Horse Stone (Book 1 of Ilyrian Series)

Chapter 37

The words disappeared, and none reappeared for quite a while. It was as if the book was trying to figure a way to tell me something but not too much that could lead me to get killed.

I chewed on the loose piece of skin on my thumb and waited for the book to say something, anything that could help me with this journey that I had been put on.

Words appeared, but it wasn't the ones that I had expected. It said, close the book quickly and think of the quill as a bracelet. There is not much time to explain, but I will explain later. Hide the book when you are done and take something else out.

Quickly, I did what I was told to do, closing the book and stuffing it into the spot that Adrian told me about. After that, I placed the quill in my hand and thought of a bracelet.

Instantly, the quill curled up until it was a bracelet, and I slipped it onto my wrist and watched it disappear.

"I hope you can explain this," I muttered, still feeling the bracelet on my wrist, even if it was gone. I shook my head and pulled out one of my school books and started to "work" on it, even though my mind kept drifting to the book and the secrets it held.

"What are you doing?" someone said behind me, startling me from staring at the page that I was on.

Adrian, my voice shook when I said his name while I twisted around to see the Headmaster sneering down at me over his crooked nose. My face paled, and I gulped, my heart pounding in my threat.

"Well?" he sneered, folding his arms across his chest. "What are you doing?"

"S-s-studying," I stuttered past my heart. "I am studying for class because I-I had m-m-missed it." My whole body started to shake, and all of my instincts told me to run, but his eyes never left mine, and I felt trapped underneath his hard gaze.

He raised an eyebrow and pursed his lips. Anger filled his brown eyes, and I tried to look away, but I couldn't. "And are you going to skip these classes?" he asked, harshly. "You know that if you miss a certain number, then you are expelled, correct?"

I didn't reply but nodded my head. I shook in my seat and tried to find a way out from under his hard gaze. I couldn't be here. I couldn't sit here anymore with him scowling at me and knew that something bad could happen if I didn't get away.

I am on my way.

The Headmaster banged against the desk, and I cringed away from him. He leaned forward, and I leaned backward, trying to keep some distance between the two of us. "I expect an answer," he sneered, his dark brown eyes filled with fire.

My whole body shook faster, and my heart leaped into my throat. I could feel the thud, thud, thud, that it made up where it wasn't supposed to be. "Y-y-y-yes, Headmaster," I stuttered.

He closed his eyes, and his nostrils flared while he pursed his lips. "Stop stuttering," he said. "It makes you seem weaker than you already are."

I didn't reply, and my throat closed. I felt claustrophobic underneath his hard gaze as if he brought the walls closer and closer to me. I couldn't move, couldn't breathe, and I had a feeling that he was using a spell to make me feel more claustrophobic than I should be, but I had no idea if I was right or not.

He was from Ilryian; I knew that much. He was one of them, the people that were sworn to the King to watch out for us.

But why did that mean he wanted to harm me? Why did he hate me so much?

There was a loud bang that startled both of us and broke the Headmaster's concentration. Nothing else happened, but that didn't stop the Headmaster from looking in that direction.

I took that opportunity and bolted away from him. Blind panic filled my body while I ran, silently begging not to be found by anyone while I had a full-blown panic attack. My stomach clenched, and I felt sort of weird, but I didn't think about it for a long while I panicked.

Tears blurred my vision, but I safely made it to a corner and tucked myself into it. Strangled sobs wracked my body, and I tucked my head closer to my legs and grabbed my head, becoming a tight ball.

Please, I silently begged, pulling myself tighter together and squeezing my eyes tighter together. My voice quivered while I begged, breaking. Please, don't let anyone find me in this state.

***

"Hadley?" someone asked, worry filling their tone. "Hadley? Where are you? I know that you are here. Please, come out. It's safe. He is gone."

I furrowed my brows and woke up, feeling groggy and with an aching head. I was on my side, curled up into a small ball, and blinked against the brightness of the world.

"Hadley?" the person, Adrian, asked again. Panic filled his voice instead of worry while he searched for me in the great library. "Where are you?"

I didn't reply and stayed still. I was numb to the world, my mind numb, and I didn't think or feel anything. I watched as brown shoes stopped in front of the area I was in, facing that way.

"Hadley?" Adrian asked, his voice barely above a whisper. His voice shook before he cleared his throat. "Are you down here?"

I didn't answer but blinked.

Adrian sighed. "Reino," he whispered, and magic filled the air around us. His shoes became blurry as something transparent joined the room with us. "Inen," he greeted the thing.

"Adrian," the thing said, and for some reason, I could hear it. It bowed its head in respect.

"Where is she? I know that you did something to her."

"What I did or did not do is none of your concern," Inen replied. "She begged for help, and I helped."

"But she doesn't know you. You a-"

"I am a wraith bounded to protect the school and its inhabitants. I am bound to protect the princesses while they are here and will never hurt them. I am at their beck and call."

"But th-"

"It doesn't matter if they don't know me or if she doesn't know me. One day, she will understand that I am at her disposal to protect and care for her while she is here and after."

Adrian sighed and nodded. "Is she safe?"

"Yes. The Headmaster didn't lay a hand on her. He will not lay a hand on her."

Adrian nodded again. His shoulders sagged with relief, and I had a feeling that he was glad that the thing would keep me safe. "Ok, is she still here? In the library?"

"She is, and this is where she will stay until she is ready to go back to her classes."

Adrian nodded. "Ok." He cleared his throat and shifted. "Then I will leave her in your care." He waved his hand again. "Alonin."

Inen disappeared, and Adrian left.

I closed my eyes and fell back asleep, not afraid of being found. "Thank you," I whispered, barely conscious.

"Anything for you, Princess."

And with that, I fell asleep.