You Have Yourself a Deal

"Dammit." She faced the split corridor that headed to two opposite directions. "What direction was it again?"

She decided to take left. But then faced another dilemma, it was again split to another set of different directions. Adeleine wasn't so sure anymore.

She sighed. It felt like she had seen the hallway a couple of times already. "Why in arvistia does this school look like a freaking maze?"

She perked up when she heard muffled voices echoing down the corridor.

"Finally! People!" Maybe she could ask for directions.

Deciding to follow the voices, she come face-to-face with rather another one of fate's twist. The one that makes you groan and question your existence.

"Do you know how annoying that is?" Hera's condescending voice echoed down the hallway.

Just around the corner, a dragon lies.

"I-I'm sorry," a meek voice replied.

Hera slammed her against the wall.

"I'm already warning you."

"But, even though she—she's different doesn't mean she's bad," the other weakly retaliated.

"Pathetic."

Adeleine, driven by curiosity, had an inkling that she's the one being pertained to and decided to peek on who Hera was targeting this time. It was Bridget, trapped. She was pinned by Hera, looking down at her while the girl continues to shrink from her gaze.

"Are you being serious right now?" Hera gave an exasperated sigh. "Did you hit your head during the mission?"

The girl hung her head low, unable to meet the other's eyes.

Adeleine doesn't want to give a damn. Getting caught up in this would result to another cat fight and she has no energy to spare. She turned her heels to leave without a second thought. She has no business here.

"What a joke! You can't even look at me straight!" She glared daggers the girl. "Amalia already warned us. That letherian is a spy! What would be her purpose other than that? They're evil."

Adeleine rolled her eyes at her bold claim. It made her think how simple-minded it made Hera look. Pitiful that it makes her laugh, she thought as she walked away.

But something crossed her mind that halted her steps. She looked back once again at the corner in a few heartbeats before walking up to them.

"Hey!" Adeleine stepped forward. "That's not true."

Hera scoffed after she turned around to see the letherian girl. "It's you. You shouldn't meddle in other people's affairs."

She raised her chin to match her disdain with a sarcastic smile. "Hah, weren't you just talking about me a while ago?" She swore, she couldn't stand this.

Hera, irked, cocked her head to the side. "What's it to you?"

"Stop belittling her."

Hera pushed her. "Don't act like a hero, nosy brat."

"Curse you, damn witch-!"

Adeleine wasn't able to finish her sentence when two pair of small hands covered her mouth and the rest of her words became muffled protests. Bridget limited her movements.

Hera bared her teeth. "Watch your mouth, you low-life!" She grabbed the black-haired's collar and raised her arms.

"H-Hera, please stop," Bridget pleaded in a desperate tone. "Or you'll be suspended."

The ginger's eye twitched and she harshly let Adeleine go. She huffed, "Look at you two. Pathetic."

Adeleine watched her as she briskly walked away. She was able to breathe when she rounded the corner.

"Thank…thank you," the pink-head murmured softly.

"Are you alright?" Adeleine then turned her attention to the shorter one.

The latter was fiddling with her thumb and was averting her gaze. She nodded in response to her question. It's no wonder this girl was picked on, she looked like an easy target.

"I-I'm sorry."

"What? You shouldn't be!" Adeleine exclaimed.

"I got you involve, and you could have gotten hurt," she worriedly expressed.

"Same goes for you! You could also have gotten hurt! And you helped me from her back then and I'm helping you now," Adeleine reasonably argued back.

The girl flinched from her sudden rise of tone. "I'm sorry."

Adeleine, who noticed the girl's reaction, quickly tried to apologize. "I'm sorry! I was just so frustrated. I'm really sorry."

Bridget's eyes softened. "It's alright."

It took them a few seconds of silence before Adeleine perked up, remembering something. "Oh gosh, I'm late." She panicked. "I still don't know my room."

The pink-head looked up at her and softly said, "I can help you, if you want. We're classmates after all."

"Oh really? Thank goodness." Adeleine let out a sigh of relief. "By the way, we haven't properly introduced. I'm Adeleine."

The girl gave a shy smile. "Hi. I, um, Bridget."

"You're one of those people back at the forest, aren't you?"

She subtly nodded. "Um, yes."

"Thanks for also saving me back then!"

A sly smile crept its way to her lips. She gave the girl a grin, or more likely to herself; she gained someone. This is worth coming back for even though she almost threw herself in a lion's den, the small girl could come in handy in so many ways.

~~

She took a sharp breath trying to shake away the tense on her nerves as she stood in front of the tall doors of the headmaster's office. Thanks to Bridget, she managed to get around the school just fine. Truly beneficial as she thought she'd be.

She made a step back when the door opened slowly without any warning. It was dark. Only a slim glimmer drifted pass the thick curtains that blocked the wide windows; in the middle was a desk.

The hair at the back of her nape stood. It was desolated to the point it was eerie.

She forced her feet to enter and her eyes adjusted to the dim lit room. A shelf with thick leather books occupied the whole left wall, scrolls and papers scattered on the desk. The room enveloped a nostalgic woody scent of old crispy papers and leather.

It was a normal office and it was empty.

