Mountain of The Moons • Book 1

Chapter 20

Classes weren't held the very next day and likely wouldn't be until they got a chance to settle things back down. I didn't exactly know what was going to happen to the three bodies, but I had heard from Jun that there was going to be a service this evening. For now we all were in the dining hall and food was being served. I was trying to keep an eye out for Yami, but I couldn't find him anywhere in the crowds.

The dining hall was usually never this crowded, but to keep things simple they had the students and the Elite in here at the same time that way no one should be walking around. Things were definitely crazy but we all were starving because they hadn't moved the bodies out from the gardens in the center of the court yard until mid morning. For the sake of everyone's mental health it was best we didn't have to see that on our way to breakfast.

Jun and I had watched them cover the bodies and move them else where just after sunrise from the windows. It was a dreary sight, but the mood around here definitely matched it. Usually the dining hall was full of voices and excitement but now it was quiet. Even despite the volume of people no one was really talking and even if they were it was just mumbles and whispers.

I was sat next to Jun and his friend Siena who looked a lot less stressed than last night. She was sort of an older sister figure amongst the Elite classes. I've noticed she watches over a lot of them and is always the first to offer help which is likely why she was corralling us last night. She was by far from the oldest person to be playing a motherly figure but she acted like it despite not even looking to be in her 30's.

Part of me wondered if she'd ever start a family of her own. I had asked Jun a long time ago what happened if someone gets pregnant or has kids because I hadn't seen a single child or pregnant woman in all my time here. He had explained typically once someone wants to start a family they move away and come back on an as needed basis, sort of like military reserves. Typically once a woman hits 30 she either has left the Temple to have a family or she is there for life to serve.

Clearly not everyone needed or even wanted to have a family but clearly a Temple was no place to have a family. Typically they'd check in with the Temple and keep up with their training for a week or so every month or two but I hadn't seen many people leave in the time I'd been here. Most women stayed which was commendable but almost sad because they'd never have a family of their own.

Siena seemed like she would be a great mom one day, but I supposed with so much death going on my brain wanted to think of something more wholesome. Siena likely saw it as her duty to protect the people here nor did I ever see her with anyone else who could raise a family with her. I pushed that thought aside not wanting to think too much else.

Jun looked to me before taking my tray from in front of me and sliding it over to his side. He then placed his tray in front of me despite us having the same meal. I looked to him with confusion and he looked over to see if Siena was paying attention and she hadn't been. She was staring off towards a window not saying all to much which was rare for her. Normally she would talk off the ear of whoever would listen to her.

"What are you doing?" I asked in a low voice only he could hear

"They checked the kitchen and nothing came back with any Wisteria traces." He said shaking his head as he started going at it with chopsticks. "Just in case."

"Isn't it toxic to most people?" I asked because if he ate wisteria he could get sick.

"I'll be fine, eat." He said nodding towards my tray.