Chapter Twelve
I blink my eyes open slowly, and yawn. Pain from sore muscles and bruises prickles across my body, and I let out an involuntary groan. My stomach muscles burn from all the vomiting, and I can feel a few bruises on my face and body where Edward beat me yesterday.
On the bright side, I don't feel sick anymore. That's something, I guess.
I lay against the wall in the bathroom, and I can already feel cramps forming in my neck and back from sleeping so awkwardly. Molly stirs slightly next to me, blinking her eyes open with a yawn. I slowly get up as she stretches her muscles and looks up at me.
"Feeling better?" She asks softly.
"Yeah," I answer, taking a few steadying breaths. "Just a little weak. And sore. And maybe a little tired."
She laughs lightly. "But other than that, you're good?"
"Yup," I answer sarcastically. "Never better."
She smiles, getting up slowly and then exiting the stall. I follow, and I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. Blotchy bruises cover most of my face, turning my normally pale skin into a rainbow of dark blues and blacks.
"Yeah," Molly says, wincing sympathetically. "I know it doesn't look too good, but I'm sure I could hide most of it with some makeup if you want."
"No," I reply instantly, and a little too forcefully. Molly looks taken back, and I wince.
"Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. It's just… it's fine," I say, taking a shaky breath as I touch my fingers to a few of the bruises.
"Are… are you sure?" She asks, sounding slightly hurt. "I mean, it's a city day and all that…"
I pause for a second my fingers touching a throbbing bruise on my cheek. I can't go to the city looking like this. It would raise too many questions. Maybe I just won't go to the city then. It's not like I have anything waiting there for me anyway. Akira is off with the Rune Guard, and Zane… he lied to me. He's getting himself mixed up in something, and if I try to get near it, it'll only get worse. Just like everything else I come in contact with.
"Yeah," I answer finally, looking into my reflection's eyes. "I'm sure."
"Okay," Molly says, nodding and biting her lip softly. "Well, I'm going to go see what time it is and then maybe catch some sleep. I guess I'll see you at breakfast?"
I give her a nod and small smile, and she returns it, leaving the bathroom quickly.
I sigh. I hope she doesn't feel like I didn't want the makeup because it was something she did. I want the bruises to show as a reminder, not just to me, but also to my allies. It may be dirty, trying to go for the sympathy card, but I honestly need it right now. With two points left and everything to lose, I can't afford be careless, and I need every bit of help I can get.
I leave the bathroom, returning to my room. My body feels weak from being so sick, and it takes me a few steadying steps with my hand against the wall to get used to the feeling. As I finally get to my room and close my door, I frown for a moment, and then turn around, putting my hand back on doorknob.
"Inertius," I whisper, putting my will behind the word. A soft purple glow surrounds the hand and the doorknob, fading in seconds. I smile as I try to turn the doorknob, and it doesn't budge. I'm going to have to start using words more often if I want to stay in practice though.
Word magic is just attaching an image or emotion to a word and putting willpower behind it to create a spell. It's tricky, but it's something I'm going to have to get used to now. If the Noxian's are going to play dirty, then I'm going to need to use the edge I have in magic to it's full extent. Especially if the next phase of our training is what I think it is. Attaching magic to words will let me use spells faster, even if they are more basic or even less powerful.
If speed is my greatest physical strength, then it might as well become one of my magical ones too, and Word magic can help me with that.
I move from the door and go to my chest, casting the same spell on it. Glancing at the clock, I realize there's not really enough time for me to sleep before breakfast, but I could get a decent shower in. Which I need. Badly.
I grab my uniform and head back to the bathroom, unlocking and relocking my door with the same spell as I go. The energy drain is so small I barely notice it even in my weakened state. I guess it's about time my natural skills in magic started paying off.
The shower feels more than just refreshing, it feels purifying. Every second I'm under the water I feel the warmth seeping into me, and my strength slowly returning along with it. I take my time. Breakfast can wait, and eating food doesn't seem super appealing to me for some reason, even if I am ravenous.
Eventually, my hunger does get the better of me, and so I turn off the shower and get dressed, throwing my dirty workout uniform into the laundry… thingy. Is it still a chute if it goes up instead of down? For that matter, where does it even go? Do they just have a laundry room in the upper part of the academy? And how does it magically get back to our closets? Do they just sneak in when we aren't there? If so, how is that going to work now that I locked my door?
I finish drying out my hair, and walk out of the bathroom. Maybe some mysteries aren't meant to be solved. Not to mention, I have way more important things to be thinking about then how the laundry system works. They probably just teleport it or something anyway. There. Mystery solved.
The stairway up to the lunchroom leaves my legs shaky, so I end up taking a seat at our table before I get any food. Everyone else is waiting for me, and I can see them trying not to stare at me as I slowly regain my strength. The lunchroom is fairly empty, and I figure it's because most of the other sub-levels left to the city to eat breakfast there. Even Devon appears to be missing.
Alex gets up slowly, leaving his meal on the table, and walks over to me.
"Come on," He says, smiling like everything is good in the world. "Lets get you something to eat, eh?"
I smile weakly at him, getting up to follow. I try to reach for a tray when we get to the serving counter, but he takes it from my hands with a look.
"You point to what you want, and I'll grab some, okay?" He says, more of a command than question. "Two pairs of eyes are better than one, after all."
I nod at him, grateful for his help. I point to some rice, and he scoops some into a bowl, and then puts it on the tray. We go through the line like that, and I mostly pick bland foods that I know will stay in my still weak stomach. All the while, I watch the food, and Alex makes sure to move slowly enough for me to keep up.
We get back to the table, and he sets the tray down in front of me. I give him a nod of thanks, and then I move to eat a bite of bread.
"Wait," He says, pulling the tray slightly away from me suddenly.
He slowly reaches out with his fork and pulls off a piece of bread, popping it into his mouth. I'm confused what he's doing at first until he begins taking a small bite from all the foods on my plate, a look of concentration coming over his face as he tastes each one.
He's trying to test them for poison by eating them first. He's literally taste testing them.
"You really didn't have to do that," I say, trailing off as my cheeks warm slightly.
"True," Alex says carefully. "But I want to. Besides, my father had me and my-"
He coughs for a second, slightly choking on the rice he just put in, and my heart skips a beat until he waves off my alarmed look.
