Chapter 3 (Three)

Laura's P.O.V

As I stood at the hills gate of the school the next morning, I couldn't help but feel a sense of restlessness. I had dressed in a casual outfit, eager to sneak out to the downtown area. The guards approached me, their polite demeanor a stark contrast to my own stealthy intentions.

"Good morning, Miss." one of them said. "Do you need anything?"

I hesitated for a moment before responding, "No, I'm just going for a stroll outside the academy."

The guard's expression turned stern. "I'm afraid that's not allowed, Miss."

I raised an eyebrow, curiosity getting the better of me. "Why not?"

Just then, a man with a distinctive purple hair and eye appeared behind me. "Good morning, Master Herrick," the guards greeted with a bow.

I turned to face him, my eyes narrowing slightly. "What's going on here?" I asked.

The purple-haired man smiled, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Why the early morning fuss, Amanda? You're not exactly known for your subtlety."

I bristled at his words, feeling a surge of defensiveness. "I'm not causing a fuss," I protested. "I just want to go out for a walk."

The man's expression turned skeptical. "You're not exactly in a position to be going anywhere, considering you just arrived here yesterday."

I twisted my mouth, frustration simmering beneath the surface. "I'm just going for a stroll, nothing more." I said.

The man's smile grew wider, his eyes glinting with amusement. "The academy is as big as a town, isn't it? Worthy of your strolling?"

I felt a prickle of unease at his words, sensing a hidden meaning behind them. "What do you mean?" I asked, my voice cautious.

The man's expression turned serious, his voice low and menacing . "You're not going anywhere, Amanda. Your parents made it clear that I'm not to let you out of the academy alone."

I rolled my eyes, a sarcastic response forming on my lips. "Thanks for the update, Mister Purple."

The man's face darkened, his eyes flashing with anger. "You haven't changed, Amanda," he said, his voice dripping with disdain. "You're still as reckless and impulsive as ever."

I turned to walk away, but his words stopped me in my tracks. "Seems like the accident didn't change you at all," he said, his voice laced with disgust. "But made you worse."

I spun back around, my face hot with anger. "What do you know about it?" I demanded.

The man's smile grew wider, his eyes glinting with amusement. "I know enough," he said. "If you don't show up in training, you'll face the consequences."

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving me seething with frustration and anger.

As I stormed back to my room, I couldn't help but wonder why the man's name sounded so familiar. And then it hit me – Charlotte had mentioned Master Herrick, our teacher, and the training we were supposed to have today.

I pushed open the door to my room, where Lydia was waiting for me. "Good morning, Miss Amanda," she greeted, her voice cheerful.

I forced a smile onto my face, trying to shake off the lingering frustration. "Good morning, Lydia," I replied. "What are you doing here so early?"

Lydia's expression turned serious. "I was worried about you, Miss Amanda. When I couldn't find you, I told Master Herrick."

My eyes widened in surprise. "You're the one who told him?"

Lydia nodded, her face apologetic. "I'm sorry, Miss Amanda. I was worried about you."

I sighed, feeling a pang of guilt. "It's okay, Lydia. You don't need to apologize."

Lydia nodded, her expression relieved. "What next, Miss Amanda?" she asked.

I shrugged, feeling a sense of resignation. "Breakfast, I suppose."

Lydia nodded, and we headed to the dining hall together.

~

Later that day, Lydia helped me into a sleek black training suit. I slipped on my black heel boot and stood in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection.

"Wow, you look beautiful, Miss Amanda," Lydia complimented, as she styled my hair.

"Thanks," I replied, gazing at Amanda's sky-blue eyes. My own eyes were a deep blue, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of discomfort. This wasn't my body, and it wasn't my face. I was still trapped in Amanda's world.

As I walked out of my room, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. Having a room at the end of the hallway was starting to feel suffocating. As I made my way through the hallway, I overheard snippets of conversation from the other students.

"She looks so good," a girl whispered to her friend. "I love her curves." The comments continued, with some calling me "pretty" and others referring to me as a "goddess." I tried to tune them out, focusing on my own thoughts instead.

