Haze of Dusk (A trilogy) (21 page)

“No way…so that’s how it looks from close,” I seize it and observe the strange fruit that I've seen in pictures, and I study thoroughly, but never did I think from up
close it be such an ugly thing. “You brought a coconut…” I gasp. “This means you…” his severe gawk tells me to stop. 
This means he destroyed the tree after all.

“How does it
tastes?” I ask, he shakes his head. “What! Alright we can share it.”

“
No thank you,” he seems disgust.

“Oh come on…half-half… it has juice inside…so we need to make a puncture first.” I give him the fruit, since I can’t use
magic it's up to him. He harshly sighs. I can tell he's exasperated by me. He points his index finger to the top of the fruit, slowly making a circle, burning the edges. He magically lifts up the cap. “There…”

“You go first,”
I command,

“I
do not want to.”

“Oh come on Khysso, please. You go first,” he exhales overcome by my persiste
nce. He takes a sip. By his still expression I think he likes it. I sit on the corner of his desk, expecting to be reproach, but he overlooks my freshness. “Sooo…”

“It’s good,” he doesn’t sound convincing. I take it in my hands. And afraid
, I take a sip. I gag. “It taste like dirty water,” he laughs. His attitude hits me. Khysso has opened up. He’s not being mean, but rather nonchalant. But… why during class was he such a jerk? “I think you have to consume more to obtain the flavor.” I take his advice, and guzzle down the drink. “Nope, still taste like dirty water.” I assure him.

“Can we eat the inside?
” I ask. I know by my reading, the inside has a better flavor. “You are asking for too much.”

“Well
, thanks to you I missed lunch.”

“You still have time to eat…”

“Just open it…please,” he sighs. He drinks the last bit of the coconut water, and breaks the coconut in two with his bare hands. I’m impressed by his strength. I wonder if he knows how attractive that is. “Looks icky…” I say pointing at the white lair that covers the inside of the seed. “Do you complain about everything, Zayras?” I pursed my lips.
I do, don’t I?

He scrapes the layer with a dagger he keeps on his belt and w
e eat the inside, which is sweet and tasty. However, by his lousy expression, it appears he savored more the juice than the interior. “I can’t believe you destroyed our tree,” I mumble in a daze, as I delicately eat the fruit. I sense his eyes are on me, but I don’t want to confront him. “You should go… I have to work,” he says in a soft tone, fondling the back of his neck. I get down from his desk. “Thank you for the…fruit…” I say viewing him. He avoids my eyes, and awkwardly stares down at the papers. I take my books from his desk. "Bye..."

“Zayras,” his eyes rise meeting mine.  I try giving him
my attention without blushing. “I’ll appreciate if you dress appropriate. So please, if you need to wear your cloak, do so.” I stare at him stupefy by his request. Dress appropriate… there are girls who wear their tunics as dresses, their skirts so short their inner thighs show. I’m simply showing my shoulders, what’s wrong with this man? “Alright…I guess…” I awkwardly agree and walk away baffled by his request.

The night approaches quick, and I lay in my room morose by the atmosphere.  I’m sad I couldn’t meet with Corr, or any of my friends. Because of Khysso, I missed lunch, and becau
se of Ronneto, I skipped dinner. He wished to go over the rules, telling me how he won’t allow any more rule breakage from my part. At least during the gathering we ate. Ronneto is very different from my old man. He's serious, strict, and I barely see a smile. He’s not tolerant, and caring like my old man, but the opposite.

I read a manuscript Ronneto handed me
, commanding me to study. It is a book that surrounds the perception in how to surge the ability of my most difficult wisdom,
besides arithmetic
, magic rule time advance, surpassing sixty second. As I read the lectures of meditation and concentration, I think of Khysso. He's great with magic advance. I can’t believe he reaches sixty second at such an age. He's truly stupendous.

“Profound absorption and energy transfer are the keys to extending time…” I read out loud. “What the hell is that supposed to mean…” but as I think of magic law, I think in how Khysso and I can break it. Why do I need to increase my magic, when I can break it? A thump startles me. I gaze behind to find a man standing next to my bed. I gasp, his appearances races my heart. “Talking to your-self…” he taunts me. I’m on my knees, breathless by his appearance.

