Grendilton: Rise of the Shadows

9 | Chapter Nine

Kindness in the darkness.

Macey's eyes felt heavy due to the lack of sleep she got last night. She spent the entire time, tossing and turning, with the image of the monster that tried to kill her continuously running in her brain. What did it want? she thought, gulping down hard at the realisation that a creature attempted to kill her. And why did it weep moon mage before it...

A sharp pain shot through Macey's whole body, making her hiss in resentment. It took the entire night, but the spell the monster cast on her eventually faded. Her voice returned to her the moment she woke up; however, the after-effects were still prominent, inflicting pain on her each time she moved her neck.

"That doesn't look too good."

Suddenly, a guy walks through the door, looking right at Macey's grim face with a worrisome facial expression on his own. Without warning, this guy sat right next to her, tilting his head with these honey-coloured eyes glaring directly at her wound.

"Mind if I take a look at it?"

Yeah, I kind of do, Macey thought, backing her body away from this stranger — who might be a murderer. In response to her sudden actions, he flinched as well, then began to laugh in an attempt to make this less nerve-racking awkwardly.

"No need to worry," he said, beaming the most innocent hazel eyes Macey had ever seen. "I'm a White Enhancer in training. It's fair to say, your in capable hands."

Macey shook her head, grimacing at him while he continued to portray this angelic aura that made her feel like a sinner. The guy raised her brow at her, shooting this adorable smile that made her melt in an instant.

"Well, when you put it like that." Slowly she began to sweep her hair behind her shoulder, keeping a keen eye on this guy in case he tried to do anything — dodgy.

He paused for a moment before placing his hand underneath the crook of her neck. The icy fingers of this guy made Macey wince, making her suck in a breath when the frost climbed up her neck.

"Sorry about that," he muttered, attempting to be gentle with his touch. "The many perks of being an ice sage, I guess."

Macey could feel an Arctic breeze sweep through her hair, with her ears catching the harmonious chime of a bell. With the snap of his finger, followed by a tiny hex etching into the surface of her skin, she began to feel much better and could move her neck without feeling any pain.

"Wow, thanks." Macey's brows creased together and her lip pouted outward because she had no idea who he was.

"I'm Isiah," he laughed, extending his hand outward towards her own. "But everyone calls me Iza."

Macey half smiled and placed her hand in his, telling him who she was. Not once did he even notice her birthmark, which she found rather odd, like a nice change unusual.

As she spoke to Iza, Macey felt a chill climb up her spine, shivering from the icy climate their lecture hall was set out to be. The walls had a cold smoke casting off it, with snowflake hexes scattered all along with the giant ice bricks. Small icicles jutted out of the side of the desks and out of the roof, similar to some winter wonderland.

But unfortunately, Macey made the wrong decision in clothing. She wore denim shorts with designer fishnet stockings and a cardigan that flaunted her now frozen shoulders. While she sat there shivering, Iza began to take his jacket off, extending it towards Macey who looked at him with a fragment of doubt.