A Day of Books, Bonds, and Unveiling Mysteries

Arvanya's POV:

After my match with Reed, I still felt the lingering weight of Lucian's intense gaze on me. That mate bond was becoming troublesome, making my heart pound and my focus falter. I couldn't let it distract me, though; I had a mountain of assignments waiting in the library, and joining so late meant I needed to catch up fast if I wanted to keep up with the others.

As Esme, Calen, and I walked toward the library, they couldn't stop talking about the match. "Aria, that was insane!" Esme exclaimed, eyes sparkling with admiration. "You absolutely thrashed Reed!"

"And those moves," Calen chimed in, grinning. "Please teach us! I think even the fire and earth elementals might actually respect us air elementals now!"

I laughed, feeling a sense of pride swell within me. "Maybe we'll actually get acknowledged," I teased, nudging them as we walked.

Upon reaching the library, my jaw dropped. The library was a breathtaking, circular hall with a domed ceiling painted in stained glass depicting the harmony of the four elements. At the center was a cozy reading area, warmly illuminated by a grand chandelier. Four distinct wings branched off from this center, each dedicated to one element.

The Fire Wing glowed in red and orange hues, its dark wooden shelves bathed in warm light with magical embers floating in the air. In the Water Wing, blue and teal lights created a calm, misty atmosphere, with fountains trickling softly among graceful, tall shelves. The Earth Wing felt grounded and alive, with stone-like shelves and vines wrapping around them, small plants nestled between books. Finally, the Air Wing had wide aisles and flowing curtains, with painted skies on the ceiling and gentle breezes drifting through, evoking an open, airy feel. Spiral staircases in each wing led to upper levels with rare, hidden texts, inviting exploration and discovery.

"Look at this place," I breathed, captivated. "I'll probably get lost in here."

Esme laughed. "Just remember to come out eventually. We don't need you vanishing in a sea of books!"

"Good advice," I said with a grin. "Anyway, I have a mountain of assignments to tackle. I'll catch up with you both later once I've gathered what I need."

Starting in the air elementals' section, I scanned the rows for the books I needed. My first assignment covered the properties of wind currents and their influence on weather patterns; the second focused on the historical lineage of air elementals. My fingers traced the spines, finally selecting a few promising texts.

Next, I needed resources for math and economics. My economics assignment required a comparative analysis of trade systems within the elemental kingdoms, focusing on the water and air regions. For math, I had a complex task on modeling elemental patterns using advanced equations. I sighed as I grabbed a few dense-looking volumes, knowing they'd take hours to get through.

Thank the stars, there's no physics assignment this week, I thought, relieved. Physics had always been my weak spot, and I was grateful I wouldn't have to tackle it tonight.

Just as I moved through the aisles, a glimmer of gold lettering caught my eye. I stopped, captivated by a slightly out-of-place book on a high shelf in the corner. The title, Secrets of Elemental Kingdoms, shimmered in the dim light. My fingers itched to reach for it, curiosity building.

What secrets could it hold?

As I reached up, Esme's voice whispered urgently from behind me. "Aria, what are you doing here?" She grabbed my arm, eyes wide with worry. "This section... students aren't allowed here."

I glanced around, realizing I'd wandered deeper into the library than intended. "Why not?" I whispered back, curiosity now fully awakened. "Why can't we read these books?"

Esme shook her head. "Only faculty members are allowed in this section. They say these books contain... forbidden knowledge."

"Forbidden knowledge?" I echoed, incredulous. The more I heard, the more intrigued I became.

Esme looked at me as though I'd suggested using dragon fire to cook dinner. "These books have advanced information, dangerous stuff if it falls into the wrong hands. If anyone catches us here, we're done for." She tugged me back toward the student section.

I felt a surge of frustration mixed with fascination. Why hide knowledge? But seeing Esme's anxious expression, I knew better than to argue. "Alright, let's get out of here," I said, reluctantly stepping back from the mysterious tome.

I stole a last glance at Secrets of Elemental Kingdoms as we left. Forbidden or not, that book had ignited something in me—a desire to know more. I silently vowed to find a way to read it someday.

When we rejoined Calen in the main section, his arms were full of books. "Did you find everything you needed?" he asked, oblivious to our little adventure.

"Almost," I replied, shooting Esme a look. "But I'll leave some mysteries for another day."

Esme grinned, rolling her eyes. "Yes, let's stick to non-restricted areas, shall we?"

We settled into a quiet study nook surrounded by the towering shelves, and I couldn't help but wonder about the secrets hidden in this library.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

With a sigh, I opened my math book. Math before magic, Arvi, I told myself, focusing on the task at hand. After two solid hours, my brain felt like a tangled mess of equations and theories. I let out an exasperated sigh, stretching my arms above my head. "Why did I join so late?" I groaned, pressing my palms to my temples. "I think I'm going to collapse under the weight of these assignments."

Esme and Calen burst into laughter, their amusement lifting my spirits.

"Hang in there, Aria," Calen chuckled, nudging me playfully. "You've already conquered Reed; a few math problems are nothing in comparison."

Esme grinned, giving me a quick pep talk. "Think of it as training — mental combat practice!"

I managed a small smile, their encouragement helping me push through the next hour. But by the time we wrapped up, my head was pounding. We gathered our things, ready to head to the dormitories. I still had assignments to finish, though, so I needed to check out a few more books. As we walked to the checkout counter, my heart sank when the librarian looked at me with a raised brow.

"You'll need a library card to check these out," she said, eyeing the pile of books.

Of course. Another thing I hadn't sorted out yet.

Before I could say anything, Esme stepped forward. "Oh, no worries, Alina," she said with a friendly grin. "I'll check them out on my card for tonight, and tomorrow, we'll go to the administrative office to get hers sorted."

