The Tyrant

Chapter Three

Salem Bloor

I dreaded the first day of school, but I put on a happy face. Honestly, I didn't want the responsibility my father was thrusting onto my shoulders. I didn't want to babysit Nova Eriksson or the man responsible for singlehandedly almost burning this whole city to the ground a thousand years ago. I didn't want to be the head boy either. It was too much stress for me, and I didn't handle stress well at all.

I decided to look for Nova first. I scouted the blue coatroom, trying to look over the heads of students as I stood in front of my locker. I zoned out trying to remember how she wore her hair. I was brought back to earth after someone bumped into me and murmured "Sorry, but could you move over? My locker is right below yours."

It was a Swedish accent. I looked down only to see large icy blue eyes staring at me. Nova was even more attractive in person. I had seen her everywhere but had never bothered to learn her name. She had really pretty pale skin. She almost looked like porcelain. And like an old, beautiful porcelain doll, she had cracks. She had a scar under her right eye, another close to her mouth. She had flaws, but her striking features distracted from them. Everything about her was so intense. The makeup around her eyes was dark and her eyelashes were curly and long. She had bright red lipstick on that almost distracted me from that scar by her mouth. She was the kind of girl you always noticed but feared. In that moment, I, Salem Bloor, was at a loss for words. I was terrified of this girl who stood impatiently, waiting for me to move out of the way of her locker. I wondered if she was purposely placed below me.

"Are you going to stare or are you going to move?" She asked. She looked more annoyed by the second so I wordlessly stepped aside. "Thank you." She knelt down and began to place piano sheet music inside her locker. When she finished she stood up and stared into my eyes. "I guess I should get to know you if you're going to have the locker above mine. I'm Nova Eriksson. I'm a fifth year piano and violin student."

"Uh... Salem Bloor. I'm a sixth year and a guitar student."

Shit. Salem Bloor? How didn't I notice before? Argh, no. This can't be happening. Her thoughts were panicked but she remained composed. She smiled sweetly. "I'm sorry for being so rude. I have to go now." They placed him there on purpose. What the hell is his endowment? I should have done more research on these children. Her hurried thoughts followed her out of the room and I leaned against the locker not sure of what to do. She was obviously endowed, or she was hiding something important.

"So? What's on your mind, cousin?" Someone breathed into my ear. I almost jumped out of my skin to find Borlath standing even taller than I, right behind me wrapped in a cape like a normal student. "Actually, I really don't care. What's on that girl's mind? She was… beautiful."

I thought of what dad had said the night before. Something about it being beneficial to their cause to have Borlath and Nova interact. "That's Nova, and you need to stay away from her for right now. Dad and Miss Yewbeam said so." I sounded like a snotty little kid.

"But cousin, it's like love at first sight. I feel so drawn to her." He brought up his hands and clenched his fists. I could hear the sound of fire crackling. I immediately pulled his wrists down. "Ah. Sorry. I got a bit overwhelmed. I'm a terribly passionate man."

"Just listen to me for now, okay? I promise you'll get to meet her and spend time with her soon, but not now." The bell sounded for assembly, which occurred every Monday morning and we walked together to the great hall. I don't know why I was promising Borlath anything, most likely just to appease him and give him less reason to disobey. He was a grown man and a prince at that, therefore he was more likely to try and control us. He would remember his place soon enough and would eventually learn of the fear that he could strike into all of our hearts, including that of the most evil in this mansion.

After assembly I threw myself into school work and did not see Nova or Borlath the rest of the morning. At lunch, Borlath came and sat with me at my table and stared forlornly in Nova's direction. "Dude, stop it." I smacked his arm then immediately withdrew my hand, forgetting he could probably burn my skin off if he really wanted to. "You look creepy and you can't do things that these days."

"But I want to meet her. She looks so interesting."

They're staring at me. Why the hell are they staring at me? Her thoughts were reaching me. So creepy.

"She knows you're staring. Stop." I pleaded. He didn't listen. He stood up and began to walk towards her. I watched the pink blush creep onto her face. She dropped her eyes down to her food and began to nervously pick at it with her fork. She was internally begging him to turn around and leave her alone. Go away. Go away. Go away! Please keep walking. NO DON'T SIT DOWN. But he sat down across from her, making her look up.

"I am Borlath Bloor, pleased to make your acquaintance. Don't mind my name. It's not as vicious as its history, my dear." He was smooth. I had to give him that. He was charming and disarming enough for Nova to noticeably let down her guard.

"Oh… I'm not much of a fan of fire anyway." She put her fork down, pushed her plate aside and rested her folded arms on the table. "So, are you the fourth Bloor sibling or something?"

