Chapter 32

Hey, guys! I'm sorry it's been so long between posts, but school has been crazy! However, since finals are FINALLY over, I'll be posting more often :) Lot's of love to my readers; it's always really encouraging to hear back from you guys, even if you think my writing is absolutely awful! I know the story is rough right now, but I'm planning on revising en masse the whole story. 

I mentally gasped. “What is this place?”

She grinned at me ferally. “You like it?”

I could only nod in amazement. I got myself under control. “You still didn’t answer my question.”

She scuffed the- opal? Mother-of-pearl?- floor with her deceptively simple purple flats. “Maleficent's old chambers. ”

“How did you-” I stopped myself. “Forget it; I don’t even want to know how much record digging finding this place entailed.”

She smirked, picking at her nails. “I’m in charge of the Magics Complex, so I have more than a few Initiates that would like to get on my good side”

I just whistled appreciatively, staring at the space that Maleficent had once occupied. It looked to be a set of chambers, and this is the anteroom. The room was approximately 4 meters by four meters, and 2 meters tall. The walls glimmered, looking something like obsidian. The floors and ceilings were covered in opal-ish stone. However, no other decorations adorned the room. No furniture, wall hangings… nothing.

Except for a gray-paneled door set in each wall. “ What do you know about this place?”

Orenda shook her head. “Nothing, other than what I just told you.  However,  it reminds me of the daggers.”

I perked up. “Speaking of….” I unwrapped the daggers. “Turns out Planeto decided to trust Felicity to give these to her to give me.” I slid off the canvas carefully, revealing the hilts to Orenda.

Her eyes widened. “Why?”

I shrugged. “There was a note that just read ‘I was mistaken. Use them well, and serve with honor. ~ The Wandering Star.’” I gestured around us. “They have to have something to do with this. Think about it; same color scheme, both from Maleficent…”

Orenda frowned. “It’s suspicious, but it isn’t exactly a smoking gun.”

I rolled my eyes. “Well, what else do we have to go on?”

She motioned towards the doors. “Some crumbling records. I’m just not so sure about exploring them…”

I looked at her, puzzled. “Why?”

“She may have set magical traps; I  just never know.”

“Do we have an option? This is the only lead we have to finding out what's going on here. If only Planeto was here…” I trailed off.

“We'll have to wait until I sweep for traps.” Orenda’s tone didn't leave any room for negotiation.

I nearly growled at her before reigning myself in. “Please be quick about it, then. I'm practically bouncing off the walls.”

“I'll take as long as I need, Trialee.”

I cut flung a glare in her general direction. “I need to go train for the next trial.  I'd hate to leave when things are just starting to heat up.” I turned around to leave,  then added over my shoulder, “I'm deciding to trust Felicity,  Orenda. It's Zeke and particularly Melinda I'm worried about.  What do you think?”

I didn't see her reaction. “I agree,  but you should still be careful.”

“I'm keeping the daggers with me, just so you know.”

She didn't say anything, so I just left.

*****

I had no trouble finding my way back to the Trialee quarters.  No one had asked what was in the package, to my surprise. I guess it was normal to carry large, strange bundles? I still wasn't accustomed to how weird the Gaelic third was compared to Dublin.

As I noisily entered the Trialee quarters, I espied Melinda from across the common room. I debated running back out the door or walking by and ignoring her completely.  Before I could make my decision, she spotted me, then waved me over. I squared my shoulders and fixed a languid mask on my face.

I didn't want to seem arrogant to the other Trialees, but acting weak would invite negative attention.  So,  somewhere in between? Indifferent? Too late now. “Hey,  Melinda.”

She smiled warmly at me. “Have you and Zeke been talking lately?”

“Nope.” I sidestepped her, trying to get to my room without any trouble.

She stepped right in front of me. “Why not?  You seemed into him before.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Last I checked, you two were an item. Flirting with another girl's guy seems pretty rude to me.”

She smiled. “That's why I'm over here right now.”

“Melinda, just spit it out.”

“Apparently, he had a commitment to someone. I wanted to know if it was you.”

I stared at her for a moment, stupefied. A stray giggle escaped me after a moment, then a few more followed…

Melinda narrowed her eyes. “What?”

“See, it’s funny that you ask, since something had come up between Zeke, a few other people, and I, and he said the same thing.” I popped my lips. “So, what does that mean for the two of you?”

Melinda shrugged. “That’s none of your business.”

I paused, then looked around incredulously. “Then, why did you come over here?”

Her mouth worked itself into an unattractive knot.

I swallowed. “Look, I’m not interested in him, if that’s what you’re worried about. If you were smart, you wouldn’t be either; we aren’t here to flirt, we’re here to compete for the throne.” I managed to unsnare one of my arms to par her shoulder as I walked past. “I'm not trying to be a condescending b***h, just helpful.”

She sniffed disdainfully, and I shrugged. “Do or don't follow my advice; it's no skin off my back if you don't.”

I walked away,  towards my room. I opened the door, walked in,  and shut it behind me using right foot. I set the wrapped daggers on the bed, set in the middle of the back wall. My shoes came off next,  clattering against the oaken floor.

Having done that, I promptly flopped onto my bed,  exhausted by the day's events. As I lay there, staring at the barren ceiling, I pondered Orenda’s discovery and started making a to-do list.

One, find out what the hell was going on here. (Okay, generally, but still.) Two, puzzle out Zeke,  and who he had said commitment to. Third, get Felicity and Melinda on my side, as well as Gina. Zeke, hopefully. All of them would make decent friends and even better allies.  Fourth, and most important, win the Maeve Trials without being killed.

I heard her huff as I walked down the hall and smirked to myself a little.