Sain Clare Academy (gxg, 18+)

Chapter Thirty-six

I nibbled my lower lip between my teeth as I walked, slowly, toward my doom. High Mage Burner had asked me to check in with him, and like the obedient dog the duke had appointed me to be I had no choice but to obey his orders.

As I crept around the corner, however, I heard voices. My breath hitched as I felt her mana invade my every sense, her clear and strong voice cut straight through my body.

"High Mage Burner," I heard her voice ground out, low but powerful, "do you mean to disobey my orders?"

"Of course not, my lady," his voice, rough and full-bodied like a vat of oil, seeped through the door.

You shouldn't eavesdrop, I scolded myself.

"Did I not appoint High Mage Eclaire her position?" Grace spoke. I startled. It was she who gave me my position? I thought...

I thought it was the duke who had sentenced me to this prison.

"You did, my lady,"— his taut reply. I felt Grace's mana ripple, her voice frigid as she spat her next words out.

"Then why, might I ask, is the High Mage doing tasks I would not order a maid to fulfill?"

Silence. Then, a thunderous laugh filled the room, permeating loudly into the grand hallway I occupied. He had given himself the best of the best office spaces, as befitting a High Mage of the duke— a royal position few could question. My room, which was smaller than many of the maids' rooms, was nothing in comparison. I didn't even have an office space.

He'd been inhibiting my every move; when I'd decided I may as well make the best of my situation, at least investigate what the Selector might mean to the duchal family, I found myself so strictly monitored I had made no leeway at all.

"That thing," he began, his voice cruel, "does not deserve the title you benevolently bestowed upon it. Morgan Eclaire is of traitorous blood and it is an insult to the kingdom to acknowledge an Eclaire as anything but a lowly criminal. My lady, I implore you– she tried to murder you!" How ironic that the first time I would ever hear him properly say my name it would be with curse to my family.

I felt my stomach sink, rage bubbling through my veins; apathy replaced it as I reminded myself that I could not act.

For her sake. Right. I could not act out of line, lest I made things hard for Grace.

A tamed dog.

"Shut up," I whispered in frustration, so low I couldn't even hear myself.

"High Mage Eclaire," Grace corrected him. "I do not expect you to like every order I give, but they are still orders and you will obey them. Understood?"

"...Yes, my lady," he begrudgingly replied, though it sounded like the words had been forced through his teeth.

"High Mage Eclaire is an incredible mage and you will treat her with respect. Is it not the rule of mages to obey those more powerful than you? Or are you confident you could beat the Wildcard in a match?"

"..."

Wildcard. So Grace knew of my past. For some reason, the thought made my stomach drop. My savage youth, filled with hatred and wishes for revenge. I realized now that perhaps I hadn't wanted Grace to discover my identity partly because I didn't want to reveal that part of myself to her.

Just what does she think of me?

She spoke pretty words now, but I beat the fluttering in my stomach her compliments had caused back, reminding myself of her cold eyes on that day. Grace Belloway was not in love with Morgan Eclaire.