It only took a small breach and everything came out of Maya like a flood. Releasing her burden, Maya had told Elena everything. From introducing Leo, speaking about the incident with lightning and how her ability seemingly started at the same time, to mentioning Lady Anastasia.
Elena listened with great interest. Especially since the legendary mage was mentioned.
“Anastasia? The Anastasia?”
Of course, Elena wanted to know the truth of this world from the source, and was greatly disappointed when she learned Maya didn’t get a chance to ask her questions yet. At her insistence on calling the legendary ghost, Maya revealed the tricky nature of communicating with spirits she had no means to call, unlike her friend Leo who seems to be bound to her silver necklace.
Maya had led Elena to the highest academy tower, hoping she could get in touch with Anastasia, but only ended up talking with Elena about everything.
At the back of her mind, Maya was still concerned about Elena’s motivation and the deal she had proposed. Maya didn’t have a sliver of an idea what favour Elena would want to ask for in return for keeping her secret, or if Elena worried about any implications hiding such a secret from someone living with her would have.
Wouldn’t knowing that there were ghosts all around them shake a person? Eyes watching you when you are alone and unaware. Maya herself was uncomfortable going to the bathroom or performing some mundane tasks for the first couple of days since she was reunited with Leo.
Was it alright for Elena to learn that she basically had a male roommate the entire time and not give a damn? Does she not worry about what Maya could have asked of Leo behind her back?
Despite all the anxiety about Elena knowing, it was a relief to have someone to share her secret with. Maya had always been worried that her ghost-seeing ability could have been just a malfunction from brain damage.
“There’s a simple way to check that,” Elena chuckled. “Leo has the knowledge and a perspective you do not. He can relay if the person in front of you is holding a dagger behind their back… or simply the number of fingers.”
Maya widened her eyes, remembering the game they played with Chris, one of the warrior trainees, the first week. It was such a ridiculous situation to be in and Maya even forgot about it due to the incident that followed had more presence in her mind. Of course, Maya would forget about a silly game after they were attacked and Elena held a knife to someone’s throat.
“Y-you noticed way back then?!”
Maya began thinking she had deeply underestimated Elena.
“Girl, you’ve been talking to yourself since day one. I know I may be failing at school, but I don’t consider myself that clueless.”
“Oh.”
“You are way too mentally sane that talking to the dead seemed more plausible.”
“Thanks… I guess.”
If someone with a reputation of a lunatic tells you are sane it must be… a compliment?
“However, I am disappointed that you are still so clueless even with such an advantage. It seems that to learn more we’ll have to do it the old way and raid the restricted part of the library. I doubt we’d be able to find anything at the children’s department.”
‘Children’s department’ was Elena’s term of endearment for the regular library stock they had access to. Maya found it funny that a person who would rather be caught dead than with a book would look down on the place of knowledge. Even the supposed necromancy book she used to pull this stunt was a convincing fake.
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.
It was the first time Maya considered bending the rules and breaking into the restricted part to be useful.
Nevertheless, sharing a secret made Maya feel closer to Elena. It was as if she had finally managed to reach deeper and set the foundation for a solid friendship. With all of Elena’s flaws, Maya still admired her for her unshakeable confidence and the unfiltered way she was able to speak her mind no matter who she was facing. Having Elena by her side would make up for Maya’s insecurities with Elena’s abundant confidence.
Although they had talked deep into the night, the next day, Maya was sitting alone at their usual table for lunch in the academy cafeteria. Zeta group finished their theoretical compulsory courses for today a few minutes earlier, so Maya was the first one to arrive while Elena sat with her boyfriend.
Glancing at Pricilla and Hailey who were ordering their food, Maya felt anxious. Those two successfully made Maya cower in fear every time she was alone. However, today they only sent some sharp gazes her way before turning to their own business.
‘This is a relief.’
It seems they haven’t reported anything about yesterday’s incident, otherwise, Maya would have been called to the Faculty Wing by now. She knew Elena was on a slippery slope to expulsion already, so her involvement yesterday was a huge risk for her.
While Maya was idly stirring her soup, suddenly, the clatter of a harshly landed food tray next to her drew her attention.
“I’ve heard all kinds of unbelievable rumours in my life, but this new one takes the cake,” it was Andrea, her face was a mix of disbelief and indignation. “Apparently, my kind friend here is a stone-cold killer.”
Andrea patted Maya’s shoulders shooting a glance in Adam’s, Isaac’s and Linda’s way that were accompanying her, expecting them to share her disbelief.
“I would be willing to entertain the idea of Maya and Elena being love rivals if it wasn’t such an obvious baloney,” Andrea sat down, tapping her fingers impatiently on the table. “Maya, my friend, someone is out there to get you.”
“I heard people speak those ridiculous things with a straight face,” Adam leaned in to join the conversation. “At this rate, others will believe it.”
Maya absentmindedly ran a hand through her hair as her friends joined her at the table. The rumours about Maya were whispered around for a while now, it seems now it has crossed the line as even her friends wanted to address them and put a stop to them.
Andrea grabbed Maya’s hand and looked at her with concern.
“Maya, I don’t know who out there has gripes with you, but I swear we’ll help you put a stop to it.”
Her heartfelt words almost made Maya tear up. So far she had been keeping everything bottled in, never mentioning to her friends what she has been dealing with lately.
‘Maybe if I opened up earlier, yesterday’s incident would never have happened.’
Maya still felt the lingering shame and pangs of her shattered dignity.
‘I never had to fight alone.’
“At least the one about Maya being a killer is too unbelievable, so it would die on its own,” Isaac assured her. “However, Maya and Elena being love rivals has plenty of fuel, and people wouldn’t shut up about it easily.”
“I may have a solution,” everyone turned toward Adam speaking. “You should simply start dating.”
All of them gave him an incredulous look.
“Think about it. What better way to disprove Maya’s interest in Keith than showing interest in someone else? Better yet, you should go on a double date with them so people can see your relationship with Keith is nothing but platonic.”
“And who do you suppose she goes on a date with?” Isaac chimed in, crossing his arms over his chest. “You?”
At Isaac’s words Maya visibly blushed and turned away. It seems Adam was also caught off guard as he diverted his gaze and cleared his throat.
“Don’t worry,” Linda gently placed her hand over Maya’s and gave her a supportive smile. “You don’t have to concern yourself about rumours. We know they are just a bunch of lies and you have our full support.”
Maya almost teared up once again. Her friends’ support was a lifeline, but beneath the surface, Maya still grappled with the shadows of the whispers that threatened to tarnish her reputation. Perhaps it was only her friends’ opinions that mattered.
Glancing at Elena across the room, Maya wondered if she should take a page out of her book in dealing with the rumours and stop minding them. It seems sometimes Elena even indulges in her own notoriety, like the first day when a table conveniently cleared up for them, or when she subdued Maya’s bullies without even putting in the effort simply because they had images in their heads about her despite never interacting before.
Then she secretly glanced at Adam.
‘If it continues to bother me, I could give that strategy a try.’