Haze of Dusk (A trilogy) (20 page)

“What if one of them dies?
” Azania asks, severely into the topic.

“That’s why we have to pay close attention, and
it is why when in war, we CANNOT kill the female first. If done so, the male becomes angry. When a male arclaw finds rage, he consumes more power and killing him will become a difficult task. When in war, always aim for the masculine. The females also consume rage. Nonetheless, their fury is not as influential and dangerous as the male. In conclusion, children and female arclaws
should
be the last to be killed.” Casandree states, I frown. Children, we have to kill children too. That’s monstrous.

“When a male loses his beloved
, he will seek the world with vengeance, and never remarries as no other arclaw exists for him. If a female loses her beloved, she becomes critically ill. For days, a fever consumes her. She loses her appetite, and at last, she dehydrates gradually dying—committing suicide. Nevertheless, if she has children, she will raise her child, and then when he or she mates, the mother ends her life with depression. At long last, when in war… kill the masculine, and if the female survives, may she then take her own life by self-suicide.” I press my lips together. The arclaws appear to have more feelings than humans. Why are we against them again? Oh yes, they eat our flesh.

The new clas
s ends leaving everyone eager. The boys are still thrilled by the blast they had talking about sexual pleasures. They got to act like the good jerks they are, and express their dirty thoughts without being punished. “This is some class, eh?” Azania says as I pick up my two manuscripts.

 
I nod,

“
about what you did…thank you.” She says hardly hearable. I half smile, let me explain before she thinks something it is not. “I—”

“Judyala,” someone interrupts me. I swivel to see nearly fifteen boys waiting to speak to me.  First in line is th
e rude older boy I battled with. I scowl. “Ah, yes…”

“Hey, I’m s
orry about earlier. And you too, Azania. I was overexcited,” the fellow says to me and Azania as we prepare to leave. “I’m Johnny, by the way. Ah, Judyala. Can I walk you to your next class?” He asks coolly.

“
I was going to ask her first,” another boy screams from behind. And in union they debate who will take me to my next class. What’s going on here? Is this a normal way to react? I’m feeling highly confused. Are they acting this way because I came back from the dragon’s cavern, or because I’m a female sorcerer? This makes no sense. “No thanks, I can walk myself.” I shun the crowd, and hurry away from the weird boys. Azania walks at my pace, giggling.

“What is wrong with those
fellows?” I breathe out. Azania still giggles.

“You
are
popular with boys.” I grimace. What does she means by that? I was never popular with boys back in Duolic, well, not as if there were any.

“Za
yras!!!” A familiar voice yells as I stroll down the study quarter with Azania. I smile widely to see Ramuso. It’s the first time since my leave I bumped into him. “Ramuso!” I say excitedly. He’s with some other kids from his previous class. I wonder if they’re his new company. Now that I’m a girl things are likely to be different. This means no more trouble making Ramuso, but then… why do I feel hurt with the thought— Azania resumes to the classroom, I doubt she wants to be late to Khysso’s class. Ramuso stands next to me, and awkwardly smiles. Normally, he rests a hand on my shoulder. Our distance expresses oddity.

“Ah…how are you doing? Where
are you going?” He asks uncomfortably. 
There is it, the indifference.
“Shorewen’s class, I still have it.” He widely smiles.

“
Splendid, we’re a team again. Just… that you’re a girl now…weird…” I giggle. “It’s not weird, and I’m still me.” I assure him. He smirks. We arrive at the door. “I know, but…it won’t be the same to Onnet. So just bully him by telling every girl about his knitting,
if
he bothers. That’s our secret. He’ll die if it comes out.” I laugh silly. I rush a nod, and together we enter the class. The noisy room falls into silence as we walk in. Osys and Onnet wave at us, and like before, I sit next to them.

“
Look at you. You truly are gold. No, you are diamond… your skin…flawless. Your hair…such fire…” Onnet says touching a strip of my hair the instant I take a seat. Unfortunately, I’m sitting in between him and Ramuso. I sneer, repelled by his flirting. He’s too quick. I glimpse at Ramuso, who chortles. He pushes a nod, indicating it’s time to terrorize him. “It’s still me Onnet…” I lean forward.