"Bah, the rice is fine, I just can't talk and eat at the same time apparently," He says, rolling his eyes. "Anyway, as I was saying, my father had me and my mother practice tasting for poisons after we got threatened one time. Turned out to just be a prank, but it was good practice. So, really, it's no problem."
"That's not what I mean," I answer slowly, scratching at my arm.
He gives me a questioning glance, and I simply raise my hand over the food in reply.
"Pureus," I say, looking at him sheepishly as blue energy in a fine mist falls onto my food from my upraised hand. It sinks in for a second, and then begins glowing green. Everyone at the table has stopped eating to look at us,
"Poison detection spell," I answer with a lopsided smile. "It'll glow red if anything it touches is dangerous to eat. A little safer than taste testing."
"Oh… yeah. Right," He says, nodding awkwardly. "I really should have thought of that first. Huh. Well, maybe I was just hungry, and I wanted to snack on your food. Yeah. That's it."
"Bro," Xander says from next to him, giving him a light nudge with his elbow. "You still got your tray. You know, the one full of food."
Alex looks down at his tray, still on the table where he left it to help me get my food, and then back up at the faces staring at him.
"What?" He says defensively, digging back into his own food and stuffing his face. "I'm just that hungry, okay?"
Everyone laughs, and I manage an actual smile at the new warmth at the table. The tension lessons considerably, and the air feels more clear, like it's easier to breathe.
"It's fine Alex," Molly says with a teasing wink. "I thought it was sweet."
"Ha!" Alex says, nudging Xander back. "You hear that. She thinks I'm sweet."
"Pssh. She just pities you for being so dumb," Xander says offhandedly as he continues eating.
"No she doesn't," Alex says confidently before he blinks and looks at Molly. "You don't, right?"
That gets another round of laughs, and I let myself get lost in their banter as I start nibbling on my food. Alex and Xander go back and forth for awhile, and during that time, things feel almost normal. I even manage a few light chuckles, and Alex's eyes shine brighter every time I do.
The whole time, while everyone is settling back into the normal pace of life and forgetting what happened yesterday, I can't help but watch everyone warily. My eyes never leave my food except when I steal glances over Alex's shoulder to look at the nobles at their own table, but they seem fairly docile except for the occasional whisper and look.
Eventually people finish their first serving, and they go and get seconds. I feel dismayed that I'm not even a quarter of the way through my first meal, but I was just sick a day ago. Small steps, I guess.
"Hey Aria!" I hear Elizabeth shout loudly, turning the heads of our table. She looks over at us mischievously, and I get a sinking feeling in my heart.
"Did the rice taste funny to you too?" She asks with a wink, and my heart starts pounding.
I spit out a mouthful of rice I was about to swallow, snapping my eyes to the rest of it on my tray. I jerk my hand back over my food and recast the spell on reflex. Blue mist falls once again on it, but it still come back green. Panic grasps my heart, and it feels like a weight just settled on my chest. That's impossible. My spell should have worked. I get Alex missing the taste, but why didn't my spell work? Are they using some kind of unique poison, or-
"Just kidding," She says, and the others at her table snicker loudly except for Jackson, who just keeps eating his food.
I turn my head away, a furious blush working it's way onto my cheeks. I clench my fists, slowly counting to five as I try to ignore the embarrassment of falling for her bait and overreacting so much. A few of the tables from the other sub-levels also laugh even though they don't get the entire joke, but that only makes it worse.
I look slightly up, back at my food, ignoring the laughter as it fades. I try not to look at anyone, but I see quick movement out of the top of my eyes, so I raise my head further. Alex is leaning over to lightly touch my hand as if to get my attention, but he suddenly stops dead in his tracks, looking down our table at someone.
Seth stares at him from the end he sits on with a colder than ice look in his eyes. Alex pales noticeably and clenches his fists as he sits back down, looking away from him. Seth notices my gaze, gives me a nod, and then gets up, heading for the serving counter. I watch curiously from between a few strands of hair that hide my face as he loads his tray up with various foods like soup and spaghetti along with drinks until his tray is almost overflowing. Then he starts walking back to our table, taking an odd route.
He ends up walking past the noble's table with Elizabeth, Jackson, Edward, and Cody. They're too enthralled with giving Elizabeth praise for her joke to notice him coming. Seth picks up his pace slightly, his brown eyes dull but focused, and then he suddenly trips, his tray flying from his hands.
The overfilled tray of messy food and colored drinks lands on Elizabeth and Edward directly, soaking their uniforms and hair with various liquids and sticky pieces of food.
"What's wrong with you?" Elizabeth shouts as she looks down at herself, and Edward stands up with his hands clenched.
"Sorry," Seth says quietly, not looking at them as he continues walking back towards us. "Guess I'm just a dumb soldier's boy after all."
Elizabeth lets out a frustrated shout before slamming her hand on the table and then storming off, plastered in food in front of a few dozen people. Edward follows her, just as angry but more contained, and they leave a trail of food and sauce in their wake, their uniforms dripping with soft plopping sounds.
No one dares laugh outright, but almost everyone chuckles at the sight of them trying to walk dignified and angry while covered in food. I smile, and my embarrassment lessons slightly, even if my cheeks are still hot.
"Thanks," I mumble, poking at some of my leftovers.
"Anytime," Seth replies simply, resuming his meal like nothing happened.
Xander and Molly give Seth broad grins, shaking their heads in disbelief at his audacity. He stays quiet though and just continues eating.
"Excuse me," Alex says, standing up suddenly. "I'll be in the common room if anyone needs me."
He leaves, walking away briskly. Xander and Molly watch him leave with confused expressions, but Seth just keeps on eating some type of soup, not even looking up at Alex as he goes.
The scene of the two of them arguing in the hallway replays in my mind, and suddenly I feel tense and uncertain. Just what is the problem between those two? They seemed to get along fine, and I even pegged the two as friends, so what changed? Why is it that Seth is suddenly threatening Alex?
Whatever the reason, I need to find out. It may be selfish, but I need allies now more than ever, and if they're at each other's throats, they won't be much help to me.
A knot forms in my stomach at that thought, and I smile dimly. There we go. That's more Noxian. Maybe I should feel more than just a little unsettled that I'm able to think like that so easily, but if that's what it takes to survive, then I'll do it. I won't let them break me again.
I try to finish my food as quickly as I can, and just as I'm about to excuse myself, I see the cook taking quick steps towards our table. The young man that seemed to be my friend looks distraught, and just as he reaches our table, Seth stands up purposefully, slowly turning his head to stare directly at him.
