CHAPTER 10 - MEDRA

I woke up with a groan, my eyelids fluttering open.

Everything hurt.

I looked up at the ceiling overhead. It was familiar.

Dark blue with silver stars.

I was in my room.

I tried to push myself up but a hand settled on my chest, gently pushing me back down again.

"Not yet, Medra. Rest." Florence. Her voice was gentle.

I managed to turn my head and look at her. "What happened?"

She chewed her lip for a moment, thinking. Probably of how to tell me something bad in the nicest way possible.

"The healer just left," she said finally. "You're supposed to stay in bed, at least until tomorrow morning. They'll be around to check in on you at seven o'clock. Then, if they say you can get up, you're to go and see Headmaster Kim in his office at eight."

I groaned. "Wonderful."

Florence rose to her feet. "Are you in pain? Is it bad? The healer left a tea for you with some herbs for the pain. I can give you a dose, but it will make you drowsy."

I pushed myself up onto my elbows, ignoring Florence's look of worry. "What time is it?"

"It's just past ten. You've slept for almost six hours."

I felt as if I'd slept much longer than that. My body felt terrible. But considering I'd leaped off a giant statue, I felt better than I had any right to.

"Headmaster Kim wants to know who did this to you," Florence said carefully. "I told him I didn't know. But I'm sure he'll ask you again about it in the morning."

I nodded.

"Was it...?" Florence's voice trailed off.

Did she even want to know?

I met her dark brown eyes.

"Regan?" she breathed.

I tried to shrug but failed and instead slumped back onto the pillows. "I mean, I've never experienced anything like that before, but yeah, I'm pretty sure it was her. It felt like her. It felt... awful."

I sighed. "Look, Florence. I think you should go. You probably shouldn't even be here."

Florence's face shifted into confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, it's clear Regan has it out for me. And she's a very powerful girl. You said so yourself. She doesn't exactly have my best interests at heart and she's popular at Bloodwing, right? So having her as my enemy is bound to be bad. If you're seen with me, she'll think we're friends..."

"We are friends," Florence said.

"No, we're not," I said firmly. "We don't have to be. It's not too late for you. Or for Naveen. You can just..."

"What? Run the other way?" Florence sounded put off. But that was okay. Better that she hate me now and be safe later.

"Not run exactly, but find other friends. You're a brilliant student. Naveen said you have a ton of potential. I don't think I'm the best person for you to be seen with."

Florence frowned. It was the first time I'd really seen her do it and it made her look surprisingly fierce.

"Medra, I'm not going anywhere. And neither is Naveen. I don't like bullies."

I shook my head wearily. "And yet, you live in Sangratha."

She was quiet for a minute. "That's true."

I eyed her curiously. "So you don't think everything here is perfect here after all?"

"Perfect?" She shook her head. "Nothing is ever perfect. Do you know what I had to do to get here?"

I shook my head. "Tell me."

"It was a fight. A struggle. My family and I grew up in a town near where Naveen lived, but when my father died, we moved to Veilmar. My mother was a librarian for a noble highblood family there. She couldn't afford to pay for a private tutor and the family refused to allow me to study with their own children. My mother taught me herself on her own time, even though she was usually exhausted. I studied the books she snuck out of the highbloods' library, knowing at any time she could face punishment for bringing them to me. When she applied for the position at Bloodwing and got it, the family didn't want her to leave. They insisted on keeping me as collateral so she'd be forced to come back to see me. Then they decided that I could eventually take her place. They could see that I had, well, potential..." Florence blushed. "And they knew it would be cheaper than hiring a new librarian, someone with formal training. They didn't want me to apply here, but I snuck out and I did it anyway. Once you've applied, you can't be kept from your examination. So there was nothing they could do once I'd made the preliminary cut."

She lifted her chin. "So I know a little bit about bullies–privileged ones at that."

"But I thought you revered the highbloods, Florence," I said, as gently as I could. "Including Regan."

She shook her head stubbornly. "They're not all like that. Most use their power for good. It's different, serving people who are superior when they really are."

I bit my tongue and said nothing. I wasn't ready to argue that point.

"But it's wrong for them to take advantage like Regan did, using thrallweave on you," Florence went on.

"Thrallweave? Is that what it's called?"

She nodded. "It's a powerful coercion ability. Only vampires have it, of course. It's a skill like any other. Some are naturally more powerful with it, but most need to train themselves before they can really use it well. Regan must have some natural ability. Her control over you seemed fairly tight."

"It certainly felt tight," I said bitterly. "So they all have this thrallweave. And they can use it on you–on any blightborn–at any time? And you think that's fair?"

"They can also use it on one another–and sometimes they do. Sure, some use it to bully, just like Regan did. But sometimes it can be used for good."

I couldn't imagine a scenario where that was possible but decided not to ask.

"Anyhow," Florence concluded. "Lord Drakharrow himself instructed that you were to attend this school. What Regan is doing goes against protocols. She's your fellow consort. You're supposed to work together."

I'd temporarily forgotten and wasn't thrilled at the reminder. Work together? Yeah, right.

"You'll need allies to get through Bloodwing and I'd be honored to be one of them," Florence said. "I'm sure Naveen will feel the same."

"It's too dangerous, Florence," I said, trying to shake my head. "You and Naveen could wind up being bullied by Regan or someone like her, or worse just for being friends with me. Maybe it's better if I fly solo. You don't want targets on your back."

"Blake Drakharrow wasn't in the Dragon Court today," Florence said thoughtfully. "I wonder what he'll do when he learns what Regan did."

