Queen vs. Maths
image [https://i.ibb.co/9gP5RS6/toppng-com-line-dividers-png-1000x200.png]
Eydis caught her breath, a sheen of sweat forming on her forehead. Every muscle screamed in protest. This. Was. Definitely. Torture.
Or maybe just exercise.
She slumped against a nearby oak, never feeling so utterly out of control. Crisp autumn air, tinged with the earthy scent of fallen leaves, swirled around her, but offered little comfort. This teenage body just wouldn't cooperate.
She held out her hand, focusing on her dark magic once again. A pathetic spark of electricity sputtered at her fingertips before fizzling out. Powerless.
Just then, a familiar, chipper voice cut through her irritation. "Planning to spend all day communing with nature, Eydis?" Natalia teased, already sporting her green uniform. "You've been ditching class for three days.”
"Honestly, I fail to see the point.”
She'd gone through the study materials privately out of morbid curiosity, and strangely, she understood them all. After all, her hex magic required even more complex mathematical equations to function. Would it work here? A thought for later experimentation.
What remained a mystery, however, was this enigma —Teenage Eydis.
She glanced down at her phone, a bland, rectangular object. No messages, a handful of unknown contacts, and a browser history as barren as the cafeteria's mystery meat. (Yes, she was getting the hang of this whole "goggle" business — a watered-down version of her talking mirror, minus the sass. How utterly uninspired.) A pang of longing shot through her for her real obsidian mirror, a sentient being who could offer more insightful commentary than these emojis.
Natalia's lips pursed in concern. "Well, you miss seven days straight and they contact your 'parents,' you know." Her voice softened slightly. "Besides, Tiffany's already been expelled. No high jinks from her, I promise."
Parents. Eydis groaned internally. Dreadful lessons or a chat with 'parents' who might see through her disguise like a pane of cheap glass? Teenage Eydis's social isolation was a blessing, but surely her parents wouldn't be fooled by an imposter? With a resigned sigh, Eydis pushed herself off the tree.
“You made a fair point, Natalia.”
The fiery girl’s breath caught. “Finally calling me by my name now? Eydis? No more ‘handmaiden’ or worse... ‘friend’ with that strange, queenly tone of yours.”
A ghost of a smile played on Eydis’s lips, “Character development, friend.” Ignoring Natalia's exasperated groan, Eydis trodded towards her dorm.
Class vs ‘Parents’, it wasn't even a choice.
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A prickling sensation danced across Eydis’s skin, crawling up her neck and making the hairs on her arms stand on end.
‘Am I being watched?’ Eydis thought as she discreetly glanced around the classroom.Though Mrs. Henderson's voice droned on about matrices, Eydis couldn't focus.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
Then, a movement in the corner of her vision caught her eye. Amanda's gaze lingered on her a beat too long, a blush creeping up her neck. Interesting, Eydis thought, but quickly dismissed it.
Whatever Amanda was experiencing, it was contagious and best avoided. Getting sick right now wasn't an option.
A sharp scrape of a nearby chair broke through her musings. Eydis swiveled in her seat, meeting a crimson gaze that sent a jolt through her. It wasn’t the familiar warmth of Natalia, but a cold, indifferent stare.
Astra, the enigmatic roommate with her cascade of silver hair, stood before Eydis, an aura of controlled intensity radiated from her as she placed her books on the table beside the Queen’s.
"Fashionably late, roomie?" Eydis quipped.
Astra offered a curt nod. "Don't talk in class."
Eydis leaned in, her voice a mischievous whisper a breath from Astra’s ear. "So, whispers are acceptable?"
A hint of surprise, quickly masked, crossed Astra's face. "Personal space.”
"Just trying to be friendly, considering I haven't seen my elusive roommate in three days."
Astra mumbled a reply, burying her face in a textbook. "Busy. Besides..." she trailed off, her gaze flitting towards Amanda, seemingly picking up on the girl's lingering stare. "Is she bothering you?"
Eydis raised an eyebrow, amusement battling with a spark of curiosity. "Didn't know you cared, Astra?"
Before Astra could reply, Mrs. Henderson's voice boomed. "Eydis! Focus! If you're so confident in your abilities, perhaps you can enlighten the class on this little problem."
The teacher scribbled a series of complex symbols that twisted into an equation far beyond the realm of their typical Grade 12 coursework. Determinant. Eigenvalues. Eigenvectors. Symbols danced across the board, a language understood by a select few.
"Fail this, and it's a trip to detention!"
Hush murmurs filled the room as all eyes turned to Eydis. A question this challenging surely would be difficult, even for the academy's star student.
A slow smile spread across her face. "Certainly, Mrs. Henderson," she replied, her gaze lingering on the complex equation. "Unless perhaps, this isn't part of the curriculum, and you're giving us a sneak peek at your next power move?"
Mrs. Henderson's cheeks flushed, her bun trembling precariously. "D-detention, Miss Eydis!"
Eydis raised an eyebrow. "Detention for a student curious about the extent of their education?" she countered. "Or perhaps independent thought is no longer encouraged these days?"
“Your action of disrespecting authority requires swift punishment.”
“In my experience, respect is earned, not forced down my throat.” Eydis packed her bag with a flourish. “And oh, the answer to your little… test, wouldn't you agree, is negative one, zero, negative one?"
With a final, triumphant smile, Eydis glided out of the classroom, leaving behind a stunned silence and a fuming teacher. Mrs. Henderson, her facade crumbling, hesitantly wrote the exact answer onto the white board.
The students watched her go with a mixture of curiosity and awe. A question had been lingering on their collective mind.
Was this the shy nerdy girl they knew and ignored days ago?
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Damien slammed his fist on the metal table, the clang echoing in the small room. "As I’ve said for the fifth time," he growled. "I'm a Knight of the Celestial Empire. My sole purpose is to find the Queen of Shadows."
Seated across from him was a man, his face obscured by the dim light and the thick lenses of his spectacles. "And how," the man's voice was surprisingly gentle, almost soothing, "does that explain your rather spectacular arrival in... Dallas Prison For Women, Mr. Damien?"
Damien bristled. "It's Sir Damien. And Dallas? What blasted kingdom is that? Never heard of it!" Internally, a cold dread coiled in his stomach. The realm wouldn't have a place called Dallas.
Where was he? Panic threatened to rise, but Damien shoved it down, replacing it with an icy glare.
The man chuckled, a dry sound that seemed out of place with his gentle demeanour. “Ah, just when I thought I’d seen it all. Life,” he mused, “is truly full of surprises. We’ll transfer you to a more… pleasant accommodation, where we can discuss this further. Shall we?”
Damien narrowed his eyes. "And what makes me believe you're not in league with her?"
"Trust," the man countered. "Just as I trusted you wouldn't materialise your weapon and end my life on a hunch.” He extended a hand. "Professor Indigo Crane, at your service."
Damien hesitated, shifting his gaze from the offered hand to the metal door. Killing an unarmed man, even a suspicious one, went against his code. Yet, everything about this situation screamed wrong.
"I don't take lives freely. Not unless they've earned it." Damien snarled, unleashing a blast of light from his palm, the energy disintegrating the steel door in a shower of sparks. "Seems I'm a long way from home."
Professor Crane’s smile widened, his dark brown eyes lighting up with fascination. "Very interesting indeed."