He pales considerably and stops in his tracks, but I see him look back at me, taking a few shaky breaths.
"It's true, isn't it?" He asks, his voice wobbling slightly. "You were the one who got sick."
"Yeah," Xander says from where he sits, folding his arms. "After eating your food. You know, the one thing you're responsible for? Or did you forget that part?"
"I-," He begins, clenching his fists and in anger and stopping. "I had nothing to do with this. You think I would come over here like this if I did?"
"Would you?" A cold voice asks, and it takes me a second to register it as Seth's.
The cook looks at Seth, and then back to me, his breaths ragged and hands shaking. I see his jaw stiffen as his eyes turn determined, and he takes a deep breath.
"I understand it's far-fetched to believe that the head cook had nothing to do with the poisoning," He says sternly. "I also understand that it's my job to make sure the food is safe, and I failed. I offer recompense in whatever form you see fit, whether it be my blood or testing your food from now on."
Everyone stares at him in stunned silence, and I keep my eyes on his face, studying it for the slightest movements. He seems sincere, but most liars do. I slowly stand up and walk up to him, standing directly in front of him.
"What's your name?" I ask him softly, tilting my head. "I never got to ask."
"Caleb," He replies, licking his lips nervously. "Caleb Church."
"Alright then, Caleb," I say slowly, taking a moment to think through my next words. He stares straight ahead, and I train my eyes on his face, watching him carefully. I had plenty of time to think of what I could possibly ask him to find out the truth last night as I was constantly waking up to vomit, but no matter what I thought of, it always came down to trusting what he said.
Obviously, I'm not going to do that. I need to do something no one would expect, something that will surprise him enough to get a reaction, and there's only one thing that I can think of.
"Listen closely Caleb," I say, taking a steadying breath. "I know you didn't poison me, and I know you had no part to play in it. You treated me well from the very moment I met you. I trust you, so don't worry about it."
His face shows no surprise, not even for a moment. He just closes his eyes in relief, a smile spreading on his face. I can feel everyone else's shocked looks on my back but I ignore them as I start walking away. I stop as I come to his side, facing the opposite way. My eyes flick back to him, and he looks at me with a relieved smile.
"And if I ever find out differently," I say quietly, hoping only he can hear me. "I won't do anything to you."
"Why?" He asks back quietly, scrunching his eyebrows in confusion.
"Because I'll just tell Fairfax," I state simply, ready for anything.
He doesn't even flinch. He closes his eyes slowly, breathing out another relieved sigh before he gives me a serious nod.
"I wouldn't want it any other way."
His words make me blink in surprise. Oh void. He really didn't have anything to do with my poisoning. I thought he was at least in on it, but no liar in their right mind would be able to react so calmly to a threat like that. This means the Nobles were able to sneak the poison on to the food through everyone's notice, including the cook who actually served the food. But how? How is that even possible.
I walk quickly out of the lunchroom, feeling more shaken than ever. It would have made sense if it was Caleb, it really would have. Him not doing it actually makes things harder. It means the Nobles have more tricks up their sleeves, that they're sneakier than I originally thought, which makes them more dangerous.
I stop outside of the common room's door, my heart pounding. I want to go back to my room and think through the implications of the Nobles being able to sneak poison directly onto my food under all five of my allies, but I don't have the luxury of time. Today's a city day, meaning people are going to be hard to find and in groups that make private conversations impossible.
If I want to find out what's going on between Alex and Seth, this is my chance, while they're separated. Overthinking my poisoning won't help me anyway. I need to find out what's going on, and not only that, but this will give me a chance to find out more about Alex. If he lies to me about his story, I'll be able to figure it out pretty quickly just by asking Seth for his version.
I really hope he doesn't try to lie to me. No matter what his story is, I'll look him straight in the eyes the whole time, watching for any hint of deceit. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that you can't ever truly hide the truth. There's always a tell, and most often, the eyes give it away first.
I reach out my hand, and open the door, stepping into the common room. Alex sits in one of the chairs, watching a League match silently. I close the door behind me, making sure it's loud enough for him to hear. He looks back briefly, his eyes flickering between emotions as he realizes it's me.
I walk over slowly, chewing on my lip as I consider my words. I end up sitting down in one of the chairs off to his side, silently looking at my clasped hands. The background noise of the League match only accents the awkward silence.
"I'm sorry," Alex finally says, and I look up in surprise. "About what I told you about Seth before."
"You just told me to be careful," I say, frowning as he continues staring at the screen.
"I know," he answers quietly. "But it still isn't my place to try and ruin your friendship with him just because of our quarrel. I know you two get along well, and I shouldn't have tried to put doubt in your mind about him. It was wrong of me."
I try to meet his eyes, but he keeps looking at the screen. I don't see anger or resentment in him. In fact, he just looks tired. His posture is slumped over, and he has dark circles underneath his eyes. He looks terrible, a drastic change from the lunchroom a few minutes ago.
No. He doesn't look tired. The look he has is much more familiar, one I saw in the mirror for a long time, one that I still see in the mirror every once and awhile. He looks defeated.
"Just what happened between the two of you?" I ask as softly as I know how.
He shakes his head, looking at me for the first time. "No. I can't drag you into this. It's just a stupid mistake on both our parts. Don't worry about it."
"Alex," I say, harder this time. "Tell me. If it's bad enough for him to threaten you and for you to warn me to be careful around him, then I think I deserve to know. What's going on?"
He lets out a sigh, his green eyes turning serious.
"Alright, but if I tell you, I need you to promise me not to share this with anyone else."
"Why?" I ask.
"Because it would end very badly for someone I care about if certain people found out some of the things I'm about to tell you," Alex says quietly. "And I'm not willing to take that risk unless you give me your word."
I purse my lips, and I feel my throat get tight. Ah, that explains it. That's why they're so tense. Noxians don't care about much, but if my guess about Alex is right, then he's different. He has someone he wants to protect, and that's rare for Noxians. They tend to believe if whomever they love can't protect themselves, then they aren't worth loving. Strength above everything else, and all that other dumb rhetoric.
"Deal," I answer, nodding seriously at him. "You have my word."
He lets out a sigh, leaning back in his chair and looking at the ceiling.