I watched Borlath slightly cringe but he still carried on. "I'm a cousin. I'm from quite a bit away but my mother died a long time ago and my father, a wanderer, just kind of left me here. Uncle Harold took me in, is letting me finish my schooling and is even paying for my college in the fall."

He was smooth and a very good liar. Nova believed every bit of bull he spewed out. I watched her hardened and intimidating expression fade. "My mother died too. Car accident. And my father is an alchemist, which causes him to travel a lot. He leaves during the week while I'm at school to collect supplies." They were hitting it off and I was terrified that Manfred would walk down the hall and see that I couldn't keep them separated.

"I know a part of your history before I even know your name. Tell me it's as beautiful as you are."

God fucking damn was he smooth! I was getting angry. I spent most of my secondary education life being the charming and charismatic Bloor, and here he was so easily chipping away the barrier Miss Ice Queen built up against me. She was actually buying all of this, eating out of his hand. "I'm so sorry, I thought I told you. I guess you just threw me off guard. My name is Nova Eriksson."

"Nova is such a beautiful name. You truly are the brightest star in a sky of dull astral bodies."

Oh my god. That was just stupid. I couldn't even handle it. It was so corny. I had a rule against using a girl's name in pickup lines because it is honestly the most cliché and cringe-worthy thing a man could do. I wasn't sure what was worse, him saying it or her believing it.

"Salem! What the hell are you doing?" Manfred's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I was getting annoyed at the number of people who were sneaking up on me like this today. His cold, bony hand dug into my shoulder. "You're supposed to keep them separated unless directed otherwise."

"You wanna try telling Prince Tyrant no? Because I really like having my nice, smooth, unburned skin."

Manfred glared at me and focused his attention on Nova and Borlath. "Have you found anything else out about her?"

"As dirty as I feel going into an unsuspecting girl's head, yeah, I have found out a few things about her. She's afraid of being around a Bloor for too long and is hiding something. If you put those two things together, it's obviously pretty suspicious. Borlath disarmed her very well. He'll get her to slip up."

"I'm sure he will, but we don't want him to reveal himself. I'm putting an end to this little lunch date." He walked past me and over to their table. "Excuse me. I'm sorry to interrupt but Borlath is wanted in the headmaster's office. "

Nova, like all the other students, knew better than to challenge Manfred by looking him in the eye. "It's nice to see you, Manfred." She murmured timidly.

"That's Sir to you, Miss Eriksson. And please, spare the flattery." He scoffed.

"I'm sorry sir." She watched Borlath bow to her and exit the room without a word. He was pissed, but knew he had to obey until he could overpower us easily. His thoughts scared me. I tried not to enter them. "I may be out of line to ask, but I thought you graduated?"

"I did. Only that idiot Asa Pike was stupid enough to get held back." Ouch. What a way to talk about your best friend. I really liked Asa. There was something about him, like he wasn't wholly evil. He was just misguided and confused about his own endowment. He needed acceptance from someone. "I briefly went to the States for schooling in an education degree and I have returned as a teaching assistant and advisor for the Red King's Children."

"I wish I could go to the States. I've never been there, only other countries in Europe." She smiled dreamily at the thought. It was as if a conversation with Borlath had changed her completely.

"Nova…" He sat down across from her and leaned in close. "Because I'm an advisor to the endowed students, I'm here to tell you to stay away from Borlath at all costs until I tell you otherwise. His endowment is unstable and it's not safe for you, an unendowed child, to be interacting with him."

"Oh?" She bravely looked him in the eyes. "He didn't seem dangerous. He was so nice. Most people don't talk to me because I guess I'm kind of cold and mean at first glance."

"I care about your safety and don't want to see you get hurt. I'm really sorry, but could you please do me this one favor?"

Nice Manfred always disarmed people. He was always such a dick to everyone that when he actually said things like "please" and "I care about you", no one ever knew how to react. I was getting annoyed. Since when were my siblings more effective at conversation than me? I watched Manfred get up and leave Nova to her lunch. I was tempted to go sit with her and try to talk to her as well, but I felt as though I would be pushing my luck. She would definitely know we were on to her and take extra care not to slip up. I stared down at my food and sighed.

I hated this school, I hated this town, and sometimes I hated my family. It was difficult being the only Bloor with morals. Although they were so different from me and I disliked the things they did to people, they were still my family. I felt like they wouldn't be so bad if Ezekiel wasn't considered the patriarch of the Bloors and if Manfred and dad had actually been raised by grandpa.

Everyone thought that Grandpa Bart had died mountain climbing, but I was one of the few people in this world that knew he was alive and lived in the wilderness across the bridge. Sometimes I lied and said I was staying with friends when in reality I would go stay with him and help him chop wood or whatever else he needed. He remarried and had another family now. He told me I was like him, a black sheep. If only I didn't mindlessly follow my father's orders sometimes.