later today. You are dismissed from this class, and this one only."

Laila didn't know at what point she had started to tear up, but as she wiped them off, she replied, "Something is very wrong."

Laila could feel her chest tightened at each breath she took.

The moment felt very real, but Laila still refused to believe what was happening. The world seemed to be spinning around her, making the questions in her mind answer themselves but with such negativity that anything and everything would always lead to an unfortunate outcome.

"We will see you tomorrow, Alyssa." said the man calmly.

Laila, feeling traumatized, walked out from where she came in. 

She felt as if she was on the verge of breaking down as she could even taste the saltiness of the tears that began to roll down her face again like raindrops on a winter night, cold and painful to endure. Nothing made sense yet because it was happening, it seemed nothing could be done.