"If he finds out," I pointed out. "Even if he does, I really don't think he'll care, Florence." I decided to be blunt. "Look, Blake has made it very clear that he didn't choose me and he doesn't want to be stuck with me. I'm pretty sure he'd have been just fine if I'd died jumping off that dragon statue today. Besides, he and Regan have been betrothed since they were children. Obviously his loyalty is going to be to her."

"I'm not so sure about that," Florence said, shaking her head slightly. "I've heard some things."

"He was there when Visha challenged me," I reminded her. "He didn't do anything to stop her."

"Yet Professor Sankara did show up eventually," she said. "Maybe Blake went and got him."

I groaned. She had a point but I didn't want to acknowledge it. Blake had vanished for at least a little while during my fight with Visha but who knows where he'd really gone. Maybe to drink from a thrall.

"Fine," I conceded. "Maybe. And maybe dragons are real. But oh, wait, they aren't."

Florence smiled gently. "You should rest. But from the sound of it, I think you'll be okay for your meeting with the headmaster in the morning." She moved over to the little nightstand next to the bed and began to pour out a draught of tea into a small porcelain cup. I smelled lavender and honey along with herbs I didn't recognize.

"I suppose I'm in trouble with the headmaster," I said. "He didn't seem thrilled with me climbing his dragon."

Florence gave me a sympathetic look. "I'm not sure why he wants to see you. Maybe he just wants to find out who did it."

"I can't believe this was only the first day of school," I grumbled.

"You did have a rough start. Hopefully the next one is calmer. Maybe I can show you the libraries after lunch? I have a spare, a period where I don't have a class. If you're free at the same time, we can meet up."

"That sounds great," I said enthusiastically. I frowned. "Hopefully I get a chance to eat lunch tomorrow. I wonder if I have Professor Rodriguez again."

"You'll definitely have to sort out your schedule," Florence agreed. "Hopefully you can do that with the headmaster first thing. Speaking of lunch, you missed that, but there's a dinner tray here for you. The healer wasn't sure if you'd wake up tonight or not, or if you'd be hungry, but..."

I sat up straight, ignoring the pain in my back and sides. My ribs had taken an unneeded second beating when I'd jumped from that dragon. "I'm ravenous. Where is it?"

Florence grinned and passed over a tray of food.

I breathed in deeply, spotting chunks of beef and potatoes sauteed in a creamy tomato sauce, buttered bread, a raisin scone, and a cup of pumpkin spice pudding.

"I'll leave you to eat your food and rest," Florence said. "But I'll keep an eye out for you at breakfast and lunch tomorrow."

"Sounds good," I said, from between a mouthful of buttery bread. "And Florence? Thank you. For everything."

When she'd left, I devoured the tray of food, then propped it on the nightstand and leaned back on my pillows.

My hair fluffed around my face in a bush of curls. I knew I should get up to bathe and brush it out, but I was too tired. Everything hurt. Maybe I could braid it in the morning.

I closed my eyes, preparing to sleep, then thought of something and they popped back open.

Hey, you. Lady in my head, I snapped. Get out here. Or do you only come when you're not wanted and at the worst possible times?

I waited.

I resent that. But the woman's tone was mild. I come when you need me. I've only ever tried to help.

You come when the very last thing I need is a distraction, I said with a sigh. And to help? It's arguable whether you've ever helped.

I've rallied you to help yourself , the woman said smoothly. Sometimes we just need a little push .

Speaking of push, I'd like to push you out of my head. How do we go about doing that exactly?

A pause.

I'm not sure. It's not so bad like this, is it?

I snorted. Having a passenger in my own brain? Yes, I'd say that's bad. I'd prefer privacy.

It's an interesting conundrum, the woman said thoughtfully. And you can't say I never help. I helped you get here in the first place.

Now it was my turn to pause. What the hell does that mean?

Tsk, tsk. Language. You're of royal blood.

I'm nothing anymore, I snapped. Certainly not a princess. I think that much is very clear. And I should have been dead. I was supposed to be dead. Is that what you mean?

Silence.

What did you do? How did you "help"? I persisted.

I'm not sure I quite like your tone. This certainly isn't the appreciative spirit with which I expected my gesture to be received.

I could practically feel her sulking. So I was right. Do you mean you did this? You got me to this place somehow?

I think the words you're looking for are "Did you really save me? How wonderful! I simply cannot believe my good fortune!"

I was quiet for a moment. Maybe I wanted to die. Did you ever stop to think of that?

Nonsense. The woman's tone was sharp. Absolute nonsense. Why, you had barely even begun to exist. I wasn't about to let you be snuffed out so soon.

You know , I said slowly. You know about me. About what I was. You were in Aercanum with me.

Back in Aercanum, I had been what you might call an unnatural child. Not only did I have a fae mother and a human father, but I was blessed or cursed, depending on how you looked at it, with accelerated growth. By the time I was a few weeks old, I was walking. A few months later and I was talking. So, the woman was right. I'd existed for only a short time.

Thanks for reminding me I'm a complete freak of nature, I added bitterly.

You're not a freak. You're beautiful , she scolded. You're perfect. Never allow anyone to tell you differently.

Mentally, I froze. Just who are you exactly? And why are you so attached to me? You say you saved my life, but why? Why me? Why do all of this for me and why stick around?

Perhaps you're just a very worthwhile young woman , she hedged. However, you're certainly right that I don't provide my assistance to just anyone.

I'm sure of that, I said wryly. Give me a straight answer. Please.

Another pause. Well, I should think it was fairly obvious. In fact, I'm surprised you haven't figured it out by now.

Yes? I prodded.

There's only one person who would ever go to this much trouble for you. I'm your mother.