The courtyard turned silent. Heads looked up as Lady Magdalina strolled in front of the university gates. She raised her hands to get our attention. Even her face was drawn and pale. She stood as a stark contrast to the smoke and gas rising from within the city.
“For the next few days, no student is allowed to leave university property, for their own protection,” Magdalina said. “Many innocent people have been hurt tonight, and it is my obligation as Headmistress to keep each one of you safe. Student Services will remain open all night, in case anyone wishes to talk. I advise each of you to return to your dorms— and do not watch the news. There is nothing that will provide any benefit to observing suffering.”
Students began to disperse. When Lady Magdalina said something, it was an order, not a request, and everyone was looking for some sort of instruction right now.
Emma shivered against me, and I wrapped her in a tight embrace. She closed her eyes— as if she wanted to block out everything that we’d seen.
“How can Eli let this happen? I refuse to believe evenheis so cruel,” Emma wept as she pressed herself into my coat.
“Because he doesn’t care.” In his eyes, those protestors deserved what they got.
Emma sniffed and wiped her tears. “This isn’t the country I know— the Malovia I love. I don’t recognize it anymore. Eli’s tearing it apart.”
I didn’t recognize this Malovia either. It wasn’t the nation I’d been born into, the country I’d been so ready to sacrifice myself for.
It crossed my mind that maybe this country wasn’t worth dying for. Not if it was like this. And that my entire life, I’d merely been too ignorant to see all the problems that were igniting under the surface.
But what could Emma and I do? Nothing. We had no power, no control.
The best we could do would be to find the Crystals of Harmony, and use them to bring peace. Once we had the stones, we could overthrow Elijah, and save our nation.
If there was even a nation left to defend.
Chapter Eighteen
Emma
I’d never been through anything so brutal in my life as that protest. Not even the King’s Contest could compare.
Most of the protestors had gotten arrested and were rotting in a Malovian prison without bail, or word of a trial. Others had ended up dead. A few had escaped, and it was enough to make the Arcanea Alliance worry there’d be another protest— though they wouldn’t admit it, to the press or otherwise. But I could see it in their eyes during the interviews on TV… the people made them nervous.
My friends and I were sitting in the Rec Room, watching the news the next week. Lady Magdalina had insisted we limit our intake of the media, but at the same time, it was like I couldn’t keep my eyes off of it. I watched another interview with the Arcanea Alliance, in which the reporters questioned the actions of the officers during the big uprising.
“Our duty is to install order,” the Arcanea Alliance Chief said. “We will employ whatever methods necessary to keep the law and foster peace.”
Kiara switched off the TV. A couple of us protested, but she didn’t turn it back on.
“Lady Magdalina is right,” Kiara insisted. “This isn’t making us feel better. Or doing a damn thing to help.”
Alexei sighed as he relaxed. He’d been sucking in all the emotions through the television as we’d watched the news, and it’d nearly turned him gray.
It was then that Andrik walked by— the shitty dragon shifter who’d tried to rape Delmare last semester. He was still creeping around the school, as Eli had gotten him off of any pending charges. His face was permanently disfigured now— Stefan’s brutal assault of him after the incident had left half of Andrik’s face caved in, the bones in his jaw so broken they fit raggedly together, hanging off the side and leaving his mouth half-open at all times.
Delmare still cringed whenever Andrik was in her presence. She sank against the couch, avoiding Andrik’s stare.
Stefan put an arm around Delmare’s shoulders. “I got you, baby.” He glared at Andrik, and the shithead scuttled off.
“He’s so terrified of you.” Odette giggled.
“Good,” Stefan stated. “He looks at my babe again, I’ll ruin the rest of his face.”
I wish all problems could be solved so easily. But I didn’t think violence was going to be the way to stop this.
“We should talk about somethinghappy,” Odette insisted. “How is everyone’s bedroom life going? I need the deets, since I’m no longer getting any.”
A couple people groaned, and Theo’s cheeks turned pink. Delmare snickered. “Ask Emma and Ethan. They’ve got all the juicy stories.”
“Hey, we’ve only done it like— twice today,” I said, counting off.
