Halen sets her fork down and looks me in the eyes. “Are you okay?”
I’m anything other than okay, but I can’t talk about that in the middle of a meal surrounded by all the students in the academy.
“Marra?”
I move my fork around the plate. “Let’s talk later.”
“Right after the meal?”
“Sure.” I turn my head just enough to be able to see the band at the end of the table. Bash is turned toward them, so I can’t see anything other than the back of his head. If only I could see his face, I could gage how he’s feeling. Does he want to work through things or break up with me?
Tears blur my vision. I realize Halen’s speaking, so I turn back to her. She’s talking with Lumen, which is a relief. I don’t think I can pull myself together enough to hold down a conversation. There isn't anything I want to talk about anyway. Not my parents, not Bash, not the fact that I’ve angered Earwyn again. When she and her friends arrived at the table, they each made a point to glare at me before sitting.
I should talk with Mrs. Middlebrooks about letting me switch out of the weapons class. There’s no reason for me to be in there with all those upper-years. No reason for me to be in the sparring competition, either. Maybe I can talk some sense into her now that my dad is no longer a part of the picture.
Once the announcements are done, I hurry over to her.
She curls her lips in obvious displeasure. “Yes, Marra?”
“Can I talk with you in your office, please?”
“I usually schedule meetings.”
“Since when?”
She throws her head back. “Fine. Make it quick.”
I follow her to her office. As I pass Halen, she gives me a questioning glance. I mouth to her, “I’ll meet you in the suite.”
“Okay.”
When we get to the office, Middlebrooks unlocks it and motions for me to go in and sit, her face twisted into a scowl. “What’s so important that it couldn’t wait?”
I sit. “I want to be in a weapons class with other first-years.”
She sits and yawns. “Good for you.”
“Why am I with the upper-years?”
She sighs dramatically. “Because that’s where you are. All the classes are filled, and there’s nothing I can do. If that’s all you wanted, you can leave.”
“You can’t do anything, or you won’t?”
Middlebrooks taps her desk with her long nails. “Is there anything else you need?”
“I want to be in a new class.”
“Why?”
“Because it makes no sense that I’m there! I should be in remedial weapons, just like I was in remedial magic—because I don’t know anything about that stuff. They don’t teach it to human students on land!”
She leans forward and holds my gaze. “Listen up, and listen good because I’m only saying this once. You are no longer the king’s daughter, so you don’t get special privileges. Don’t ask for any again. Your classes are sticking.”
“But—”
“If you wanted special consideration, you shouldn’t have killed the king. You’re lucky you aren't in prison or worse.”
“I’m still heir to the throne! Tiberias said as much.”
She snorts. “Naive thing, aren’t you?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’re only heir until he comes up with a legitimate one.”
I bite my tongue. She sure isn’t the first person I want to tell the news about my birth to. “Well, for the time being I am the heir. I’m sure Tiberias would be happy to tell you himself—although he won’t give you the same benefits my dad did!”
Middlebrooks smirks. “We’ll see about that.”
My mouth falls open in shock. Not that I believe her. Tiberias would never do that to my mom.
“Oh, relax.” She waves her hand at me. “There are rumors about him seeing someone, anyway.”
I give her a double-take. People already know?
“Surprised?” A slow smile spreads across her face. “That’s what I was just talking about. Your days as heir are numbered, no matter how much uncle dearest adores you now. You’d better get used to it.”
I get up from the chair. “If you won’t change my schedule, I’ll speak with my uncle.”
“You do that. In the meantime, don’t forget to sign up for practice sparring sessions. The academy needs you to win against Zayn Landon.”
“Is that what this is about? That’s why you won’t let me switch?”
“You are our best chance at finally winning the championship again. It’s been far too long.”
“Expect to hear from the king.” I storm out of the office before she can say another word. Part of me wishes I had just told her I actually am the king’s daughter, but I’m not ready to say those words out loud.
My mom and Uncle Tiberias have been in love longer than I’ve been alive. It still doesn’t seem possible. Hopefully talking about it with Halen will help. If anyone can help make sense of this, it would be her. She’ll be shocked, but she’ll also know what to make of it, as someone who’s lived in Valora her entire life.