“Remember,
we clean the room together. I helped you…
knit
.” I say sneakily. He expands his eyes and nervously laughs. “Y-you…do know that’s personal…right. That's between us, roommates, buddies.” I can tell it will truly damage his cool status. 

I purse my lips.

“As long as you don’t flirt with me, I won’t tell.” I threaten imperturbably. He chuckles. “Superb, kid…nice to have you back,” he says and strains a laugh. Ramuso breaks into laughter. He enjoys torturing Onnet, and I enjoy joining him. 

“So
Judyala, how was your journey—”

“Judyala,” a random boy cuts
Osys. I study my surrounding. The boys in the classroom encircle me. “Welcome back…I’m Jeff.” Jeff, a fifteen year old elf gives me roses, but another fellow pushes him out of the way to give me a box of toffee.

“Congratulations on your journey. Do you have a boyfriend?” I frown. I've
never seen this fellow in my life. Why is he asking me personal questions? More boys come forward, handing me gifts, making me feel uncomfortable. It's not until Ramuso asks them to leave, when they lay back. “What is wrong with these idiots? She is still a he…alright!” Ramuso defends me, yet he’s chomping down my toffee. He didn’t bother asking. “Don’t blame them. Look how beautiful she is. Her skin is fair…you are…” Onnet stops for Ramuso, and I frown.  He laughs.

“Forget it…”
Onnet says giving up. I sigh unhappily. I miss my brother’s body. I could’ve converse without rude ogles, and improper queries. The over-attention suffocates me. I never thought it be this difficult to be a woman in Doomsvell.

The most fear
ed instructor in Doomsvell inserts the room, dropping the volume and dispatching everyone back to their seats. Ramuso offers me one of my toffees. He ignores the fact class is about to start, “Miss Zayras!” I shove the box of sweet away, and stand up to face serious Khysso who stares at me almost grinding his teeth.

“W-what…I-didn’t do anything wrong.” It is the first idea that crawls on my head when someone calls me with that tone. My nerves drop. I feel at ease to sight Khysso’s perfect face. He shaved the bit of facial hair he had. His sun-kiss skin is spotless. His dark hair is nicely brushed back. I can tell he took his time to fix himself. He stands flawless, looking
neat  with his dark outfit, and long collared coat. I gape taken by his flawlessness. His beauty impresses half the class. He truly is a desirable man. I can’t take my eyes of him.  Khysso squints his eyes.
Don’t do that, that is so sexy.
He deeply breathes, his upper chest rising with air.

“Do you not know in class, there is no eating
?”
Why is he telling me this? Ramuso is the one feasting on my gifts.
He flashes his eyes at my desk. 

“And… what is this?” H
e looks at my gifts.  “Well you all know, this is lecturing and not a romantic engagement? Do this in your own time…” he speaks stridently. His furious tone scares the hell out of me, and probably everyone who gifted me. He snatches my gifts from my table and throws in the trash near his desk. All-right that is it, although gorgeous, he is not very nice. And I thought now that combine our powers make miracle, maybe he treats me nicer. I was idiotically incorrect. Khysso Shorewen is
still
a prick.

“Now please
, go to your seat,” he commands radically.

I sneer,

“This…is my seat…”
It’s the seat I’ve always sat in. What's his problem?
 

“Not in my class. Here
, boys sit with boys and girls…go with girls…” he points at an empty seat on the girl's side, again next to Azania. Onnet, Osys and Ramuso groan. I can tell they're bothered by his decision. Seriously, what
is
his problem?

“Do you gen
tlemen have something to say?” He asks evenly, his wily eyes on my friends. They shake their heads in terror. Ramuso bows down his head, and in a discreet tone he utters, “
prick
” I press my lips together, avoiding laughing.  Although I no longer can disrespect Khysso, deep within me, I’m disrespecting him a nasty way. But to stop myself, I recall the many times he saved me, the memories lightly eases my negative-thoughts.

