Queen vs Detention

image [https://i.ibb.co/9gP5RS6/toppng-com-line-dividers-png-1000x200.png]

So, there was a sliiight miscalculation.

Eydis scowled, a dark cloud settling over her features. She'd stormed out of Math convinced detention was immediate, only to discover the absurdity of it being an after-school affair. Apparently, her dramatic exit had been mistaken for defiance, not a complete misunderstanding of their bizarre detention system. Figures.

Royal tutors and sprawling palace libraries hadn't exactly equipped Eydis for the perplexing social intricacies of public school. Algebra? Give her chaos theory any day. Now, she faced a double penalty — a missed class and the actual detention itself.

Three more of these and the dreaded "meet-the-parents" conference loomed. Fantastic.

Eydis unfolded a map of the science building, her frown deepening as she navigated the labyrinthine hallways. Grace, after all, could be maintained even while lost - though her patience was hanging by a thread. Finally, "Room 3A." Eydis shoved the door open, expecting a dungeon, not the golden afternoon sun illuminating a lone figure.

Blonde hair, a halo in the sun, framed a face as serene as a still lake. But the eyes, molten gold, held a glint of something sharper.

"Well," the blonde spoke. "If it isn't the infamous Eydis."

Eydis responded with a nod, a curt "A pleasure," as she took the closest seat to the blonde. Their eyes met, and for a heartbeat, a flicker — was it light? — danced in her golden irises before vanishing.

"Athena," the blonde introduced herself coolly. Her eyes widened a fraction, a hint of something unexpected — disbelief? — flitting across them before she composed herself. “Perhaps we can move beyond hair colour identifiers."

Intriguing. Eydis’s eyes narrowed. "The infamous student president. And here I thought eavesdropping on private thoughts was considered a breach of etiquette."

Athena's composure faltered for a heartbeat. "The rumours are true, then. You catch on fast. I must admit, I was curious about the girl who got Tiffany expelled."

A slow smile spread across Eydis's face. She rose from her chair, her movements both graceful and predatory. Leaning in, her voice dropped to a purr. "And how convenient it was that someone with your... gifts... was absent from the interrogation. A simple peek into her mind could have saved everyone a lot of time, wouldn't you agree?"

Athena gripped her notebook. "My ability—”

Eydis cut her off. "Doesn't need to be wasted on the likes of me. And yet, here you are, attempting to pry into my mind the moment I walked in." Her grin widened, a challenge. "Tell me, President, look into my eyes. What do you see?"

Athena's gaze darted towards the window, drawn to the vibrant dance of orange leaves. A barely audible murmur escaped her lips, "I'd rather not.”

'Is the great Student President afraid of what she might find?' Eydis thought, a mental taunt aimed at Athena, but the president appeared oblivious.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

"Fascinating. Is avoiding eye contact your way of blocking out my thoughts?" Eydis probed further, pushing Athena's buttons.

Athena straightened in her chair. "Your powers of deduction are impressive, especially for someone who claims amnesia. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have actual work to do."

Seeing Athena's annoyance, Eydis leaned closer. “Just between you and me, President, how about a little white lie? Just pretend I graced this riveting detention session with my presence, alright?"

Athena's eyes widened in disbelief. "And why, pray tell, should I do that?"

"Think of it as charity," Eydis tilted her head dramatically. "A poor, amnesiac soul like myself, forced to fight my own battles while the student president with her oh-so-convenient power sits back and does nothing. Between a nepotism darling and a voiceless 'loser,' I get it. Pure aristocracy at work."

Athena's grip on her notebook tightened, knuckles turning white as the paper crinkled under the pressure.

Eydis pressed her advantage. "And since I'm so insignificant, my presence in this room is inconsequential, wouldn't you agree? Mark me as attended or waste a precious hour of your time playing peek-a-boo with my thoughts. The choice is yours, Princess."

Athena was silent for a long moment. Then, slowly, she reached for her notebook and made a small mark.

"Consider it done," she said. "But for your records, Eydis, this wasn't about politics. It was about respecting boundaries. We all have our demons to face. And while my ability might be useful," she murmured softly, "it wouldn't have brought Tiffany down in the way that truly matters."

The corner of Eydis's lips tugged up in a genuine smile. "Perhaps," she replied simply. With a final, lingering glance at Athena, she turned and left the room.

As the detention room door clicked shut behind her, Eydis released a tense breath she hadn't realised she was holding. That encounter had been a tightrope walk. Athena's mind-reading abilities were proving to be a formidable obstacle, and lingering any longer felt like tempting fate.

Clutching her bag strap, the Queen deliberately veered away from the teacher's office.

One thing was certain: she needed to understand the full spectrum of these "Gifted" students. If there were more like Athena, her chances of remaining undetected were diminishing with every passing second.

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Across the continent, in a dimly lit lab, the only sounds were Adrian's frantic typing and the groan of overworked servers. Green screens reflected menacingly in Professor Indigo's glasses. Here, the battle was fought not with words or glares, as in the detention room, but with lines of code and machinery.

Indigo’s normally gentle brown eyes were narrowed in concentration as he expertly manoeuvred a tiny drone across the screen. Its live feed filled the monitor with an impossible sight: a giant, pulsating pink eye hovering ominously in the inky blackness.

"How peculiar," Indigo finally murmured.

Adrian leaned closer, his golden eyes widening as they tracked the frantic darting of the monstrous eye's pupil. "What have you found, Professor?"

Indigo rewound the feed, his brow furrowed in concentration. "See this? There's a wisp of purple smoke emanating from the iris."

"And what significance does that hold, Professor? Have the esteemed Council members come to a decision on how to proceed?"

Indigo sighed, capturing a still of the purple smoke and saving it to a folder labelled ‘Report - Urgent.’ "Apparently, they do. Especially since the eye has done nothing but exist and terrify everyone.” A humourless chuckle escaped his lips. "And that mystical knight showing up? Not a coincidence, I presume?"

"Speaking of the knight," Adrian leaned back, "what's the official word?"

“Hotel and a crash course on this world. But wouldn't it be delightful," Indigo mused, a glint in his eye, "to unlock his origin and tap into some interdimensional power? The Eye, however, takes priority. They want us to investigate further. In person.”

An infectious grin spread across Adrian's face. "Alchymia City, then? Sounds like we're in for a treat. Private jet, I presume?"

Indigo nodded, a wry smile playing on his lips. "Indeed. Speaking of Alchymia, your sister is still attending St. Kevin's College there, isn't she? The one for the 'gifted.' Though, these days, 'gifted' isn't the only qualification for admission, is it?"

Adrian chuckled. "Nepotism thrives even in academies for the extraordinary, Professor."

"And here we are, poster children for both." Indigo slammed his laptop shut. "Let's just hope this smoke doesn't mean something... ominous."

Adrian sighed, running a hand through his dark hair, his expression mirroring Indigo's growing unease. "A bad feeling, Professor?"

Indigo met his gaze. "The worst."