Sain Clare Academy (gxg, 18+)

Chapter Fourteen

It was bold of them, I thought as my shoulder stung from being slammed into the wall, to approach me like this though they knew I was under Grace Belloway's protection.

If I was even under her protection anymore.

After seeing that we no longer talked, maybe they got confident that nothing would happen from harassing me. It was common in this school for nobles to attack commoners or those they didn't like, because they themselves were under constant oppression and supervision. It was like a stress-relieving game for them.

Apparently, one I was starring in.

The girls stared bitterly down at me, and I recognized one of them to be the blond from before. The hatred in her eyes burned through me.

"I hope you're happy," she hissed, tears pricking at her eyes.

"Hmm?" I asked, trying to restrain my teacher's instinct. Amazing how my bloodlust could vanish so easily from seeing one of my students start to cry.

"She... she hates me now!" She wailed, slamming me into the wall again. I winced when my soft flesh bit into the hard material; I would surely bruise, later.

"Have you tried talking to her?" I offered, attempting to smile even though my body was wracked with pain. Whatever magical reinforcement she was using, it worked: her professor should get a gold-star. My breathing was starting to get heavy. As she pressed me into the wall, her heavy mana battling against my fragile, passive body and draining my energy. I almost wanted to unleash my magic to reject hers and protect myself-- trying to resist magic with just your body was almost impossible--, but that would only serve to wrack the student with the pain I was currently feeling. It would manifest on her tenfold because I was much more powerful than she was, damaging her severely. There was no way to get through this without harming her except by enduring it.

I had been through worse, anyway.

"She won't even... she won't even look at me," the blond ground out, her eyes puffed from emotion. "Do you know how privileged you are? How hard it is for a normal student to even talk to her at all? You're so... lucky! And you treat her attention like it's nothing!" Jealousy was a scary thing.

"Hey, it's okay," I soothed, reaching out to her, wanting to brush the hair that had fallen before her teary eyes behind her ear. The girls behind her looked nervous, which I should have taken as a warning.

Still, I was soft-hearted for my students.

"Don't touch me!" She screamed, shrill in my ear, catching my wrist and bending it backward. I felt the snap before it reverberated through the air, and her shocked expression filled my spotty vision as she threw me against the wall and backed up hastily. "Shit," she murmured. Or maybe she didn't-- I couldn't hear very well through the ringing in my ears and the pain in my body.

"Let's go," a girl said, putting her hand on the blond's back and leading her away.

Wait, I wanted to say, but I couldn't find my voice, please tell me your name. To bully me like this, to snap like this, she had to be under incredible stress. I wanted to make sure she was able to find the support she needed before she ended up lashing out again.

The pain radiated through my body, and the only good thing about it was that it shocked my mind into awareness. I curled up on the floor, grinding my teeth together in an attempt to deal with the burn in my back and the agony in my wrist as I attempted to funnel my magic into my injured body.

Luckily, it would be unlikely for any more students to pass through this area for another hour. I struggled to get up, the cool floor feeling nice against the stinging in my body and wrist. It felt like hours, though it was probably only minutes, before I was able to shift myself up into a semi-sitting position. Goddess, I almost wanted to recruit the blond girl into my class; her magical talent was astounding.

"Olivia!" I heard a bell-like voice, concern coloring its tone, rush toward me. I couldn't open my eyes, still focusing on maintaining my transformation while also healing myself. Ironically, healing magic wasn't my specialty. "Olivia, can you hear me? Olivia?" For a moment, I wondered how she had found me. Maybe she had seen the blonde girl coming from this direction?

"...It's okay," I managed to whisper, so low I was sure she couldn't hear it, as she picked me up and cradled my body in her arms. I rested my head against her neck, sighing. It felt a bit pathetic to have to rely on her not once but twice. How come she always managed to reach me when I needed her most, but when she was in danger, I was so far away? If whoever had been targeting had decided to kill her instead of run... I would have been too late.

"I'm here now," she soothed, "it'll be okay. I'm taking you to the nurse." Her voice was so perfect, and it made my chest ache even more. Sweetly, she whispered words of encouragement as she walked quickly through the halls, letting me know every time she turned a curve or traveled up stairs so I wouldn't be surprised. The gesture, so thoughtful, made my heart clench.

I'm sorry, Grace, I wanted to say. I don't regret meeting you or going through all of this. I wish I could be the one to tell you that, but I can't.

When the door to the infirmary opened, I heard a gasp.

"Mo-Olivia!" Katarina exclaimed, and I barely managed to open my eyes, my head still resting on the junction between Grace's neck and her shoulder. "Set her down here. Oh Goddess, Olivia, what-- yes, thank you. Could you fetch me the gauze? I need to get this bleeding stopped. Thank you so much, I--" Her words blurred out as the ringing in my ears increased, and I felt the gentle icy touch of her magic on my wrist and the feeling of my bones mending back together.

I concentrated on breathing, timing it to the tick of the clock so I didn't pass out. It would be bad if I lost consciousness here, with Grace still in the room, because my magic would disperse.

"Thank you," I heard Katarina say after a few minutes had passed, the pain in my wrist receding. My back and shoulder still hurt from where I hit the wall, but I didn't want to mention it, knowing Katarina would waste more magic on me even though she had to be fatigued from healing the bones of my wrist.

"How is she?" I heard Grace ask, quietly, as if she thought I was asleep. Katarina rested a gentle hand on my shoulder, and I had to work so I didn't flinch from the pain.

"She'll be fine. I managed to mend the bone, so it should be fully healed soon. You can leave now, if you need. Thank you again for helping out."

"No, it's okay. I don't have class after this," Grace told her, firmly, and I could feel the power of royalty seeping out of her. Smart move on her part; if she hadn't used it, Katarina definitely would have insisted she leave. She was stubborn, for sure.

The power of royalty was impressive. Katarina didn't say anything in reply, instead lifting her hand and moving to the back of the room.

"She should still be awake," Katarina informed Grace, "let me know if she starts to fall asleep again." So that she could kick her out of the room. Smooth, Katarina.

"...So you're awake," Grace murmured, trailing her fingers over my cheek. I let my eyes flicker open, regretting the decision immediately.

Her eyes, crystal as a lake in winter, slammed into mine, taking my breath away. They were soft as they gazed at me, but I could see anger hardening them when they moved to my wrist.

"Does this happen often?" She asked, still looking at my wrist. I could see the real question in her eyes and remembered what she had said to me the day I apologized. Involving yourself with me is just going to make things harder for you.

I had to close my eyes before I could answer her.

No, it doesn't, I wanted to say. Don't think that I would ever regret meeting you. And, why do you care more for me than yourself? You're in danger.

"You should leave," I croaked instead. I felt her hand stiffen on me before she pulled away.

"I understand," she murmured, and as she left I hated myself more than I could ever hate her beautiful silver hair for being unable to open my eyes and see the pain in her eyes as she walked away.