I make my way to the dorm, lost in thought. If Tiberias won’t help me switch classes, then I’m stuck in the class with Earwyn and her dogfish. Stuck facing off with the reigning sparring champion. Granted, he won’t be stronger than my dad was, but I also won’t be allowed to use the Ayers power which was how I overcame my dad. I do have Queen Sirena’s trident, though.
As I go up the stairs, I bump into someone. “Sorry.”
She spins around. Earwyn. Her eyes narrow and her face reddens. “Watch out, first-year.”
“I said I was sorry.”
“And I don’t care.” She shoves me against the wall.
“Can we just call a truce or something? I really don’t want to argue.”
Earwyn bursts out laughing. “A truce? Are you serious?”
“Why not? Neither of us needs the stress in our lives. Am I correct?”
She grabs my collar. “We passed the point of no return long ago.”
I gag and shove her fist away. My top button pops off. “What if I can get out of the weapons class? Would that help?”
“Nope. I have plans for you.”
My stomach flip-flops but I keep my expression stoic. “You really want to have an enemy when you could have a truce?”
Earwyn shoves me again. “After what you’ve done? You’d better believe it.”
I move away from her. “What about the king’s edict to treat me as you’d treat him? Would you shove and threaten him?”
“If he pulled the stunts you have, you’d better believe it!”
“I find that hard to believe.”
Her nostrils flare. “That’s because you’ve underestimated me from the beginning, you slimy little eel.”
I ignore the dig. “You think you haven’t underestimated me? I have the Ayers power, and I’ve killed a king! You really want to test me?”
“I managed to get you out to the woods your first night. That was just the beginning of what I can do!”
Anger swirls around me. “Did you happen to notice I got away?”
“Took you all night. That’s hardly impressive.”
My hands heat as the green glow brightens and a ball forms between my palms.
“You think that scares me?”
“It should!” The ball grows and casts an emerald light on us and the walls.
People have gathered on the stairs watching us from above and below. Hushed whispers run through the onlookers.
“Why would that scare me?” Earwyn demands.
I turn my attention back to her. “Maybe because I’ve killed a king with it!”
She pretends to yawn. “You keep bringing that up like it’s supposed to mean something. Like I’m supposed to care. You’re nothing more than an entitled first-year who gets everything handed to her! You think you’re better than the rest of us, but you’re not. Not even close!”
“It’s dangerous! And I’m not trying to brag. Do you think I’m proud about what I did?”
Earwyn hesitates. “You’re not?”
“He was my dad!”
“And he was also a horrible king. Not just that—a rotten merman. He deserved to die!”
“It’s because of people like you that he’s dead!” Without thinking, I throw the ball at her ugly face.
She moves out of the way, and the ball barely misses her. Crashes into the wall, cracking it. Leaving a hole in its stead. Earwyn’s eyes are wide and her face pale. She gasps. “You just threw that at me!”
“And you’re surprised?” I clench my fists, and they glow green again.
She straightens her back. “I’m going straight to Middlebrooks!”
“I can go to the king!” Everything around us takes on an emerald hue.
“Oh, stop bragging! Just wait until he has kids. After that, you’re going to be displaced.” She gets in my face. “You’ll be nothing.”
I hold another glowing ball between us. “Sure you want to go with that narrative?”
“Yeah, because you’re completely replaceable. And Tiberias will forget all about you once he has a true heir!”
Anger pulsates through me. All I can think about is how I want to show her. To shut her up for good. “He won’t replace me!”
“You’re just a niece. Get over it! You killed your chance at being queen someday. You might wish you were the next Queen Sirena.” She laughs cruelly. “Pathetic! That’s all you are. Except nobody feels sorry for you.”
“I’m Tiberias’s daughter! The true heir to the throne! If he has more kids, they’ll be my siblings.” Suddenly, I realize what I’ve said. That I blurted out the truth to my enemy in front of all these onlookers—and I haven’t told Bash or Halen yet.
“Is that true?” Earwyn’s voice is so quiet, I almost can’t hear her.
I cover my mouth. Glance around. Everyone else looks as shocked as she does. The stairwell seems to be closing in on me. What have I done?
“I need to go.” I push past the students above us and onto my floor.
Bash and Halen are right there.
They heard everything. Halen’s expression is hurt and Bash’s is full of disappointment because I kept the secret from them until blurting it out to our whole dorm.
I’ve betrayed my real dad and hurt my friends in one moment.
I swim away as fast as I can.