“Hello, Indigo,” He said.

Oh!

McDonald flushed even harder, glaring at the other professor, “Lockheed.”

“Oh, so you’re Indigo? I was looking for you,” I said.

Lockheed made a noise of amusement, turning to regard me, “What could you want with the headless horseman?”

Confusion filled me, and I looked at Indigo. He looked furious and embarrassed, “Huh? He’s not a Dullahan. I don’t think those exist here.”

“Well, he’s not missing the head attached to his neck, no,” Lockheed jeered.

My expression twisted as I realized what he meant, disgust filling me, “Oh, wow. What a piece of shit.”

Lockheed laughed, “I know, right?”

“Oh, no, not him,” I corrected, looking up at Lockheed, “Oh! Actually, I have an idea.”

Adjusting my shower just a bit, I took a big step away from Lockheed, dragging Indigo away. Soon a warm mud shower splashed down Lockheed’s entire form. Ayy! It worked!

He screamed, spluttering and looking shocked. His wide eyes were furious as he focused on me.

“You—you bitch! Do you know who I am? I will have you expelled for this!”

A cackle escaped someone’s lips. I glanced over. Some kid with a cane in a professor’s outfit walked up, gray eyes having a white film over them.

“Well what did the student do? I did that, it was my mistake,” The kid professor covered for me, “Sorry.”

“I clearly saw her cast that magic!” Lockheed refused.

“What? I didn’t see anything,” I said innocently, looking to Indigo, “Did you see anything?”

McDonald looked conflicted, face flushed. He shook his head, remaining silent.

Lockheed looked shocked, then fury twisted his mud-covered face, “You will regret that,” He hissed to me, turning on his heel and stalking off.

I looked over at the kid, “Thanks. Who are you?”

The kid scoffed, grinning. His every word was overly enunciated, accent awfully relaxed and cheery, “I should be asking you that, ya? Never seen a student so ballsy in my time here.”

“Never seen a student in general, right?” I muttered, staring at the eyes that were unfocused on me, “I think I can heal blindness, though, if you’d like?”

The kid cackled again at my words, shaking his head and gesturing at Indigo, “You were asking to heal him first, weren’t you? I don’t mind waiting. Kid’s been harassed nonstop after his injury, it’s about time he got some relief, eh?”

I looked to Indigo, agreeing as a healing circle appeared, “Yeah. Do I have permission to heal you?”

Indigo looked depressed, “It won’t do anything.”

“Yay! That’s consent,” I guessed.

What were dicks made of? Mostly just tissue, muscle, and blood vessels, right? There was also that one tube… Cool. And healing was…

A light green circle with a diameter of twelve inches, radius of six inches, circumference of 37.68 inches, and area of 113.04 inches squared appeared.

“You don’t need to see it to heal it, do you?” Indigo asked, looking embarrassed.

I grinned, meeting his red and yellow eyes, “Not unless you want me to.” His expression twisted, and I continued, voice not as teasing, “You’re going to be really hungry and half-starved after this, by the way.”

My grin faded. I poured my magic into him, thinking of what I wanted. After several minutes, my magic was exhausted.

Man, I really wished there was a diagnostic spell out there. Did I succeed?

“Do you wanna check it? I don’t actually know if I’ve finished healing it or not,” I muttered wearily, turning to the child-professor, “I’m Persephone Esmer-Gold, but you can call me Percy. Tomorrow if you come find me after all the classes are over I’ll work on healing you next. I can’t do it in the morning because I don’t know how much magic I’ll need throughout the day, sorry.”

The blind kid less than a foot shorter than me leaning against the wall nodded, expression blank as he turned toward Indigo, “Did it work?”

His feet were stretched out, his cane resting between his legs, both hands holding it up. His hair was long and gray, braided into several thick and coarse braids that fell around his shoulders.

Indigo awkwardly glanced around, “M-Maybe I’ll check in a nearby classroom.”

We both followed him to a room, standing outside. Randomly, the kid next to me started cackling again, sounding like he really enjoyed life.

I glanced at the kid. Was he not right in the head? Poor guy. Soon Indigo came out, looking as harried as he did before.