“How…what…you…” he smiles, leans forward and presses his lips against mine
, taking my life into him.  I can’t believe it, we kiss, why does it feel so wonderful? A remarkable energy surrounds me, altering my prospects. “Missed me…” he whispers brushing his lips with mine.

“
So much…” I manage to say in a daze.

“I thought of you dearly… at all time…you are everything I think of. You have no idea how much I need you, Judyala.” He whispers. I caress his cheek.

“I need you too, Khysso,” and again our lips cover one another’s mouth.

-
16
-

Manners

Casandree speaks to us about the arclaw
’s limitations, but I hear or see nothing. In my mind is that strange deranged dream that grumbles my stomach and confuses my emotions. Of all men, why did I dream with Khysso? Why did I not romantically dream about Corr? He's the one I have feelings for. Could it be I’m spending too much time with Khysso? Yes, that has to be it. We spend almost an entire day when on the dragon’s cavern, and yesterday, we ate a coconut together. Dreams are not real. They are created by our inner thoughts. I’m sure my head considered him too much as I slept for there's no way I can like Khysso. It’s clearly affirmed, his heart, and body belongs to her. I can never have feelings for him, not after what I saw.

“Spellbound is very powerful, so intensive that the male arclaws senses when their love ones are in danger. This moves them before their soul mate enters the
threat. Therefore, it is another reason why the male has to be eliminated first.  For if they envision harm coming to their love, they will attack in such anger that will kill a human instantly.” I hate her voice. I can’t stand her living form. I’m nauseated by the true bitch she is. All I seek is to leave the room, and never to return to this class.

I dash out of the room the instant the hourglass chime
s. My emotions are bothersome, and I pursue for some alone time. I want to face him, so I can prove to my inner self that the concept it’s producing is foolish. Out of the question!

I slam my books on the desk
, and sit next to Ramuso’s seat. It's still early and Khysso hasn't come forward.  The room is empty, and the solitude I find facilitates my tensions. I lay my head on the desk, but loud clamoring abruptly boosts me up.

“If it isn’t Zayras.
What happened to you? What did the
prick
do to you? We missed you for lunch and dinner.” Ramuso says sitting next to me.  Onnet and Osys also sit with us. I’m glad to see them. I miserably breathe out.  “I had a meeting with my guardian. But today for sure we can go together.” I say in a gloomy tone.

“What’s wrong with you? You look moody. Ah…I bet you have your…girly visitor…eh.” I
glower. I wonder if he means my menstruation. Onnet truly is a hog.

“No I
don’t. What’s wrong with me is that I can’t stand arclaw communication and that dim-witted Instructor Sellias. I do not like her…she’s such a harlot,” I hiss.

“Sh
e’s giving arclaw communication! No way, she’s grea…” Ramuso ends his words as I give him a cruel look. He nervously laughs. “Sellias is one gorgeous woman. I don’t blame Corr for—” I grasp Onnet from his collar, strangling him. The rage in me is conspicuous. “She’s a
harlot
,” I scream at him.

“Fine-fine
, she is. T-take it easy…” I hear Ramuso and Osys laugh inconsiderately at foolish Onnet. I shove him away. I can’t believe I went aggressive on him.
“Holy crap, Zayras… that’s some grudge you have there… makes you hotter.” I gnash my teeth. I take my books and head to my seat, for the other apprentices arrived, in them, I see him.

Class starts, and I try to distant my eyes from him, preventing any type of contact. I’m not going to dive into his enchantment, for even though it was a dream
, it still gobbles my thoughts, and my emotions. I’m ensnared by Khysso. There’s no way to take him out of my mind. That moment, I dislike sharing the same ambience. I want to drift away, release myself from his grasp—I hate this tumbling sharpness on my tummy—I dislike the ill sensation.  Khysso walks around class handing the graded exam. Evidently, my rating is perfect. I have my old man to thank.

