Academy of Elements: Earth

Chapter 41: Thorns

No sleep comes that night. I sit in my and stare blankly into the glowing lake outside... I wasn't scared of the attack... 

No, I was scared because of Aneltt. Nobody knew but me yet and I would tell Haley first for obvious reasons... but why did Aneltt want us out of the school for two days?

When my phone reads 5:00 am I decide that there is no point in sleep and gather my clothes and head down to the washroom to shower. Cold water hits my back as I again stare into the wall in front of me. Something was coming... there had to be a reason...I dress quickly as the shower's fill and head from the bathroom. 

It is 5:30 when I get down to the cafeteria, and again the vase sits on the table. I pick up a smoothie and drink it slowly before picking apart my Black Bean Brownie, which despite being called a 'brownie' it wasn't very sweet. 

As the tables fill the Gifted Six join me at the table and all it takes is a simple glance and the shake of Aira's head to know not to talk about the happenings of last night.

"It's a nice day today." Muses Ella. "The storm cleared quickly."

I nod in agreement. As the cafeteria fills to its full capacity Haley sits beside me her hands shaking slightly.

"Are you okay?" I begin to ask her.

Two men dressed in black clothes storm up behind us, Mrs. Aneltt, Haley's aunt, in the center.

"Jaxon Hill, Haley Clerk." She smiles at her sister's daughter. "You are under arrest for breaking multiple rules in the Code of Conduct of Herta Macer: School of Elements, and breaking a law of the Affilatorian Conduct of Peace. Come with me."

Eyes glue onto us, my back tingling as I sense the tension flourish and build around the table. The man lifts me from my seat, the other doing the same to Haley and we are dragged from the cafeteria. We take an old freight elevator to the sixth floor, where Aneltt's office is stationed. Through glass doors, we are pulled and the large wooden doors carved into the wooden wall swing open. The security guards leave us after forcing us to sit. 

Vines wrap around my wrists as Aneltt curls her hands. She sits across from Haley and me and smiles wickedly.

"My god my beautiful niece, you look worried."

Haley takes a deep breath beside me. 

"Now late last night I was woken by a dreadful crash and came out to find the tapestry in front of my office to be torn from the wall. To my surprise behind it was a cave system and within those caves writing that matches your hand Mr. Hill." Aneltt smiles. "Now I would believe this was a solo job had it not been for the way the caves were carved. Only a very powerful elemental could carve stairs and ladders into caves like done here, so I find it fit to accuse my niece."

"I am not your niece," Haley growls struggling against the vines. "Trust me, It was a solo job, I found the caves as they were." I try to explain. 

"Not to mention you two burned a field of wheat that supplies the school food for the year, dirt was covering the area, and I have no doubt that was my niece." 

"I don't know what you're talking about," Haley replies calmly, truthfully. Aneltt stands up walking over to her bookshelf. She plucks a rose from a vase of lilies that match the vase at our table. She holds the rose tight, blood dripping onto the floor.

"I do not care if what I accuse you of is true or not." She purrs. "I care for the information you two seek in those tunnels."

To report to Kassadern Darath...

"We weren't doing anything in there, just sneaking around at night." I try to reason.

"Bullshit." The principle snarls. "Tell me what you seek, tell me what you have learned from your visits to the Affilatorian Circle. Tell me and I might spare you."