"Alright then," He says, rubbing his forehead. "You know Alex and I went to the same school as those jerks, right?"
"Yeah," I answer with a smile, assuming by "those jerks" he means the Nobles.
"Okay. Well, when I first started attending school, I acted normally. You know, making friends with people I liked, ignoring people I didn't. That sort of thing."
"Sure," I answer, curling up into the chair as he gets a far away look in his eyes.
"Well, as you know, a big part of Noxian culture is power and status. It isn't uncommon to be challenged to a duel every other day because everyone is trying to climb the social ladder. The only ones who aren't really challenged are the noble families, because they have the power to make your family's life terrible back in Noxus. They have the political power to do it, so they do. One wrong word to a noble, and you can find your family suddenly being slandered or even arrested."
"That's terrible," I mumble, trying to feign surprise, to which he just gives a distracted nod in reply.
"Yeah… well, luckily for me, my family's in the lower class of nobles, which makes us safe from everyone but the highest of nobles. At the same time though, the lower classes felt comfortable around us, giving us an odd sort of position in between the nobles and commoners. So I thought I had nothing to worry about, right? I mean, as long as I handled myself in duels, went about my own business, and only challenged people I needed to, I would be safe, right?"
"Okay," I answer. A deep, sickening feeling starts to seep into me as I begin to see where this story is going. The simple truth is, anytime you're around Noxians and you think you're safe, you're not. I know that better than anyone. For the first time in my life though, I'm beginning to feel like maybe I'm not the only one who's figured that out.
"Well, that worked for two years," He says brushing some stray blond hair from his face as he looks straight into my eyes. "And then my little sister began coming to my school."
"Oh," I breathe out, closing my eyes as dread seeps into me. That's why he made me promise. He doesn't want anyone finding out about her for the same reason I kept my family secret from the Noxians. "Oh."
"Four years younger," Alex says, nodding simply as his voice begins wavering. "And even though I wanted to try and protect her, I knew she would never forgive me if I exerted my influence to make her safe. Noxian pride, ya know? She wanted to fight people in duels like her older brother, to show that she was strong. So she made me promise to tell no one I was her brother. And I did."
He inhales shakily, and I feel my breath catch in my throat as I grit my teeth and look slightly away. I don't want to hear this. I know what comes next. But I force myself to keep listening, because I was the stupid one to ask him to tell me, to relive his past. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
"I think it was her fourth duel," He says, clearing his throat. "Some girl in her class got angry over something idiotic, like only us Noxians can. So she decided to teach my sister a lesson."
He looks away from me, the only sound in the room the league match currently playing, and I flick my hand at it annoyingly, sending out a slight effort of will and turning it off. Silence reigns.
"The only thing I remember about that day," He rasps, keeping his face hidden. "Is when I came to the entrance of our school to walk home with her, and she wasn't there. So I waited. I waited until everyone else left, and then I finally saw one last person coming out of the school grounds. She looked so small, so fragile, and she limped over to me as I stood there, frozen in horror. She looked up at me, trying to hide the blood on her face from her big brother, and gave me a smile. A smile."
He stops, taking a few deep breaths to calm himself, and I look down at the ground in the somber silence.
"They hurt her. Bad. They broke her bones, bloodied her face, and made her suffer. She wasn't able to return to school for a week between her injuries and her fear. So I had a choice to make."
I look up into his gaze, his emerald eyes moist but determined.
"I had to choose what was more important between my sister and my reputation," He says, disgust entering his voice. "A choice most Noxians wouldn't think twice on."
"No, they wouldn't," I murmur in agreement. "But you're not like most Noxians, are you?"
"I hope not," Alex answers back, giving a weak smile. "Anyways, I decided my sister was more important. So I began my career as a schmooze. I became friends with anyone and everyone I could possibly meet. The lower class loved me because I was a noble giving them time, and the high class nobles loved me because I was more important than their average yes-man. I made it my job to build power and influence no matter how much I had to degrade myself or who I had to hang out with."
His face curls in utter disgust, and I see a flash of hate in his eyes.
"I don't know what was worse," Alex spits out. "The fact that I was capable of becoming friends with some of the scum at that school, or the fact that I was good at it. By the time my sister came back a week later, everyone knew she and I were severely off limits. All I had to do was sell my soul to a few devils, and then I was suddenly important."
"You did what you had to do," I whisper, trying to imagine how torturous it must have been for him to become friends with people like Elizabeth or Cody. "And it's not like they were really your friends anyway."
"True," he conceded, giving a nod. "But it made it no less disgusting. Anyway, to get to the point, I became known as a pretty influential person. I knew so many people that I could get favors done, or, at least, so the rumors went. No one knew the truth that I was actually just a schmooze, trying to get by."
"So what went wrong?" I ask, trying to figure out where Seth fits into all of this.
"Well, one day, Seth came up to me to ask me for a favor," He says letting out a sigh. "He had a crush on this girl, you see, and she got in some trouble with one of the nobles and was going to have to duel them. Everyone knew it was going to be a slaughter for her, so Seth asked me to get the duel called off using my contacts. I told him I would."
He winces slightly, looking down at his feet. "See, somewhere along the line I deluded myself into thinking I had actual power. So when he approached me with his favor, I thought this was my chance to redeem myself for what happened with my sister. I couldn't protect her, but at least now I could protect someone else. That's got to be worth something, right?"
"Right," I choke out, nodding along in agreement.
"So I went and told the noble to call off the duel," Alex says, wincing again. "One humiliating beatdown and two broken ribs later, and I found out just how powerful I really was. But I wasn't the only one to pay for that mistake, oh no, that wouldn't be the honorable and fair Noxian way."
A shiver runs down my spine at his words. I can imagine the anger of a Noxian being told what to do by someone inferior all too well, and I shift my position in my chair uncomfortably, trying to get the cold feeling out of my spine.
"By the time I found Seth to warn him," Alex says, sitting back into his chair. "They had already broken her leg and beat her so badly that she ended up transferring schools to avoid the embarrassment. Seth just nodded at my warning, and then informed me of what happened. Then he walked away, just like that."
"And because of your reputation," I say carefully, realization beginning to dawn on me. "He thought you were responsible for making the beatdown so bad."
"Yup," he answers, biting his lip nervously. "But that's not why I told you to be careful around him. That's not why he scares me."
I frown at him as he looks around nervously, as if he's trying to assure himself that we're still alone.
