Sandstorm [ACOTOR series side story]

Forty-two

"So, I congratulate you all on studying enough that you've all gotten blisters on your fingers from all your hard work to graduate our institution. Good work and farewell my girls," Nashira spoke to the audience of the graduating girls from the female's college and to their friends and family who were invited, as well as the rest of the students. They all cheered and switched their graduation robes around from white representing the blank canvas of their minds to black the colour of the ink they had used to fill the void in their brains full of words and knowledge. Nashira took pride in coming up with the idea centuries ago as it was cost efficient and meaningful. 

She still had one last thing to say so she cleared her throat to gain the room's attention again.

"I have one last point I need to make clear with all students of this institution for the rest of any of your lives."

They looked curiously at Nashira, but Su who was there for the ceremony and was already informed of this part of Nashira's speech winced.

"To any female caught trying to complete the silly tradition of touching the school's 'good luck charm' or otherwise known as my mate, I will personally see to your punishment and added workload seeing as you had the time for shenanigans. I will not have you guys learning to disrespect mates and an established mate bond on my watch."

Nashira gave the stunned audience a sickly-sweet smile, but her eyes were telling a different story of hell to pay for going after her mate.

"Excuse her, she means to only discipline the students on proper etiquette and I'll be taking her away now since she'd hogged the stage from the co-Dean for too long," Kaimuzu smoothly rushed in.

She just kept that sweet smile on until she was dragged out of the silent auditorium who were still shocked from her veiled threat.

"You meant that?"

Nashira scoffed, "I don't make threats idly."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I hate you!" screamed Samila as she stomped out of Helion's office.

Nashira who had been walking down the hallway towards the office didn't even pause in her walk to meet her High Lord. 

"What's got your grandma panties in a twist? Oh wait, I forgot you only wear lingerie," Nashira joked.

Samila made a face at her, "I keep on forgetting that you were raised amongst males and that you make dirty jokes like them."

Nashira chuckled at Samila while wagging her finger at her, "That was practically tame compared to what I was going to say."

"I hope you put that dirty mind to use with your mate or I might have to play referee and give him what he needs." Nashira knew Samila was joking and only gave her a half growl in response. 

If anyone else had even mentioned making a move on her mate she'd have had her hand crushing their throat in an instant. It wasn't unheard of that a female in a mated pair would get super territorial over their mate, and the case was especially true for herself. They hadn't been able to leave the Oasis estate for a month after Nashira had snarled at the maid the second she had caught a whiff of the female's scent coming to clean for them on the first week.

"I mean it though, what did Helion do that has you so ruffled?"

Samila jabbed a finger to the office doors behind them, "Ask him, he called you down to tell you."

Nashira shrugged and walked past her friend who was in the mood to be the spoiled princess she doesn't claim to be. She strode into Helion's office expecting him to be smiling and laughing about the teasing she'd done to Samila, but he was serious instead.

"Sir, you asked for me."

"Nashira in all your years of experimenting with the mirror realm, have you ever successfully tampered with its strings?"

Nashira was a little taken aback at his questioning, but not because she was nervous for herself but for him. 

"I don't tamper with the strings for good reason Helion and you know it, it takes a lot of power to shift those strings. What are you planning?" Nashira growled. 

Helion met her glare head on and when he kept his silence, she couldn't help but snarl in discomfort and worry. He kept on adding the feeling of his High Lord presence into the room and towards her till she was squirming in her seat.

"Nashira I'm going to have to ask you to help me with an impossible plan of mine," he commanded."

Nashira understood now why Samila had been so upset after seeing him, he likely asked her how willing she would be to Helion's request and decided to use force.

"Do I get no choice? Will you not even explain the plan to me or convince me? Are you just going to use me as a tool for your own devices!" she screamed.

Nashira was hyperventilating at this point she knew, yet Helion continued to stare her down until she broke. And when her body could resist her High Lord's command no more, she felt a piece of her crack. Nashira had always been able to save herself from being used and controlled by others, especially males, and now she was finally being broken by one.

"By your wish, High Lo-"

The door slammed open as Asim marched inside the room and punched Helion across the face. Samila came into the room afterwards and picked Nashira off the ground where she hadn't realized she'd fallen onto.

Asim looked livid and was furiously shouting at Helion who shouted back for him to "stand down" and that "it's for the greater good."

"I don't care what your plan is, but boy, you have no right to take anyone's freedom unless otherwise provoked. Are you out of your mind! Use your logic and persuasion before using the High Lord card on family or you cause that!" Asim growled as he flung his finger at Nashira's direction. Nashira was dazed and silent, watching them with blank eyes with a hint of weariness and pain. Her knees were weak and it was like she was an infant again, without support or any way to defend herself. But this betrayal was not a new thing to happen to her yet it was worse than what Kapir had done to her.

"Why are you here Samila, didn't I tell you to stay out of this?" Helion snapped.

"You said not to tell Nashira anything before you talk to her and to tell no one outside of the family. I did just that didn't I, Uncle Asim."

He grunted in reply and the tension rose in the resulting silence.

"I will keep my oath to the Court," Nashira whispered and all eyes snapped towards her.

Samila looked down at her in shock, "He can't force you to risk your life Nashira, don't let him win!"

"He used the wrong method to ask for my help, but for him to do this he must be desperate. I just hope he'll tell me the reason for it at some point, but not today, I'm going home right now."

As she left slowly and still dazed, if she had looked over her shoulder, she would have seen the sadness and shame on Helon's face, but also his determination.