38. Chatty Doorways.

Sarika, my enchanting neighbour or the pied piper as I had taken to calling her after her enchanting performance, invites us to hang out and ‘compare notes’ after the ceremony winds up.

She seemed nice, ignoring the whole; I can make you do it even if you don’t want to part, and I didn’t want to go sit in my room alone. Thoughts had a way of creeping up on someone. So, I reluctantly accept her invitation, not that I could even decline. The moment she offered, Eislyn had jumped at the chance, dragging me after the girl and her companion.

“She’s half Mer and half-elf but her parents died so she was sort of adopted by Ereni’s. Oh, and she’s a siren, no idea from where.” Eislyn whispers to me.

I watch Sarika as we trudge after her; with green wavy hair and the bright golden eyes I had glimpsed before, she truly was a remarkable sight.

“She’s also the most probable winner, given her looks and skills, which doesn’t make ‘beloved’ sister thrilled,” Eis continues. “The rest hate her, more like are jealous if you ask me. As far as friends go, she’s the best choice, you know an enemy of the enemy and all that jazz.”

“Noted,” I replied wryly, trying to process everything she’d just said, I swear the woman had a motor for a mouth.

“Enough with the Sarika crash course, if we don’t hurry, we are going to miss it and I won’t be thrilled,” the girl herself says turning to survey us.

“Miss what?” I ask though I do hasten my steps.

It is then that I realise we’d been going up, and my curiosity is assuaged a minute later when her maid pushes open an ancient-looking door to reveal the most beautiful sight ever. I had been thinking that a lot since my world turned all topsy-turvy, but the view in front of us really was breath-taking.

We were on the roof facing the other side of the academy and the ocean spread in front of us, that wasn’t it though; the sun was going down and believe me; you have not seen a sunset until you see it over a large water body.

“Wow,” I breathe.

“Yeah,” agrees Sarika.

She sounded different, more relaxed, and I couldn’t help but wonder at the change.

“Uh-huh, I knew I would find you here.”

We both jump turning to the intruder.

“Princess!” Sarika greets earning a glare from Alain.

Eis and the other girl had moved away chatting quietly, and we had been left sitting in comfortable silence staring across the water even after the sun was long gone.

“Your keepers finally let you go?” Sarika asks with a smirk.

“What do you think?” Alain huffs.

Sarika just scoffs turning back to the water, and I look at the princess confused.

“I sneaked out, they have had enough time to get over it and while it was nice to be cared for and not bullied for a change, I don’t want to be coddled anymore. Maybe we should host trials so they can find mates to coddle and cage. Yes, that is perfect idea! Though I’m starting to feel bad for the poor females.”

I nod in a daze still wondering what the hell she was on about.

“So, what are we looking at?” she asks, squeezing in between us.

Was she always this bubbly? I failed to comprehend how someone could live like that, let alone find people who could handle all… that.

“You should have seen her during her pink era,” Eislyn mutters having moved back, sitting on my other side.

I look at her quizzically; I for sure know I didn’t ask all that out loud.

“Relax, it was all over your face, and I always ask myself the same thing.”

“What are you two whispering about?” the girl in question mock whispers as she finishes her own hushed conversation with Sarika. The two looked so chummy and it was mind boggling to imagine Sarika and Alain as close friends; a cool mountain stream and rapid waterfalls.

When the silence prolongs, Eis breaks it and I move back, shutting them out as I lie back on the floor feeling relaxed for the first time in a while. I wriggle my toes realizing I was still in the sneakers and my performance outfit, sniffing at myself, I scrunch up my nose standing up.

“I reek, I’m going to take a shower and catch a nap, see you guys later.”

“I’ll come with you,” Eislyn insists standing up.

“No, it’s cool, I’m sure I can find my way back, just hang.”

“Are you sure you’ll be fine?”

“Yeah, why not?”

Trudging back down the stairs I pass down several doors I hadn’t noticed before, a particular one that was open calls to me and I stop staring at it curiously.

Moving closer, I realise it’s not actually a door but a painting that’s somehow an opening? It looked like a secret passage, who had left it open?

I take a closer step curiosity getting the best of me despite my inner bitch’s hesitation.

Mahina…

I freeze hand held out as I was going to push in. What was that?

Chalking it up to my imagination, I take another step, and this time, the voice comes out as a rumble.

Mahina Thorne, heir with the moon on her head, the earth on her skin and oceans in her heart… pretty ash hair but death in the air, poor heir.

I freeze the words jolting me to the core, then my instincts kick in and I scramble away from the door. I wasn’t that curious or stupid. I hurry back to my room trying to shake the chill that enveloped my body when the creepy secret passage had said my name.