"One week later," Alex whispers, leaning closer. "The guy who beat up his crush was found in an alleyway with both his legs broken. He was beaten so badly that the doctors said he wouldn't be able to walk for years even with healing magics. I remember the day after I heard that news, Seth came up to me and asked if I heard what happened. I swear, I thought he was going to beat me to a pulp right then and there, but he didn't. He just told me that if he ever found even a hint of proof that I was behind it, I would pay tenfold. And then he left."
I let out a soft breath, as Alex sits back in his chair, his story obviously finished. So that's why Seth hates Alex so much. He thinks Alex played a part in that awful beatdown of that girl, but he has no proof that he can act on, and Alex can't explain what really happened without revealing the existence of his sister, something that almost any Noxian would use against him in a heartbeat.
Alex was forced to become a villain in Seth's eyes, forever looking over his shoulder if he wanted to protect his sister. His story doesn't just hurt, it physically makes me feel sick. He did something that only two other people I know would be willing to do, and those two people are now further away from me than ever before.
"So," Alex says sourly. "That's that. I know it's probably pretty hard to believe that a Noxian like me would actually care about his family, but that's-"
"No," I interrupt, rubbing my damp eyes with the back of my hands. "I believe you."
His eyes widen in surprise, and then slowly shine with relief. "But why? I mean, for all you know, I could have made that all up. I have no proof I can show you or anything. So why do you believe me?"
"Because of your eyes," I answer, looking away from him. "Throughout that whole story, I only ever saw one look in your eyes, a look that I recognize all too well. It's the look of someone disgusted with themselves, someone who is tortured by their past and wishes every minute of every day that they could change it. No one can fake that look. No one."
There's a stunned silence, and I try to keep my mind clear. I don't want the memories to come back. Not of the rain or the shadows. Nothing.
"Aria," Alex says, his voice echoing with haunting, understanding pain. "What happened to you?"
I sniff, and get up quickly, wiping my sweaty palms on my skirt and trying to give him my best fake smile.
"It's nothing," I say quickly, fast walking to the door. "I'm really sorry for bringing up such a bad memory."
"Aria!" He calls out as I reach the door, and I look back at him.
He doesn't look like another student when I look back. For that matter, he doesn't look like another Noxian. Alex just stands there, his eyes soft with a sad smile on his face, looking like he just understands.
"Don't be sorry," He says, looking me straight in the eye. "You can't imagine how good it felt to tell someone the whole truth for once in my life. Especially someone who knows what it's like. So… if you ever want to talk about what happened… I'm here, alright?"
I nod back, tears threatening my eyes as I quickly open the door and leave, rushing back to the safety of my own room. A tear escapes as I'm force to stop and unlock my door with a spell, and I close the door behind me a little too forcefully. I take a shaky breath, staring at the confines of my room for awhile.
Alex. If there is one Noxian I've ever wanted to trust since last year, it's him. But I can't. I just can't. Not after everything that's been done. No matter how similar I think we are, or how much I see Zane in him, I can't trust him to do anything except what's in his best interests.
My heart throbs in pain with each beat, and I slowly go and fall down on my bed, giving my weak legs a chance to rest. Zane. My brother. I want to love him again, to just accept his decisions for what they are, but how am I supposed to do that when everything he's doing completely betrays every promise he has made to me?
I close my eyes and let my emotions play out. They're too strong to think coherently about anymore, and beating myself up over things I can't control isn't going to help anyone, so I just let myself feel. Pain, fear, and sadness alternate through me, the three most familiar things I've ever felt, and it feels nostalgic, almost.
I almost let out a bitter laugh until I realize how dark that thought is, and then I just groan instead, covering my eyes with my arm. I'm so tired of this. If all Noxus brings to people's lives is pain, even to their own citizens, then why hasn't anyone stopped, or at least tried to change them? How do they continue to get away with this?
I hear a knock on my door, and I force myself to get up, wiping away my eyes and taking a few steadying breaths before I walk over. I put on my best smile, muttering a word and flicking my wrist to unlock the door just before I open it up. Molly stands on the other side, a bright smile on her face and her arms clasped behind her back.
"Aria!" She says cheerily enough to make my smile widen slightly. "So, a few of us were thinking that instead of going to the city today, we should enjoy the warm weather we have today. Alex, Xander, Seth and I are going to go to the beach for a swim. Sadon said anything north including the beach was fine, so we figured why not, right? So you wanna come?"
I feel a brief flutter in my stomach, and I desperately try to make sure it doesn't show on my otherwise apparently happy face.
"Thanks," I say slowly, trying to maintain my grin. "But I'm still not feeling a hundred percent, and I don't think swimming is such a good idea."
"Who said anything about actually swimming?" Molly replies, familiar mischief twinkling in her eyes. "I figured you might say that, which is why I prepared this."
She reveals what she had behind her back, holding it up in front of herself for me to look at, and I feel my cheeks warming up as I look between her and the… "clothing" she holds.
"What is that?" I ask, glancing around the hallway nervously to make sure no one else is there, a blush already starting to form.
"What?" Molly frowns innocently, tilting her head at me. "It's just a standard two piece swimming suit. Is it not that common in Ionia?"
"No!" I answer back quickly.. "No it's not."
"Just what do you wear to the beach then?" She asks, seeming to be genuinely confused.
"Something that actually covers a little more than… than… that!" I answer, exasperated. "There is literally no difference between that and just wearing your underwear in front of everyone."
"Well, how else are you supposed to get tan?" Molly asks, giving me a questioning look. "Not to mention that's half the fun of the beach. Getting to show off to all the boys."
"Didn't we already establish you and I have drastically different definitions of fun?" I ask, my cheeks hot.
"Oh, you know you want to!" Molly teases. "Come on, let's get that pale skin of yours a little darker. Give Alex a little somethin' somethin to look at."
"Wh-what?" I choke out. "We're totally not like that. At all. We're just friends."
"Yeah, uh-huh," Molly says sarcastically. "And Xander totally is going to the beach for the water. It has nothing to do with the fact that I'm going or anything."
"Molly," I sigh, my face burning hot in embarrassment. "I'm not going."
"Cooooome onnnnn," She whines, wiggling the swimsuit in front of me. "You can just lay down in the sand the whole time! No exertion required!"
"No, Molly. Besides, that swimsuit probably doesn't even fit me anyways," I point out.
