PART 11
Something was weird about Alaric. "He changed his hair." Jackie said, noticing Alaric's sudden change from silver to black. She heard Thomas sarcastically chuckle. "That bitch got his magic back," he said to himself and walked away before Jackie could ask him what he meant. Alaric shook hands with everyone in the room, with a smile on his face. Daisy, looking like a goddess in an off-shoulder royal blue dress, mimicked her date. Jade interrupted her staring. His hair was wet, and he had a wardrobe change. "Did you take a dive?" she smirked at his clothes. He nodded grimly. "I like Thomas. He is nice." she commented and Jade grinned. "I know, i have great taste," she laughed.
"He told me that Alaric's his cousin." Jade nodded, "and he told me his family magic is divination, but Professor Vidarr said the family magic was nature."
"Alaric's father; Nash had two brothers, who branched out from the family magic. Their original magic is nature, but the third brother, Thomas's father, specialized in divination, thus passing his blood to Thomas and his two sisters." Jackie did not know that could happen too. She had been born in this world, knew the order and law, the history and loss. The wars and conquest, but she was always left surprised by the new information. Her world offered endless opportunities to be powerful, to bend the people at its will. To create life or death. It was a relief to know that the Magister had it under controlled.
"C'mon, let me expand your social life." He grabbed her hand and pulled her towards a crowd of people her age. Jade introduced her to several people, some of them students and seniors at the academy, while others studying elsewhere. She forgot half of their names. They all greeted her with pride, but never let her feel left out. It was nice to know people out of her comfort zone, where the only people she socialized with were Luke and the employees at the diner. "Where is Sabrina?" Jackie was curious to find the girl. She wanted to befriend her ever since she saw her at the exam. "There, sitting with her sister." He pointed to a table where young men were chatting away with Josephine, who looked bored. Sabrina was trying to get away from the table, but Josephine clenched her hand.
"Let's rescue her, shall we?" Jade said, and they both walked towards the girls. "Sabrina, we have some serious stuff to talk about." Jackie had never seen this side of Jade. His face went from cheery too serious and grim in seconds. He was a good actor. Sabrina was glad to get away from her sister and her suitors. She removed her hand from the grasp and walked far away from the table.
"Thanks Jade, I needed that. Ever since she announced she was ready to marry, her mother had been throwing potential suitors at her." She looked sad, "so what was the serious talk?" He was back to normal, "that was the plan to rescue you. Oh Sabrina, this is Jackie, Jackie, Sabrina." He introduced the girls, who awkwardly stared at each other with a small smile. "Jackie jelly, what are you doing here?" The trio turned around to see Alaric alone. His jacket had come off and his sleeves rolled up. She noticed Jade ogling at his toned arms. "I don't answer to you." Jackie replied. Why does he have to show up everywhere? "You kinda do." He gave her the sweet smile. He usually reserved it for the teachers. "My father is hosting the party, and well, I need to make sure there arent any uninvited guests." He looked at her as if she came from the slums. "I thought stripers were supposed to be two blocks down east." Sabrina said, her arms folded.
Jackie had never seen Alaric get angry, and it was amazing. He looked like he wanted to smite Sabrina right there. Jackie couldn't hold her laugh, and Alaric looked to her. "Fuck you Carmen." That was all he said before he walked away, his hand balled up in a fist at his side. "That was awesome, please be my best friend" Jackie was still chuckling at her favorite memory of the day. "Please, he is literally parading like a hooker. He always does this, like a peacock when it wants to mate." Jade chimed in. "Thankyou for that." Jackie directed it towards Sabrina, who nodded. "Someone needs to put him in his place." Suddenly a delicious smell filled the air, as she saw more servers coming out of the back doors and chefs, placing themselves behind the counters. "Dinner is served."
"I'm going to the bathroom, be right back." jade told her they will save her a seat and pointed out the directions.
The hallway was empty. She could hear the classical music playing behind the walls. There were portraits hanging on the left wall, portraits of the Chairman, Alaric's father, the president, and exceptional healers. She stood in front of the chairman's portrait. It was an oil painting, depicting him on his brown leather chair, stiff as a stick, a non-smiling face. His eyes were green like Alaric, the only resemblance of his father. He wasn't handsome or scary, like Luke had always talked about him. The man looked normal, with square glasses and black hair, pushed back with Jell. She noticed the house tattoo on his revealing wrist; the power captured by the artist. She wondered if the chairman was also a jerk like his son. Her stomach grumbled. She needed to wash hands before all the lobsters were gone.
When Jackie entered the bathroom, there was another woman there, wearing the silver mask and a black dress, like the servers. She was washing her hands. Jackie placed her hands under the gold faucet, and water flowed into her hands. She couldn't help but glance over at the woman every few seconds, hoping she would take off her mask. "Can you pass me the tissue?" the woman spoke, looking down. Nodding, Jackie passed her the tissue paper and took some for herself. "Thankyou." was all she said and left the bathroom.
Jackie got out and started walking back to the ballroom, when a foul smell made her cover her nose. She looked up at the vent above her. What was it? Before she could come up with a name for the smell, a scream went off from the other side of the hall. She whipped her head, scared. Jackie heard running, heels clacking against the marble. Suddenly, the person jumped on her, but Jackie was fast. She dodged her, and the woman fell headfirst onto the marble floor with a thump. "Are you okay?" Jackie said, but the woman only reached out with her arm. There were blisters on it, bleeding and scratched skin. "What's wrong? Who did this?" Jackie asked.
The woman turned. Her mask had come off. Jackie was horrified to see her eyes. They were pure white with blue veins, a small black dot in the middle, in place of the pupil. She backed away. What the hell was that? She thought. The woman got up, her mouth opening and closing, her eyes staring directly at her. Without a warning, she lunged at her with two hands. Jackie blocked her face with her arm, ready for the pain, but it never came.
"COME ON." a male voice shouted at her. She felt her hand being gripped. Jackie stared at Alaric, who was staring back at her with worry. She then turned around to look at the woman, who laid motionless with thorns sticking out of her chest. "Come on." he said again, and without hesitating, Jackie ran away with her Savior.