Her eyes instantly gravitated towards the rack and curiosity got better of her. Scouring the large shelf, she caught an awfully familiar cover on the top most corner and it made her heart leap in surprise and excitement.

"No way!" she exclaimed in disbelief. It was the fourth edition of her favorite series! But the book was too far up that even a grown man couldn't reach without needing a ladder.

The door produced a long chilling creak behind her, closing with a click. She spun around and was greeted by the headmaster's unnerving smile. His eyes glinted with mirth, curving into crescents and the girl tensed like it was cold water poured on her. Her jaw clenched as she eyed him warily, taking a step of precaution.

"So, what do you want?" she spat.

"Straight to the point, are we?" He chuckled as he moved towards his desk and sat down. He cocked his head to the side, his smile ominous. "Aren't you glad you're still alive?"

"At what cost?"

He snorted. "Smart little bean sprout. You're not naïve as you appear to be[GA1] ."

Adeleine glared at him. "Cut to the chase."

He sat comfortably with his legs crossed. "Why don't you take a seat first," he offered while gesturing to the wooden chair across him.

Instead of taking up on his offer, she stood grounded in her spot. She wanted to finish this as soon as possible. She's tired of seeing his aggravating face, even though it has only been a few minutes. "Just stop and tell me. You're only wasting our time."

"I've caught an impatient one." He chuckled again. "So what do you think?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm sure you've come into some idea, on why we kept you…" He paused and his smile stretched further- "Alive."

The way he delivered his words sent a chill down in Adeleine's spine and hundreds of needles pierced her throat as she found it hard to breathe. She's certain he only wanted to provoke her—he did, but fear struck her at the same time.

She took a deep breath, finding herself calming her nerves for the second time she faced him.

"How should I know," she answered and looked away. "The last time I assumed, it almost cost me my life."

"Come on now, I'm curious."

"I don't know!" she glared at the man. "It could be related to information. Whatever. I just need to get this over with."

He held an amused smile and hummed.

Adeleine caught a glimpse of him, peering down at her with his tangerine orbs glowing under the dark settings of the quiet room. It was penetrating. Like an open book, she felt easy to read.

"Well, you're partially correct," he stated. "I'll give you three out of ten. How about we strike a deal?"

She squinted her eyes suspiciously. "What deal?"

"Work for us. Go undercover and gather intel in the enemy's territory."

So, they want her to be a spy, a mole. It made perfect sense as she could easily blend in the crowd of her own kin. But, that's her own people, that would be betrayal.

"You're asking me to betray my kind?"

"Betray?" he laughed. "You've never even met them."

"But they would be better than a rotting being like you."

"Ouch." He faked hurt. "Such harsh words. What made you think you aren't the same as me?" There was a pause and a moment of hesitation from Adeleine. She furrowed her eyes at him to which he responded with a tilt of his head, taunting her. "Nevertheless, you had no choice but to do it. It's either that or death. It wouldn't be a problem if you decline, we could just capture another one and offer the same thing." He playfully shrugged. "But you're the one on the losing end."

Her jaw clenched as she bore holes openly at him while he condescendingly smirked. "Was that a threat?"

"No. It was a bargain."

"It doesn't sound like one to me."

He laughed, tears prickling the side of his eyes while he wiped them away with a flick. "Well, dear, whatever it is, you had to choose."

"What other choice do I have then?" she snapped. She should find a way to escape this hellhole… If she learns the format of this place, she would be able to-

"Don't think of escaping…" he smirked. At that, he raised his arm, the silver chain glinted as the pendant fell dangling from his hands. Adeleine paled. It was her mother's necklace.

Her hands immediately shot up to her neck, looking for the trace of the precious trinket, not believing her eyes, only to feel her chest empty. She was sure to tuck it in under the uniform. When did he get that? How does he have it? How does he know?

"And even if you escape, there's no way you could survive out there." He jerked his thumb towards the window. "Not with your black hair."

Her trembling lips left ajar, legs giving in from pressure and all energy drained out of her as the world seems to swirl. She gripped the sides of her head. Tears prickled the corner of her eyes, wanting to spill, as she stared wide-eyed at the floor in disbelief.

Why…? Why does the world hate her so much? What has she ever done to them?

"Please take me back home…" her voice cracked. "Tell me this is just a dream. When I wake up, I'll see mom. When I open my eyes, I'll smell her freshly baked soup. Please..."

"Poor you." Headmaster Verkel crouched down in front of the letherian. He grabbed the girl's chin and raised her eye level to his. Orange to blue. "It must be so precious."

That was an important memory of her…

Her pupils shrunk and her body involuntary trembled as she broke in a cold sweat. She felt suffocated. Everything went dark for a split second and it felt like she's losing consciousness. Air depleting and her lungs begged. He let her go and instantly, she was able to gasp for sweet oxygen.

She opened her lips. Wha- what was that? No sound came out.

She just felt like she was strangled, but by what? Terror filled her eyes. Her heartbeat running when she tried to catch her breath. She gulped as she felt shivers down her spine and the hair on her nape stood on its ends. Gush of tears ran down her hollow cheeks.

"If I- if I comply…" She raised her chin to match him, her gaze hardened with unkempt rage. "You'll have to give it back."

His smile reached his eyes. "You have yourself a deal."