"Oh, it does," she replies slyly.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask, dreading her response.
"Uhh, that it fits you?"
"But why do you sound so sure of that? And why did you say it like that?"
"Well, we did go clothes shopping together, so I have a pretty good idea of what fits you and what doesn't."
"That's creepy."
"No, what would be creepy is if I knew your exact sizes, which I totally don't by the way."
"Molly!"
"What? I don't! I could be wrong by a little bit. It's a possibility."
I let out a sigh, covering my face with both my hands in sheer embarrassment. I peek between my fingers at her, and she grins at me, giving the swimsuit another little shake.
"It'll be fun," Molly says, winking. "Promise."
I keep my hands covering my face, partly because of my embarrassment and partly because I don't want to give anything away. Truthfully, relaxing on a beach sounds just about like heaven right now, and I probably would have accepted a year ago as long as I didn't have to wear that scandalous swimsuit. But now… well, swimming has sort of lost it's appeal to me.
"In all seriousness," I say, my voice muffled by my hands. "I'm not a big fan of swimming, and I'm still not feeling the best anyway. Sorry."
Molly lets out a slightly disappointed sigh, and I feel guilt begin eating away at me, even if she doesn't seem that surprised. She probably just came to hassle me, anyway. Still, it would have been nice to be able to accept her offer.
"Okay," She says, kicking the floor lightly. "I kinda figured that would be your answer anyway."
"So you just came here to embarrass me?" I ask pointedly.
"Pfft, no, that's totally not it," She says, rolling her eyes. "I just wanted to invite a friend, just in case. It has nothing to do with me getting revenge for what happened at the clothing shop last city day."
"Fair enough," I sigh, still hiding my blush.
"I thought so," She replies. "Anyway, I think a few of us are going to the city afterward, just so you know. I'll try to find some more stuff in your size that I know you'll like."
"You won't," I groan.
"Well… I might," She concedes with a shrug. "Guess it depends how much fun I'm having teasing Xander, my second easiest target. Speaking of which, I should probably go and get changed."
"Please do," I say simply, beginning to close the door.
"Oh, you don't mean that."
"I really do."
"Alright, alright, fine. I can take a hint."
"Can you though?" I ask with a frown. "Can you really?"
"Nope!" She replies with a wide grin, and skips off down the hallway.
I close the door, and manage not to laugh for all of three seconds. It feels good, to be able to just joke with Molly like that. She always seems to know the right thing to say, and just when to come by. Maybe she has some sort of third sense or something, and she can just tell when I'm a prime target for a little teasing. That must be it. She must have a spell or something.
I shake my head, still grinning at her ridiculousness as I lay back down on my bed. The humor and embarrassment takes a while to fade, and then I'm left in my room, staring at the ceiling with nothing to do. Then I remember what Molly said about alex, and my blush returns. She didn't really mean that, did she? I mean, He's never said anything, and I don't think of him like that… do I?
I shake my head of those thoughts quickly. I can't go there. He's Noxian, and I'm Ionian, simple as that. Besides, having a relationship with someone you can't trust is impossible, and I can't trust him…
Can I?
No, it doesn't matter. Once he found out… it'd be over. This kind of thing just isn't for me. Too much has happened, and I can't try to be something I'm not. Molly was probably just teasing me anyway. There's no reason he would like someone like me.
I get up and head to my closet, trying to find something to do that will take my thoughts away. I grab my violin from where I put it, dimly noticing my workout uniforms have been restocked. Ha! I knew they used teleportation magic. Well, they could have just disabled my spell on the door, I guess, but that would have to be one talented cleaning person to take the spell off and then put it back on exactly the same way.
I shake the rambling thoughts from my head, tighten the hair on my bow, and give a few practice notes. It's slightly out of tune, which is to be expected considering how long it's been since I've played, and I manage to tune it correctly after a few minutes. Then I lift the violin to my shoulder, place the bow on the strings after I apply some rosin, and start playing.
It comes back to me quickly, and after a few warm ups, I move to playing an actual song. Not just any song, but the Summoner's Call, the official song of the League. It's an absolutely beautiful piece, sending chills down my spine as I go from note to note, each one more beautiful than the last as the song goes on.
It's my favorite song by far, because of it's sheer elegance and beauty. It carries the weight of power that the League has behind it without being too overpowering, and it delivers a sense of finality and beauty that seems to honor the blood shed and lives lost before the League was founded. It reminds me with every note why I want to become a summoner, of the honor and duty they carry.
I finish playing it, another smile on my face by the end. I practice with a few more songs and drills, but after awhile I put my violin back, setting it in my closet. The air in my room feels stuffy, or maybe it's just the air in general for the academy. Either way, getting some fresh air would be nice, so I get up, and head outside.
The stairs take a lot out of me, and by the time I reach the exit and step out into the blinding sunlight, I need a break. My eyes adjust slowly, the warmth of the day seeping into my skin pleasantly. I head towards the fountain in the middle of the academy's courtyard, planning to sit on it's side briefly, but then I see a figure already there, writing in a small leather book.
I squint, and it takes me a few seconds to recognize the figure as Devon. I walk over to him, sitting down on the fountain's low wall, and Devon barely glances up at me through his shaggy dark brown hair, obviously too intent on whatever he's doing. The fountain is still dry, so I don't have to worry about getting wet, which is nice.
I sit there with him for awhile in silence, listening to the distant sound of soldiers and the occasional bird. Eventually my eyes go to the fountain, and I start tracing my finger through one of the intricate patterns on it, following the swirls and lines for as long as I can. I briefly glance up at some soldiers as they jog by, being led by a scarlet cloaked figure, and something nags at the back of my mind. I shrug the feeling off after a while and just keep tracing the pattern in the fountain, enjoying the relative peace and quiet.
"You're quiet," Devon says, his voice almost startling me. I can practically count the number of times Devon has spoke on one hand.
"You're one to talk," I reply dryly, and he lets out a soft snort.
"True," He admits offhandedly, frowning as he writes something else in his book. "But I'm a thief. Silence is built into me. So why are you quiet?"
I frown, contemplating my answer for a while. I'm not used to talking to someone so direct, especially a Noxian, so I'm not quite sure how to respond. Maybe I should just be direct too then.
"I guess I wasn't always," I admit, murkiness returning to my feelings. "But… well, things change, I guess."
"They do," He agrees, scrawling something else in his book before he squints at me questioningly. "What changed for you?"