The librarian, Alina, gave a warm smile and nodded. "That works for tonight, but make sure you get your own card soon."

I shot Esme a grateful smile. "Thanks, Esme. You're a lifesaver."

As Alina scanned the books, she looked up at me with a curious glint in her eye. "So, you're the new girl Aria, everyone's been talking about—the one who took down a final-year fire elemental as an air elemental?"

I blinked in surprise. "Wait, people are actually talking about that?"

Alina chuckled, leaning in a bit. "Oh yes, sweetheart, news here spreads like wildfire. You've made quite an impression already."

I glanced at Esme, who just shrugged with a grin. "Guess you're famous now," she teased.

I let out a small laugh, still processing. "Good to know I'll have a reputation to live up to."

Alina winked as she handed the books over. "Something tells me you'll manage just fine."

As I took the books from Alina, a pang of regret hit me. I really should've stayed out of the limelight, just like my brothers and friends had warned. But here I was, doing the exact opposite. Now, with everyone's eyes on me, finding out more about those vision elemental dragons was going to be even harder. Keeping a low profile while digging into secrets was going to be tricky—especially with people already buzzing about me.

With the books in hand, we walked back to the dorms. The weight of the assignments still lingered, but my friends had turned the night into something lighter. Knowing I wasn't alone made all the difference.

The weight of them felt almost as heavy as the day itself. But at least we had dinner to look forward to.

As we reached our rooms, I turned to Calen. "Let's meet in thirty minutes after we've freshened up, yeah? I think we all need it after today." I paused, then added with a grin, "Oh, and Calen? Don't fall asleep in there. Thirty minutes, tops."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Got it, Aria. No naps."

Esme flopped onto her bed the second we entered our room, her arms stretched out dramatically as if she'd just survived some perilous journey. "Aria, I'm completely done. Exhausted. I'm convinced this is my end," she moaned, her face half-buried in her pillow.

I laughed, dropping my bag on the floor and pulling out some clean clothes. "Oh, come on! At least you didn't have to face off with a certain ego-driven, brainless fire elemental earlier. And I still have a mountain of assignments waiting for me tonight!" I flashed her an exaggerated look of pity, as though I'd barely survived some mythical beast.

She cracked an eye open and gave me a sympathetic look, her lips twitching into a smile. "Point taken. Maybe you are the one who's had it worse," she admitted. I grinned, deciding to add a bit of levity.

"Well, at least I got to crush Reed's oversized ego for the day," I said, flexing my arms jokingly. "Honestly, if his ego were an elemental, it would have a dragon of its own, breathing fire at anyone who dared to look at him wrong."

Esme burst out laughing, muffling her laughter into her pillow. "Alright, alright, you win. You're the queen of the crazy day." She gave me a mock salute, and I chuckled as I headed to the bathroom.

Inside, I turned on the faucet and splashed some water on my face, letting the coolness clear my mind. As I reached for a towel, I paused, checking my scent just to be sure. I had to be careful not to let my true identity as a multi-elemental slip—today had been close enough. My scent, thankfully, still matched that of an air elemental, masking my real powers. Satisfied, I took a deep breath and finished freshening up.

When I stepped out, Esme was already digging through her clothes, preparing for her turn. "All yours," I said, motioning to the bathroom.

She nodded, gathering her things and heading in while I stepped out onto the small balcony attached to our room. The night air was crisp and refreshing, carrying with it the faint scent of pine and something unidentifiable but comforting. I pulled out my phone, dialing my family back home.

The screen filled with my brothers' faces almost immediately, Adrian, Thiago, and Luca, jostling each other to be seen. My parents joined a moment later, their familiar smiles filling my heart with warmth.

"Arvi!" Luca grinned. "Long day at the new academy?"

"Long doesn't even cover it," I sighed. "I think I've done more assignments here in one day than in a whole term back home."

Thiago smirked. "I bet they're putting you through 'toughening up' training. Better hope they don't throw more on you!"

"Thanks for the encouragement, Thiago," I replied sarcastically. "I'll keep that in mind when I'm drowning in assignments tonight."

"Just keep your spirits up, Arvi," Adrian chimed in with a chuckle. "You're the only one who can make sarcastic comments sound so... noble. It's impressive, really."

I grinned. "Well, if sarcasm is my legacy, then I'll wear it proudly."

My father's face appeared on the screen, his expression serious but warm. "Arvi, just don't let your guard down," he reminded me gently. "Stay safe, stay focused, and... well, keep your... unique talents under wraps."

I nodded, feeling a familiar warmth and responsibility. "Don't worry, Dad. I'll be careful."

"Careful enough not to run into any trouble?" Luca teased. "Or do we have to come all the way over there to rescue our baby sister?"

"Oh, please!" I laughed. "If anyone's doing rescuing, it'll be me saving you three from boredom back home."

They all laughed, and my mother's face filled the screen one last time. "Alright, Arvi, enjoy your dinner. And no skipping meals, young lady!"

Esme stepped onto the balcony, signaling that she was ready to go. I waved at my family. "Love you all! I'll check in again soon."

Just as I was about to step inside, something caught my eye. There, across in the east dormitory window, I saw that familiar figure—this time, unmistakable. My heart gave a tiny, traitorous skip as the realization hit me. So, it's you, huh?

I thought, feeling a mix of exasperation and amusement. Dark Prince. Yes, that suited him perfectly—someone so powerful and ruthless, cloaked in an aura of mystery and danger.

"Your Majesty Ego," I muttered with a smirk, deciding that would be my personal nickname for him. But Dark Prince felt right too—a reminder of the icy, untouchable image he projected. Shaking my head, I managed to ignore the flutter of nerves and turned back inside.

With my family's laughter still echoing in my mind, we headed down to the mess hall.