Just as I was about to turn a corner, a lady approached me from behind. "You're handsome, Miss Amanda," she said with a giggle. I turned to see Lydia smiling at me, her cheeks flushed.

She was following me all along.

"Handsome?" I repeated, confused. "I thought that was a term for boys and men." Lydia's smile grew wider. "It's just that you're beautiful beyond words, Miss Amanda," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued by her reaction. "Why are your cheeks so red?" I asked, and Lydia's smile faltered for a moment. "Oh, I must have embarrassed myself," she muttered, her eyes cast downward.

I chuckled and patted her shoulder. "You can go now, Lydia. I can walk to the training room myself." Lydia nodded and bid me farewell, leaving me to make my way to the training hall.

~The Training Hall~

As I entered the training hall, I spotted five of the seven Castellan Devils, including Master Herrick. Ryan was noticeably absent.

Master Herrick sneered at me, his expression unwelcoming. "Oh look who's here" i furrowed my eyebrows

The five castellan devils greeted, "Hey, Amanda,". I forced a confident smile and waved, trying to hide my unease as I approached them.

Kiara's comment caught me off guard: "Seems you've repented." I turned to her, curious. "How?" I asked.

Kiara's sardonic tone was like a cold breeze: "You're early." Her words hung in the air, laced with subtle ridicule.

Charlotte intervened, her firm voice a gentle mediator. "Kiara, stop it."

But Kiara wouldn't be silenced, she spat, "How does this conversation concern you Miss nerd?" The tension was palpable, and I could sense the underlying dynamics between Kiara and Charlotte.

"You!" Charlotte shouted, her voice echoing through the training hall as she summoned her telekinetic powers to lift a dagger and hurl it at Kiara.

The air seemed to vibrate with tension as Kiara swiftly teleported out of the way, her eyes flashing with annoyance.

"They've started again," Jasper sighed, rolling his eyes in exasperation.

"They're never going to stop," Olivia chimed in, her voice laced with frustration and a hint of resignation. Her words hung in the air, echoing the weariness that seemed to settle between them.

"Just like cat and rat," Max said, a hint of amusement dancing in his voice.

"I think they are enemies from past lives," Jasper joked, his eyes sparkling with mischief. His words were met with a burst of laughter from Olivia and Max, the sound echoing through the air like a release of tension.

Lydia's words came back to me: she'd warned me about these complex dynamics, seeming to know Amanda's friends better.

Kiara and Charlotte are always at each other's throats. Charlotte's got anger issues, and Kiara isn't exactly known for her patience.

"Are you trying to kill me?" Kiara snapped at Charlotte.

"More than that," Charlotte retorted, her telekinetic powers lifting another dagger, her eyes blazing with intensity. The atmosphere was electric, the air thick with anticipation.

Before things escalated further, Master Herrick intervened, his voice booming through the training hall like thunder: "Stop it, you two!" Charlotte's anger still simmered beneath the surface as she reluctantly lowered her hand.

"Charlotte, I think you need to work on controlling that anger of yours," Max advised, his tone firm but gentle.

Charlotte's expression turned guarded, "Sorry," she muttered, before walking towards me, her shoulders still tense.

"Charlotte!" I called out, and she smiled at me, her eyes softening. "Do you two fight like this often?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

"Yea, sometimes" she said, her voice gentle. "It's just that she likes picking on me, and you always defend me." Her words trailed off, and she glanced away, a hint of vulnerability creeping into her eyes. "But now you can't, like before," she added, her voice barely above a whisper.

I felt a jolt of surprise, my mind racing with questions. Had my secret been exposed? Did she have a mental ability to see through me?

I studied her face, searching for any sign of hidden insight, but her expression revealed nothing more than a straightforward observation.

No, I don't think so. Charlotte's ability is telekinesis. Lydia told me, and I saw her use it just now.

Just then, Ryan walked in, and everyone stood at attention, their movements synchronized. "Let's begin," Master Herrick ordered, his voice crisp and authoritative. We formed a straight line, our eyes fixed on him, ready to start the training session.