I swallow, looking at my hands.
"Everything."
He looks back to his book, leaving my answer be. "Ah."
The silence stretches on, only broken by the occasional shout of a mad drill sergeant in the distance or by Devon's writing. I fiddle with my fingers, unsure of what to say next.
"Thanks," I finally say. "For not asking more."
"It's fine," He says simply. "I understand."
I peer at him quietly as he continues writing in his book. He looks completely average with his skinny build and cold blue eyes, but somehow, even through his calm exterior, he's seen things. Maybe even done things. He may be a student here, but his calm, direct answers and confident voice give me the impression of someone much older and experienced in life.
"You really do, don't you?" I ask, and he looks over to me briefly before returning to his book.
"Yes. I think we're probably more alike than either of us care to admit."
"How so?" I ask, leaning against one of the fountain's archs, enjoying the oddly straightforward talk, even if it is dark.
"Well," He says, scribbling something else down in his book. "For one thing we're both survivors. We lived in places where we weren't welcome and everyone tried to kill or kick us out. So there's that. I took scraps from people, and you got whatever scraps were handed down from Noxus. There's a few other things, but neither of us really want to go there."
He stops talking, and I ponder his situation for awhile. Being a thief in Noxus must have been… I don't even know if hard comes close to describing what that would be like. I can only imagine running from street to street in a city full of power hungry tyrants and bloodthirsty guards who would gladly put you to death for just trying to get your next meal. He's actually right. We both lived in hostile environments, just trying to get from one day to the next.
"You're smarter than you let on, aren't you?" I ask, causing him to glance at me briefly. "I mean, you always blend in and let people think you're just average, but that's not true, is it?"
He shrugs. "Isn't that why you're so quiet too? People like us, who lived like we did, we're used to looking for threats around every corner, so we stay quiet enough to hear them a mile away. The only difference is where we were born. If it weren't for your Ionian features, you wouldn't have any trouble going unnoticed."
"Maybe you're right," I say quietly. "But doesn't it get lonely being so good at being average?"
"Yes," He answers immediately, underlining and circling things in his book. "Which is why I'm actually happy I'm getting to talk to someone for once without having to worry about them stabbing me in the back three seconds later."
"Well," I say lightly. "I mean I was going to give the common courtesy of waiting at least four seconds…"
He looks up at me, and lets out a short chuckle, his eyes sparking to life for the first time since I met him. I smile back, and he closes his book, leaning back against the fountain's arch with his eyes closed.
"Thanks for that," He says quietly. "It's been awhile."
"No problem. Honestly, it's nice to talk to someone so straightforward for once."
"What can I say? I don't do subtle."
"More Noxians should be like that," I say, looking at the sky. "It certainly would make my life easier."
He opens his eyes at that, and looks directly at me. He seems to think something over, and then he stands up, holding up his book.
"Do you know what this is?" He asks, his tone serious.
"A journal?" I guess, giving a slight shrug.
"You could say that," Devon admits, shaking it slightly. "The difference is, I only write things in this when I'm trying to remember something exactly. In this case, I just finished writing down the entirety of everything I saw at breakfast yesterday."
My heart stops, and I look at him, trying to keep my face as blank as possible. "You can do that?"
"Yes," he answers simply. "And I did."
"Devon," I ask very carefully, now watching for the slightest signs of deception. "Do you know how they poisoned me without anyone knowing?"
"No," he replies, his icy eyes still locked on me. "But I know where the poison came from. It's a byproduct of a chemical reaction, and is fairly common and non-deadly. It was also one of the many chemicals Xander has in his supply closet laboratory."
My stomach drops. "Are you sure?"
"Yes. I don't know if he had anything to do with it, especially considering the closet was unlocked and anyone could have entered, but that's where the poison came from. I'm pretty sure Xander knows that too."
I feel like I just tasted something sour, and I look away from Devon. Xander, the geeky, scientific boy who had a crush on Molly and was constantly teasing Alex, knew information about the poisoning and didn't tell me. Just thinking that he had something to do with it makes me feel sick again, and I clench my fists in frustration.
"Do you think he had anything to do with it?" I ask him, point blank, holding my breath.
"No," he answers simply. "But does it matter? Either way, it's partially his fault, whether he directly participated or was just careless."
I nod, my throat tight. Xander, who I always thought I could count on to be my ally because he wasn't Noxian, could very well have just backstabbed me. Not only that, but he had the nerve to face me directly afterwards, acting like nothing happened. He lied to me, or he poisoned me. Either way, he betrayed me.
"I'm sorry," Devon says simply.
"It's not your fault," I answer back sourly. "It's mine for being too trusting again."
"No," Devon says, shaking his head. "Even without Xander, you still would have been poisoned. He just made it easier. Unless you went in here completely paranoid of everyone and unwilling to make any allies, it was bound to happen."
I don't say anything, choosing to instead just stare down at the stone carvings in the fountain. What he doesn't know is that I did come in here completely paranoid of everyone, and it still happened. Why am I so weak? Every time something bad has happened to be, it's been because I've relied on someone else. So why do I keep trusting people over and over again?
"Aria," Devon says carefully, like he's treading on ice. "There's something else. I managed to account for everyone's actions at breakfast except for three people."
"Who?" I ask, my voice raspy. "Who else betrayed me?"
"If they poisoned your food before breakfast, than this list doesn't mean anything."
"Devon," I say, my voice breaking slightly. "Don't stop being direct with me. Who?"
His jaw sets, and his eyes turn stone cold. "The only people who I can't account for at all times are Caleb the cook, Cody, and… Seth."
Something inside me snaps. It wasn't Caleb. Cody could have done it. Seth… could have done it too. Why would he poison me though? Unless… it was meant for someone else. Did he make a mistake and poison the wrong cupcake? Or was he just hoping to stop me from eating just in time to make himself look like a hero and make Alex the villain? Or…
A shiver works it's way down my spine. What if Seth is just working with the Nobles? What if he doesn't care what happens to me so long as Alex gets taken down next? There's so many possibilities. He could have any number of reasons, but I guess that doesn't matter. As long as there's a possibility of him being the poisoner, I can't trust him. Ever.
