Chapter 27

"You already sorted out all the work places and scholarships?" Alexis' brows rose well beyond her forehead as she stared at Agathus in shock. "But, why? Aren't you busy?"

She full well knew that the amount of work she had to do would take at least half a day and waiting on letters of admissions would leave a longer waiting time. She shuddered at the thought.

Agathus gave a smile, one that for once, wasn't tired or bothered looking. He looked... happy.

"Thank you Alexis, but it was the least I could since right now the people in the orphanage are spreading word of our good Emperor", he looked ready to hug her.

"Are they?" She frowned, 'isn't it a bit soon?'

"An apprentice chef said they saw him feeding one of the orphans, an Eastern Empire one at that! You did good Alexis!" The small green man broke in to a strange tap dance as he went to the window and Alexis stared at him blankly.

'But I didn't do anything... wait, does that mean?' She felt a ripple of excitement course through her veins. 'It's time'.

"Thanks Agathus, I'm going to see Hector since we have a class right now", and for the first time since Hector had been teaching her she rushed over to where he was.

It has been about a month since she has resided here and it felt excruciatingly long. It was a nice vacation that she stressed through and agonised every wasted minute over, but now, now it's over.

She rushed into the gardens, passed the blooming hydrangea hedges of pink and violet and a few of them a gorgeous blue. And then the bleeding heart tree that was such a sight to see. She managed to catch a peony here and there too and continued to run through.

'Ah! I feel like a princess in her secret garden!' She smiled brightly when she came across the beautiful face that might as well belong to a flower.

"You look happy this morning", he commented reading through a heavy book. It's title read, 'A tale of a travelling magician'. A series he seemed to take a liking to.

"That's right Sir Mainstar, I am happy because today I want to discuss something I heard a rumour about".

He leaned forward, interest peaked.

"A rumour? You want me to dismantle it for you?" He asked with an excited smirk.

"Nope. Just confirm it".

She swallowed the nervous lump in her throat.

"Go on", Hector gestured for her to continue.

"Do you know anything about other worlds?" She sat beside him on the bench and fiddled with her fingers.

"Other worlds? Like different planets?" He asked while his mind rummaged through what he had to offer.

"No, like a whole different universe", Alexis' breath hitched at the sight of his pondering face.

"Universe... I've read that different ones exist, but only elves know if that's true and since the relation between us is so bad-" he stopped suddenly when he noticed Alexis' pained expression, "what's the matter?"

Alexis clutched her hand which throbbed with  pain. It was so agonising that tears gathered by her eyes.

"M-My hand"- she croaked out with a gasp as she lifted her now blistered hand. A cry escaped her mouth at the horrid sight.

"You signed a magical contract didn't you?" Hector quickly and calmly grasped her hand, "I need you to tell me who you signed it with, otherwise"-.

"It was with me".

A cold, booming voice broke their attention from her blistered hand and to the face of Alastair. He looked mad. Not the teasing annoyed self he usually carried, but a man capable of murder.

Alexis forgot about her pain and Hector, who was usually always calm, had a tremor down his leg.

"A-Alastair", her voice shook. Fear washed over her as the tall, intimidating figure walked to her and grasped her blistered hand.

He scoffed at the sight.

"The moment you get a chance you try to leave", something passed his eyes, hurt? Betrayal? Anger? "But you should already know this Dirt. Until this year is over", he pulled her closer to him as he glared at her shaking figure, "you belong to me".

"N-No! I don't!" Alexis argued, she suddenly felt very small and insignificant, like she had no will that mattered and Alexis didn't like that, "I did what I was meant to. I made people like you. You promised to let me go if I did that!" She carried on as he pulled her along with him back to the castle.

"You changed the opinion of about four people Alexis!" He stopped striding at her words and turned back to her, "I want the entire nation to like me and from what I'm getting you'll end up dead before you could ever manage that!"

At his words, Alexis felt something hit her. Like a slap across the face.

"Then why! Why did you even bring me here!"  They where on the first floor of the castle and the stairs weren't his destination this time. Ignoring her words, he dragged her through many corridors and halls, they twisted and turned until eventually Alexis had no idea where she had been taken.

Finally, he came to a halt at a large black round door, engraved with patterns all over. Alexis noticed the man that guarded the door.

'He's human? But Angela said there weren't any?' She frowned at him.

"Your majesty, is that a prisoner?" The man glanced towards her causing her to step back, but shuffling away got her nowhere as she was suddenly thrusted to the knight by Alastair.

"Deepest chamber". Was all he said and the knight who grasped Alexis nodded. He seemed to understand the strange words.

He opened the gate.

A sense of regret washes over Alexis as a musty smell hit her the moment the door opened. It smelled of piss and rotting flesh, so strongly she gagged. She spotted flies buzzing out and knew that whatever was inside was definitely not good.

She turned to Alastair's receding back with clenched teeth.

'Maybe I can get through to him?'

"Alastair! I'm sorry! I thought I could go!" Alexis called at his turned figure. He stopped walking and turned to her with a look so cold she trembled.

"It's not your fault Dirt"-.

'Oh good...' she gave a relived sigh.

-"everyone leaves me eventually. Why would you be any different".

'What?' But before she could think much about his mysterious words she felt her arm being pulled and started thrashing back.

"Let go! Let go of me!" It was no use the man was stronger than her, the more she refused to leave, the more his face became a darker shade of red.

"You had it coming".

It was the last thing she heard. Pain erupted behind her head and her vision soon blurred and then, she saw nothing.