Tower of Thorns

Chapter 4

Mila's POV

It took a few hours but Ben was finally able to explain the sport that is Tourney. Ben offered to keep explaining a wide variety of things I had missed out on by staying in my tower but first he had to help Carlos. I walked with him to the field from earlier where Carlos was waiting. Ben got out a stopwatch, he had to explain it to me, and told Carlos to run. A dog barked in the distance and Carlos ran faster than before. Ben and I followed him into the woods but I stopped at the edge. A few minutes later Ben came out of the woods without Carlos.

"Mila, are you ok?" Ben asked, presumably after he saw how scared I was.

"Y-yeah," I croaked out. "I'm just gonna head back to my room. I'll talk to you later." I turned around and walked back to the bleachers to grab my bag. Keeping my eyes on the floor I walked up a flight of stairs and bumped into someone on the top step. We both reached out to steady each other. "I'm so sorry," I said looking up.

"Completely my fault. I should know better than reading while walking... well anywhere," she said. I took a moment to study her features. She had stunning blue eyes and platinum blond, almost white, hair. My eyes drifted to her outfit to see a baby blue tube top, a white pair of shorts, and matching blue heels. Around her neck was a snowflake necklace. Her hair was styled in a messy braid that fell over her right shoulder. "I'm Evelina Frost. What's your name?"

"Mila... Gothel..." I trailed off not really wanting to hear any rude comments.

"So you're one of the five. You know, you're a lot nicer than the other one I met, Mal I think her name was. Anyway, it's nice to meet you. We should hang out sometime. Are you free after four o'clock?"

"I think so."

"Great. Let's meet back here and we can hang out before dinner."

"Okay." She walked down the stairs as I continued up to my room.

A few hours and three pep talks later, I walked downstairs to meet Evelina. She was waiting for me at the top of the steps with a book in her hand. It was a white leather-bound book with a snowflake on the cover. I tapped her on the shoulder and... ice shot from her hand? She waved her hand over the ice and it disappeared.

"How did you do that?" I asked amazed.

"Please don't tell anyone," she pleaded looking scared.

I let out a relief filled laugh. "I thought I was the only one with magic," I whispered. "Come with me." I dragged her up to my room and locked the door behind us. "That was amazing," I said, breaking the tension.

"You're not scared?" She asked timidly.

I shook my head no. "I thought I was the only one with magic."

"You have powers too?! I thought Mother Gothel didn't have any magic."

We sat on my bed and I leaned back against the headboard. "My mother told me that my magic was a blessing. When I was born... I died and my mother told me that she cried over me and all of a sudden I was crying with her. She says that I healed myself and her that night."

"That's pretty amazing too. So you have the same power as Finn?"

"Who's Finn?"

"Rapunzel and Eugene's son. Don't worry he's super sweet."

"So what can you do?"

She opened her palm and a tiny snowstorm appeared in the palm of her hand. "I can control ice like my mother and sometimes I can ride the wind like my father."

"That sounds so cool. What is it like? Riding the wind?"

She let out a content sigh and a faraway look reached her eyes. "It's like nothing you could even imagine. When I'm up there I feel free like nothing can touch me."

"I wish I could go too."

"Maybe one day I could take you, you know after I master it."

"I would like that."

We spent the majority of the next hour talking about random things and she showed off her power a bit more. The dinner bell rang and we walked downstairs together talking about some books that she has read that she thought I would be interested in. We went through the line together and she helped me pick a few more things than just fruit. Once we were through she led me over to some of her other friends.

"Mila this is Kristy, my cousin," Evelina introduced. A girl with strawberry blonde hair looked up from her phone and waved. "Next to her is Michail, her boyfriend." A boy with bright orange hair and a lot of muscles nodded in my direction. "Across from Michail is Paxton, Finn's boyfriend." A boy with tan skin and jet black hair looked up at me, stared for a few seconds then looked away. "Don't mind him. Finally, last but not least, Zache, my boyfriend." A shaggy blond head piped up from his homework and gave me a bright smile. "Guys, this is Mila."

"Hello," I said rather nervously.

"Hi," Kristy said energetically.

I took a seat next to Evelina right in front of Kristy. Dinner passed in a blur. The conversation never ceased and it felt natural to be around them. No one judged me for my mother's mistake. Finn did eventually show up and he told me that he held no resentment for what my mother did to his. He told me that his mother eventually forgave mine.

Ben came over and joined us about halfway through dinner, effectively saving me from any potential questions about my mother. I fiddled with the necklace that Mom gave me and I doubt it went unnoticed by the group. Ben reached over and wrapped one of my hands in his and gave it a comforting squeeze. I gave a small squeeze in return as a thank you. The last bell rang signaling the end of dinner and we all said good night.

Ben offered to walk me back to my room and I accepted. "Are you alright?" Ben asked once we were far enough away from the group.

"Yeah," I answered, "I just miss my Mom. I just wish I could talk to her, see how she is doing."

"What do you mean?"

"I... I'm just worried about her," I said, fibbing. "We've never been this long without contact before."

"I'm sure you'll see her again soon."

We stopped in front of my door and I bid him a good night.