I find myself walking toward the academy with swift, determined steps. Devon just watches me go, saying nothing. I guess I should also consider it a possibility that Devon is lying, but I don't know why he would. Everything about him is direct and simple, so I can't see him using such underhanded and complicated tactics like this. He's like Jackson in the way that if he wanted me defeated, he wouldn't resort to poisoning me, he would just approach me directly.
Man, that's a sick reasoning to believe someone. They can't be lying to because they would have just destroyed me by now if they really wanted to. Talk about messed up.
I shake my head, heading back down to the common room and turning on the screen with a flick of my hand. Then I curl up in one of into one of the chairs and watch. I try to pay attention to the match going on, but my eyes just glaze over for after a few minutes. I can't help but try to understand Xander and Seth's possible motives. Could it have just been Xander was too scared I would blame him if he told me the poison came from him, and Cody actually poisoned me instead of Seth? Can I take the risk of believing that?
Or is it just wishful thinking on my part?
I hear the door open, and Seth walks in, closing the door behind him. He walks over, taking a seat in one of the chairs and watches the match. My breaths feel short, and I try not to look over at him too much, but it's hard. Was it just a coincidence that Devon couldn't account for all of Seth's movements? Maybe. But can I take that risk?
"Hey," Seth says suddenly and I tense up. "You feeling better? Molly says you still weren't feeling one hundred percent."
"I'm getting there," I say, my voice too tense, causing him to glance at me.
"Good," he says with a simple nod. "We missed you at the beach."
I just give a nod, and he looks over at me with an odd look.
"Is everything okay?" He asks, and I suddenly have the answer. I know how to find out the truth.
"Seth," I ask, my voice chilly. "What would you say is more important. Honor, or power?"
He looks at me, and opens his mouth to answer, then he frowns for a moment, thinking it over. I watch him carefully as he looks up at the ceiling, and I flick the match off to give him more silence to think. He turns to me after a few minutes shaking his head.
"That's not an easy question," he answers. "But I would argue you can't have one without the other. Without power, you can't keep yourself on an honorable path, but without honor, power is meaningless. Sacrificing one for the other just isn't an option."
Throughout his whole speech, his voice remains calm and quiet, his eyes dark and reflective, and I instantly know it wasn't him who poisoned me. I look away, ashamed for even suspecting him. I've asked that question to other Noxians before, and they've always answered one or the other. Only one other person ever told me what Seth just said, and that's how I know I can believe him. Not trust him, but at least believe him. He'll do what he has to, but betraying someone by poisoning them isn't something he'd do.
"So," He asks, taking me away from my thoughts. "Do you still suspect me then?"
I look at him in surprise, and he gives a sad little smile.
"Devon confronted me yesterday and asked me if I did it," He says with a shrug. "Apparently that kid has some impressive abilities in observation. I assume he told you he didn't remember what I was doing at breakfast yesterday?"
I nod, and he lets out a sigh, leaning forward towards me with a serious expression.
"I couldn't tell Devon, but I need to tell you what I was doing," He says. "The reason Devon couldn't remember seeing me at all times is because I was trying to stay hidden. I wanted to see if Alex was going to poison you."
"What?" I manage to choke out, my eyes widening.
"Well, Caleb wouldn't have let Alex poison the food while he was making it, so he would have had to do it while it was enroute to you." he says simply. "I didn't see him do it though, so either I missed it, or it really wasn't him. To be honest, that doesn't matter though, because you can't trust him, Aria. He's dangerous."
I run my hands through my hair and take a deep breath before I respond, trying to control my frustration. So much for stopping the infighting before it began.
"Seth," I say tiredly. "He told me about what happened at your old school."
Seth freezes at that, and his eyes flash with something ugly, but he says nothing, so I continue.
"Look, I know you think he had something to do with making that girl's beatdown worse, but that's not what happened. I can't tell you why I know that, but I do."
He grits his teeth, looking away.
"You two fighting like this isn't helping anyone," I say quietly, trying to reassure him. "You can stay suspicious of him, but you need to stop this. If you didn't poison me, and neither did Caleb, than it had to have been Cody. So while you two were busy being suspicious of each other, the nobles took advantage, and they'll do it again in a heartbeat if this continues."
He slowly looks back at me, his eyes stone cold.
"How can you possibly trust him?" He asks, his voice frosty.
"This isn't about me trusting him," I say stubbornly. "I don't trust anyone anymore. I just believe him."
"And how is that any different?" he shoots back, exasperated.
"Because I believe he wants to be my friend and that he's telling the truth," I reply, my voice taking an edge. "But I don't trust him to always be like that, so I evaluate everything he says and does. The same goes for everyone else here."
"How can you even say that?" he spits out, shaking his head. "Didn't you listen to his story? Someone who tries to be friends with everyone can't really be friends with anyone."
"Didn't you listen to me?" I say, raising my voice. "I said there was a reason for his actions at your old school!"
"Oh really?" He asks, narrowing his eyes. "I'd just love to hear this explanation that magically explains away all his past behavior."
"Why are you being so stubborn?" I yell back. "One event in the past doesn't dictate someone's entire future!"
"And what makes you think that me not wanting him near you has anything to do with just my personal past with him?" he shouts, standing up, and I recoil back.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask, narrowing my eyes at him.
"Nothing," He says, hands clenched in fists. "Just forget about it. Look, I don't care what you think about him. I know he's dangerous, and I'm going to prove it. You do what you have to do, and I'll do the same."
With that, he walks out, leaving me in the silent room. Anger rushes through me, and I almost storm out after him, but I don't know what I'd say. This whole situation is so messed up. If I could just tell him about Alex's sister, he'd understand, but I can't. I promised Alex, and if he thinks there's even the remote possibility the information could get out and hurt his sister by me telling Seth, then I'm not going to take that risk. So what do I do?
I walk back to my room, closing the door and falling on my bed after I lock it. Thoughts run through my head at dizzying speeds. How did nobody notice Cody poison me? How can I get Seth and Alex to stop fighting each other? How do I deal with Xander? How do I make sure I win my duels tomorrow?
Eventually, I just close my eyes. It's not time to sleep yet, but there's nothing else for me to do. My allies are too busy fighting each other to help me except for Molly, and her skills in this particular area are limited. So what do I do? How do I survive this next step.
Exhaustion hits me fairly hard once I close my eyes, and I let it overtake me. My thoughts swirl off into oblivion, leaving me with one last question.
Just what did Seth mean by his last statement to me?
Soon though, even that dissipates into darkness, and everything is quiet.