Warmth seeps into my hand and fingers before it starts stinging. It’s not exactly an instant thing. The sun gives off pointed rays that are stronger than just the overall light. Those pointed rays and where they touch are what start burning first.
Needles prick my skin as individual burns begin forming. I pull my hand back before they can develop into blisters and start smoking. Less than ten seconds was my hand under the sun. Random red marks are left around the top of my hand and fingers. Pain shoots through my arm as my body begins slowly healing them.
Usually it’ll take about twenty to thirty seconds before blisters start forming and I begin to become incapacitated. Right after that my skin starts smoking and around a minute is when flames start forming and licking over my skin.
Not a long time, but I don’t burst into flames right when the full force of the sun hits me. It still takes time, and seconds can feel like an eternity in certain circumstances.
When my hand is back to its normal skin color I contemplate doing it again, but I come to the hall that leads into the main building. I’d rather see if Professor Asier is available so I can ask my question and then leave. Maybe I can stop by the clinic and get some more blood bags so I don’t feel like complete shit in the morning.
Hopefully he’s in a good mood. It would probably be easier for me to just ask him tomorrow when I see him in class, but at least this way I get out of the dorms, maybe get some more blood, and I’ll still possibly get some answers.
I do wonder though, why they don’t teach about runic magic anymore. Of all the learned magics runic magic is probably the strongest. There’s been records of the weakest of all races using just a single rune to decimate whole lands.
Entering one of the corridors, I take it down until I reach the southern tower and follow the lone hallway across from the tower entrance to one of the courtyards. Scones lining the walls are lit as shadows start growing from the setting sun.
We’re nearing the end of August, meaning next month will be Hextillus – which is the month that was added making there thirteen months instead of twelve. Three hundred and sixty-four days. Thirteen months, each month having twenty-eight days. On the first it’s always a new moon, and on the fifteenth it’s always a full moon.
April, or Aprilis on Miy, starts the new year off. Aprilis first being the spring equinox and the first day of spring here. June twenty-first is the summer solstice, Septmust or September first is the autumn equinox, and Novam or November twenty-first is the winter solstice. Following the phases of the moon and the solstices and equinoxes following which days or nights are longest and shortest.
Much, much simpler than Earth’s traditional calendar around most of the world. Not that it bothers me since I grew up with it and Nana taught me this calendar too. Most of the girls at the brothel follow this calendar anyway since it syncs up with their inner auras.
I come to the short corridor where Professor Aseir’s class is, but when I try the door it’s locked. I think he had said his office was somewhere around here. I step back from the door, looking side to side, about to take another step back when I feel it.
When I feelhim.
“What are you doing here, Trouble?” he drawls.
The fucking angel.
Fifteen
Mavyn – August 21
Trauma being retained in muscle is the bane of any survivors existence. Because no matter how much you think you’ve moved on, no matter how much you force your mind to continue forwards, no matter what you tell yourself. . . your body never lies.
Iknowhe’s not a devil. He’s nothim. But hefeelslike one. I hadn’t lied when I told Thorne that.
His aura is so similar. And my body remembers.
It starts with my muscles tensing. Waiting for that inevitable blow – whether it be from a physical weapon, his teeth sinking into my skin, or forcing my fangs into his. And while I force my blood to stay steadily flowing, force my heart not to pound, I can still feel the adrenaline flushing my system.
“Cat got your tongue, Trouble?”
Ice and frost. I focus on that because he is not burning and heat and rage.
Twisting my head I’m greeted by icy blue almond shaped eyes. So,sosimilar tohis. But his hair is white threaded with silver. The devil’s had been solid black.
He cocks his head at me and his lip twitches. As if he wants to sneer but doesn’t quiet do it yet.
“Why’d you burn your hand?”
My heartbeat trips. “Were you following me?”
He smirks now. “Not until I saw you expose your hand. So tell me, why’d you burn yourself?”
Fuck. I hadn’t felt his eyes on me before. I wasn’t even distracted either. Normally I’m good at knowing when I’m being watched. An instinctual thing that’s been engrained into me from that damned devil and his fated mage.
“I wanted to ask Professor Asier a question,” I say instead. Answering his first question. I’d ask him if he knew where the professors office is, but I don’t want to risk him asking for something in return for the answer. I already have to figure out how I’m going to pay the demigod back. Even though he hasn’t flaunted my mark or asked for anything – yet.