Khysso reviews the exam with the class, re-examining repetitive mistakes many committed. Assuring if there's no awareness on the subject, then in battle we're bound to die. I'm afraid to view him, but
as I gaze up, the life force in him prevails in me. His voice fades, and only he stands before my eyes. The gentle gestures of his body; every speck on him, instantly becomes my world. I’m inside the cavern again. I'm burning up. My chest inflates and deflates with air in a speedy flow. I can’t find air to gulp down. The flow of the motions prickles my blood vessels. I need air.

I push my hair back.
“Are you alright?” Azania whispers over our instructor’s lecturing. I remove my brown kcowl cloak. There’s no way in hell I’m going to keep it on with such heat. It’s ridiculous, I’m one of the few kcowl members who wear it. And I’m the only girl, beside Azania whom wears the stupid cover-up. Although her shawl looks a lot lighter and comfier.

“It’s hot in here,” I
say. Azania pulls a face.

“No, not really,
it is like any other day. Oh-my, you are blushing. Perhaps you should wash up.” I exhale harshly. Khysso stops teaching to observe our rude uttering, but it’s my eyes he captures, disturbing me entirely. Azania apologizes, he clears his throat, and in a queer manner, he continues his lectures. I sigh heavily, the high temperature that only I absorb captures my atmosphere. I take my red feather writing implement, and turn it into a wooden fan. I flip it open and blow some air. Azania gasps. She insists magic is forbidden, and that I'm breaking the rules, but hell with the rules. The heat within me is devouring my skin in such a sadistic form that rubbing my skin is unbearable—it's worse than the cavern. Khysso’s eyes cross my way again. He notices the fan, but peculiarly, he says nothing. He rubs the back of his neck. “Ah…read section 560. I will return in a few.” Khysso says surprising us all. He heads out the room. The fan disappears because of nature’s magic law. Again, I turn the implement into a fan.

“Psssh,
Judyala!” Ramuso calls for me. I grimace. I rub my burning arm.  He throws me a folded paper. I sigh stressfully.
Ramuso and his letters.
“Not now.” I complain. He chuckles. “Just read it!” he hisses. I carefully open the letter, his sloppy writing makes me laugh.

—
What’s up with you and the prick? You two look like you want to eat…

I gasp to read the last nasty-perverted word
s he wrote. I scoff.
Our look...our eyes barely met
. I glare at him.  He shrugs, hoping for a reply. That Ramuso is indeed terrible. Khysso enters the room in a flash. Nerve wreck by the letter I hide the paper behind me. But it’s too late. My suspicious behavior gives me away.

“Miss Zayras, get up,” he
says calmly. I obey him. He strolls to me. I swallow hard. The noise of my gulping identifies my anxiety.
“Give it to me,” he requests, reaching out a hand.
Oh that Khysso is good, how did he see it?
Bratty, I shake my head disagreeing with him. There’s no way in hell I will allow him to read what Ramuso wrote.
“I don’t have anything…” I assure. He wiggles his fingers. The paper flips out of my back and glides to him, but before he reads the great insult, I snatch the sheet and stuff it inside my trousers, shocking the classroom, but more of all, shocking myself.

Ramuso, Osys and Onnet break into an earsplitting laughter, and for that loud behavior, they are punished, two broken ru
les for each. “Very well, let us amuse one another. I want to see you after class.” He says calmly. I grimace. Wait, no punishment… no broken rules. Oh-boy, this is going to be bad. At least, I got my troublemaker name back, thanks to Ramuso’s insolent paper writing.

I stand next to Khysso. I'm breathless by the burning in me. I rub my hurting skin. He stares amuse by my
oddness. “Am I in trouble?” I ask him, trembling because of the hotness. He leans his behind to his desk, aloof as typical. His dark-hair slid back, his devious small green eyes on me. I want to admire him, but I can’t, for any second now I'll faint. “Wizard Ronneto told me he is your guardian. He asked me before adding any broken rules to your book to consult him first, except you are making matters complicated. You have already broken six rules, and these are your first days. Using magic without consent, and disobeying. Do you enjoy these reckless behaviors?” I purse my lips. I desire to wash up. Yes, that’s exactly what I’m going to do. A nice cold shower. “I’m sorry Khysso, but it is so hot in here… ” I push back the hair that falls on my face. He stares at me stiffly, almost conquered by something.