I sit next to
Azania. She nicely smiles at me. She is cheerful to have me all too herself, again. “Today, you will all do some reading on generic sorcery influences for half an hour. As a result, I’ll give an exam on the reading. Let us see who has been paying attention, and who has not,” he says sitting on his chair. Every girl excluding me dreamily stares at him. As for the fellows, mainly my friends, glare at him with such a dislike the awful vibration is conspicuous.

The class plunges into a restful reading period. I recognized the
section so my interest towards the subject discontinues. I flash a look around; the classroom is at still, but not entirely. Ramuso is making silly faces at Khysso, who most likely is correcting documents. I snort. Khysso’s eyes rapidly look my way. I clear my throat and turn the page, giving awareness to the lecture. I peek, again Ramuso taunts him. I press my lips together. That Ramuso is an awful kid, and I’m the only dumb one to go along with his amusement. Ramuso calls my attention by waving his hands on the air. He glides over a paper to me. My heart is accelerating. I'm scared to be discovered, yet the thrill of getting caught excites me. The paper gets to me without Khysso noticing. I put it inside the book, and view it. A witty drawing of a round twig name Khysso makes me burst into laughter, breaking the intense silence.

All eyes fall on me,

“I…I…comical lectures…” I say pointing at the book, but Khysso doesn’t swallow it. He stares deadly. His cold gaze shivers my spine. That’s it, no more looking at Ramuso, that kid is dangerous. I read the lecture, but aloof by it my eyes obtain a heavy weight closing every now and then. My hair tinkles my naked skin so I fondle my itchy shoulder. A sensation of awareness and nuisance persists in me. I glimpse to my front to be startle by his eyes on me, but coming in contact with me, Khysso shoves his head back to his work, avoiding our sight from meeting. I heave a sigh. Was he just staring at me? My heartbeat hastens to the thought, forming an irrational sensation in me.

“Alright class, study time is over.” He stands from his desk, and passes the written exams.  It’s my turn. Khysso hands me the documents.
I want to beam a smile, but he’s cruel, and his face does not lift to meet mine. I seal my lips rather humiliated. I'm acting like one of the girls, infatuated. What’s wrong with me? I breathe out, and take my exam. Khysso’s handwriting is a charming script. I stop admiring his handwriting and look through my papers. I scoff. Khysso handed me a set of ten pages, as for the others, a three page insignificant exam. I grimace, and raise my hand, “I think you handed me extra,” I say innocently. He groans,

“
Miss Zayras, you avoided the book and seemed to yawn to my lectures. Therefore, I am assuming you know it all. Then, why not entertain yourself.” I gasp.

What! That’s it, he's pushing my
fury. Say something, say something Judyala…damn it! Why did I promise to respect him? That jerk… wait… how does he know I was yawning? Could it be he was watching me after all? I exhale, overpowered. I have no choice, as everyone has a twenty five question written exam, I remain with one hundred questions.

Little by little the class empties, and I
stay behind. Again, I feel as if I’m in Srogeri’s class, and I’m always the last to finish, for my old man abused me with lectures. At least, there’s no arithmetic, and I have the response for every problem. The difficulty is to state a clear solution, and that takes plenty of mind work. After a good period of time, I complete the assessment. I rush to Khysso. I slam the documents on his desk. “Thanks to you I missed lunch.” I can’t believe I just talked to him like that. Khysso chuckles, here it comes, scold me for giving you attitude.

“You can always have dinner,” he see
ms fairly controlled. I chuckle.

“
You are making it hard for me. How am I supposed to respect you if you are being such a…” I halt, for he glares at me deviously unafraid. I gracefully smile, avoiding that wicked word. “Such a…
good
…instructor,” I force.  He chuckles, taking me by surprised. “Are you seriously that hungry? I think I still have it here.” I confusedly look at him. He takes something from the bottom of his desk, and hands me an ugly round hairy-brown thing. I scowl.

“
What the hell is that?” I say nastily. He frowns,

“Zayras…I thought you know better tha
n that. It’s a coconut,” I gape.