“Congratulations on the upgrade,” The kid snickered as he clapped Indigo on the back, grinning mischievously, “It seems the Academy’s freshmen have a miracle healer amidst them, eh?”

I hesitated. The random laugh… the upgrade… miracle healer…

…

Oh. Oh, shit!

“Oh, did I accidentally make it bigger? I’m sorry,” I apologized.

The kid cackled again, grin splitting his face, “That isn’t something to be sorry for. He should be thanking you, ya? He sounded like he quite liked the surprise.”

I hesitated, horror and dread filling me. I turned to Indigo, “Don’t tell anyone I made it bigger. Please. I do not want to be accosted for-for stuff like that.”

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Indigo wasn’t pink anymore, expression calm and relaxed, a gentle smile on his face, “Of course not. I will keep your secret.”

I relaxed, sighing out. I was relieved. Thank fuck. Getting approached for dick enlargement surgery wasn’t something I wanted to happen on a regular basis.

“Welp, I suppose I oughtta go. I’ll seek you out tomorrow night, den, take care!”

“Oh, okay! Have a good one,” I called.

I turned, trying to wave. My arm twitched at my side, exhaustion weighing it down.

Nothing happened though. We parted ways. Only I felt awkward that I failed at waving. Returning to my room, I got accosted on the way up the stairs.

“You look like you’re ready to collapse,” Desmond murmured, pushing me against a wall. I was two steps away from my floor, sunlight beaming only a foot away from us on the staircase.

I was too tired to startle, blinking dumbly at Desmond. Oh, right.

“I can’t heal myself—“

“It is fine,” Desmond interrupted, tongue tracing my jugular, “Your servants can help you up the stairs.”

Entitled much?

“Dude, no,” I rejected flatly, “Your weird allure thing fucks me up.”

Desmond hesitated, looking pained as his teeth bit into my flesh. His entire body trembled, but he couldn’t bite through skin. He whimpered against my neck.

“To think I would be told no,” Desmond mourned, sucking and biting at my neck along the jugular, “You truly wish to see me suffer.”

I chuckled, slightly incredulous, hands trying and failing to drag themselves up to push him away. All sorts of feelings were entering me at his actions.

I couldn’t heal myself and the asshole not only expected blood but decided to leave hickeys behind when he couldn’t?

“You’re growing spoiled. My blood is a luxury, not a given. Behave.”

Desmond hummed, giving me a long look, “I had thought you would give it freely to anyone who asked.”

I looked at him through lidded eyes, glad that he stopped stimulating the sensitive nerves of my neck. I swallowed thickly, feeling a bit weird. I stared at the ancient evil overlord with the appearance of a teenager.

Is that really what he thought? I spoiled him too much. Time to fix that. You are my ancient evil overlord, and you will listen to my orders. This isn’t an agreement benefiting you at all, you hungry idiot.

“You have given yourself to me for a taste of my blood. That is not and will never be permission to take what is mine whenever you wish. Since you seem to be so keen to take advantage of my current kindness, I’ll tighten your leash. Do not drink my blood unless I give you express permission to do so.”

Realization flashed through his eyes. His eyebrows twisted together, and he gave me a pleading look.

“Master, please,” He begged.

“Return to your usual schedule and leave me be, for now,” I ordered.

Even more pain filled his gaze, entire body shuddering as he fell to his knees. He stared up at me hopelessly.

I had to resist the urge to reach out and taunt him about his arrogance. I mostly only succeeded in preventing myself because my arms and legs were still noodles, and doing so would definitely cause me to fall down the stairs.

I turned to struggle up the last two stairs. Before I could, a hand wrapped around my arm.

Glancing behind me, I saw the vampire I’d sat next to in Valentine’s soulmancy classes. His eyes were intent.

“I would like to accept your offer,” He said.

Desmond looked enraged, but the moment he went to reach out something happened. He cried out, falling down the stairs. I rose my eyebrows.

“Did I not just tell you to behave, Desmond? Jesus,” I muttered, reaching out.

My nails clawed through the skin of my palm. Not much blood appeared, but I didn’t care. The student I’d sat next to kept eye contact as his tongue trailed my palm.

