Alice handed Kristen the book. "By the way, this book hasn't been opened even once. I was just trying to open it. It's been locked for so long," Alice said, avoiding Skylar's gaze, knowing a lecture was coming.
"And how did you think you could manage that?" Kristen asked, folding her hands.
Alice explained, "There's a locket that can unlock a book in the Obsidian Lyceum." Kristen raised her eyebrows but continued to watch her intently. Feeling the need to elaborate, Alice continued, "This locket, known as the Locket of Nocturne's Embrace, is said to have the power to open the book, according to the myth."
"That's good to know. But sometimes we should not tempt fate," Kristen replied with a condescending smile. Alice froze. "If this book hasn't been opened for ages, there must be a reason," Kristen continued.
With that, Kristen walked out, leaving Alice stunned.
Alice stood there, rooted in place. Before she could gather her thoughts, Skylar slammed her against the nearby wall, leaving her breathless.
Esther noticed Skylar's anger escalating and stood up. "What were you thinking, pulling such a stunt? Aunt Rosalie and I are both working hard to keep the family name intact, while all you do is ruin it. What if Kristen had gone to Eidolon before coming to me? Do you even understand the consequences? You don't. I do. They could have taken your life or, worse, imprisoned and tortured you. But you won't understand that. You never have," Skylar raged. She was fuming and breathing hard, her grip tightening on Alice's collar.
Esther approached Skylar and placed a calming hand on her shoulder. "Sky, calm down. Let go of Alice and at least hear her out. She might have her reasons."
Skylar dropped her hands to her sides. Alice wheezed.
"Fine. Tell me your reason for stealing it," Skylar demanded, rubbing her temples. "I wanted to know what was in that book. It hasn't been opened in ages. I was curious about its contents," Alice explained.
Skylar turned to Esther. "Found your reason."
Then she faced Alice. "What kind of foolish reason is that, Alice? It hasn't been opened in ages. What made you think you could open it?"
Alice looked down at the floor, wishing she could reveal her true thoughts.
"I don't want to hear anything else, Alice. Just stop causing problems for me. I finally had a break from the court, and you just had to ruin it," Skylar said. Esther looked at Alice with sympathy, but she didn't want that pity. She walked upstairs to her room, feeling it was pointless to explain herself. Kristen didn't want to help, and Skylar was too idealistic to see the reasoning behind Alice's actions. She only saw her as an ungrateful child.
Alice slammed the door to her room, shutting out Esther and Skylar's words. She hoped Esther would take Skylar with him when he left.
The next morning, Alice packed her belongings to return to the academy. As she sat at the breakfast table, she was soon joined by Skylar and Esther.
"So, are you all prepared for the academy?" Esther asked. Skylar remained sulky from the previous night and didn't speak.
"Yes, I'm just waiting for the car to arrive," Alice replied.
"Finally, I'll be free of all your mischief," Skylar grumbled, making a toast to herself. Esther nudged her under the table, and Skylar raised an eyebrow at him. Alice simply sighed.
Before long, the car arrived, and Alice set off for the academy.
The Obsidian Lyceum Academy was a prestigious institution for all kinds of magic. Students specialized in various forms of magic, ranging from healing to combat. It was nestled deep within the forests of Lunawood and served as a hub for magical knowledge in the human world.
The car came to a stop in front of the academy's imposing iron gates. As the gates swung open, they revealed the enchanting Obsidian Lyceum Academy. The campus sprawled over a vast area, featuring a central water fountain. The car drove past it and finally arrived at the dormitory.
Alice took her belongings out of the car and walked to her assigned room to discover who she would be sharing her dorm with this year.
I hope it's someone tolerable. Please, Master. Alice prayed under her breath.
Upon entering her dorm, she was met with a familiar sight—there she was, once again.