Through Smoke and Ashes

Four||Disapearing Act

The decision was made. I was blindly following Ahren out of the office and down the corridors to a room where I would sleep only for the night and leave this place in the morning. I refrained from crying, but my emotions were working overtime, demanding a release.

We climbed a set of stairs to which I hardly noticed the floating lanterns in the air. My eyes scanned over them, momentarily wondering how this could be.

Ahren noticed my expression as he turned around to look at me. "Riders aren't the only occupants of this school. We house witches, who are mainly helpful with providing medical aid but perform in other ways." He gestures to the floating lights.

We climbed higher and higher, passing the first few levels with ease. My eyes had adjusted to the dim lighting by then, and I could see what the floors looked like, and they were, for the most part, identical.

The stairs ended in a square room with a few couches and a fireplace with a few books scattered here and there. On either side of the room were large hallways filled with closed doors and a balcony was placed opposite the stairs.

"This is the living quarter's section of the school," He began as he turned to the hallway on the right. "There is also the cafeteria, the library, the ballroom, the classrooms..." He trailed off, almost cringing as he spoke. I'm sure he had practiced this speech beforehand, but it didn't matter now because I wouldn't be here to see any of it. He stopped in front of a door, unlocked it and pushed it open.

"There is a morning bell that will wake you," Ahren spoke sadly, awkwardly swaying on the balls of his feet. "I will come to grab you in the morning, and we'll leave for your village."

I nodded, and he left with one final smile sent toward me.

Closing my door and sitting on my bed, I thought about what he said and how I hated being a female. Just because our bodies were made slightly different, I was therefore weaker. It had to be decided whether or not I could stay based solely on who I was. More than anything, I wished to be a male so I could do as I pleased and wouldn't be judged so harshly for it. If I were a male, no one would even bat an eye at the thought of training me to become a rider.

My stomach grumbled. Hunger and frustration mixing, I would soon develop a nasty mood. I knew there was a cafeteria in this building somewhere. Where there's a cafeteria, there's a kitchen full of food.

There would be no harm in taking a piece of bread to munch on, easing my aching belly. The thought of eating food caused my stomach to clench and gurgle with need. Making up my mind, I left my bed behind, but not before grabbing my cloak to pull over my head. It was cold in the building, so I knew it wouldn't look too weird if I were covering up.

Descending the stairs with light feet, I enjoyed how the carpet absorbed all noise. My cloak swooshed behind me like a set of wings, dark and silent, blending in with the shadows.

The further down the stairs I went, the more I could hear a muffled commotion. I slowed, examining my surroundings for anyone nearby. As I made my way to the bottom of the stairs, no one was in sight, but I could still hear many people talking. Their deep voices carried through the air with a bustling excitement. It made its way to me almost enticingly.

Peeking through the open archway, I discovered the cafeteria. No longer empty but full of males eagerly waiting in line for their meals. Thinking better, I backed away from the bustling cafeteria and headed to where I believed the kitchen to be. At least I could be more discreet and avoid a large crowd.

Upon finding the set of doors I believed to lead into the kitchen, I opened them. I smiled in triumph once I realized I was right. A giant brick oven in the middle of the kitchen was the first thing I saw. It burned bright and had multiple cauldrons held up by hooks. Hearty scents filled the air that had my mouth watering with want. I quickly rummaged through a couple of cupboards for a bowl and spoon so I could take some of the stew for myself. Loading my bowl up with the thick beefy stew and dumplings, I quickly got to work on eating its contents.