It felt weird, and I watched as energy wrapped around us.

“You’re mine for the next thousand years, now.”

“Of course, my liege,” The student accepted, the magic surrounding us fading.

I nodded, “Cool. What’s your name?”

“Frederick, my liege,” The student said.

“Frederick,” I repeated, tilting my head, “Do not take my blood without my express permission, and behave yourself. Okay?”

“Yes, of course,” Fred bowed, vanishing.

Before I could turn, another vampire appeared silently. I sighed, sitting on the stairs. I set one of my elbows on my knee, using my noodle-arm to hold my face up as I offered my other hand out to him.

Several minutes and around fifty vampires later, I was done, my orders remaining the same for all of them.

Behave. Don’t take my blood unless I give express permission to do so.

The whole time, a kid with black hair and eyes the color of the void kept intense eye-contact. Shadows seemed to morph and flit around him, hiding him from the outside world.

“Our blood is precious,” The teenager said, voice as elusive as the shadows around him, “Seeing you give it so freely is distressing. It is not yours to give in the first place.”

Ah. So he wasn’t from the void like I thought. He said our, so that meant he an elemental of some kind. Elemental of darkness?

That was really cool. I wanted to be friends with him.

“We’re related, right? You’re an elemental?” I asked.

The shadows around him seemed to darken as he grew closer to the sunlight, “Yes. I am a distant cousin to your body. That body’s father is my father’s uncle.”

“That’s really cool!” I said excitedly, “That means we’re like once removed cousins or something! I don’t know much about elementals in general. Could you teach me?”

The teenager glared at me.

“Not only do you take a body not your own and offer its blood, but you wish to steal the secrets of the elementals?”

I blinked, mouth twisting up. I tilted my head.

My excitement didn’t fade, and I found myself rambling as I sat on the staircase staring up at my cousin.

“I didn’t take this body, I was put into it. I can’t quite get along with my immediate family, but if you and the other elementals are okay with it, I will consider you family. I’ve never had family before! Of course, if that’s not acceptable because my soul doesn’t match my body then there’s nothing we can do, but, you know. I’d love to get to know more about elementals in general. I have no ill will, so if you refuse I won’t press the issue. You’ll have to tell me how to be considerate of my elemental family, though. All elementals are family, right?”

“You talk a lot,” The teenager said before I could continue, “I cannot speak for us all. I will return with an answer. Do not wait for me.”

Shadows consumed the teenager, and he vanished. Huh. Cool. Standing up, I almost fall down the stairs. Thankfully someone reached out, catching me.

I was dragged up the last two stairs, finally making it to the floor I lived on. Looking up, I saw Kairos.

“You went out like that? You’re soaking wet in thin clothing that clings to your form. Are you trying to disgrace the Silver family?” He scolded.

“Well, I never plan to return there, so I don’t really care,” I said awkwardly, “Anyway. I planned to re-read the books I read yesterday.”

Kairos sighed, “Your brothers have requested to dine with you. They expect to see you in the dining hall in an hour and a half.”

I hummed, “Dude I am not making it down those stairs.”

“Pelias told me to remind you of your agreement with him,” Kairos mentioned.

I blinked, pouting, “Tell him I’m still injured or whatever. That I’m resting and will keep the agreement starting tomorrow. Also that the deal is off if he hurts his servants in the interim.”

Kairos nodded once, “Of course. I will have James deliver the message.”

Nodding, I turned, staggering to my room. Reaching out, the book I tried picking up fell to the ground, my scraped-up hands unable to hold onto anything. I stared, pouting, at the book.

“Maybe you should rest instead of study,” Kairos suggested.

I turned my pout toward him. Sighing heavily, I walked to the bed, collapsing face-first into it.

Ugh.

Valentine ended up having to do his soulmancy in my room, my legs giving out before I could take more than a few steps to the door. His session was much longer than it usually was, him mentioning that it would be beforehand.

He made a lot of discoveries yesterday, apparently, and was disappointed that he lost his focus.

Eventually I was returned to my bed, body, magic, and soul exhausted.