Nyxoria resisted, slipping out of Dika's hold. "What did you say, Nasa?" she asked, her voice sharper now as her full attention locked on her cousin.
Nasa let out a dramatic scoff, rolling her eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Don't act clueless, Nyxoria," she said, her voice dripping with disdain. "You've embarrassed all of us with your arrogance. The Emperor himself..." She paused, shaking her head in disbelief. "Do you even realize how much trouble you've caused? What if he decided to take down this Arcane because of your selfish and foolish act but no you decided to show that your nickname is trouble."
Nyxoria's lips curled into a dangerous smirk, her eyes narrowing. "Trouble?" she repeated, her voice calm but laced with an edge.
"Yes, trouble," Nasa snapped, stepping closer. "You think you're untouchable, don't you? Standing there smirking like a fool, refusing to kneel before the Emperor when he asked for everyone one of us to kneel down. Do you even care how much trouble we all are in? You don't mess with the emperor."
Dika placed herself between them, her hands raised slightly in a gesture of peace. "Nyx, it's not worth it," she said under her breath, her voice low but pleading.
But Nyxoria didn't budge. Her smirk widened as she turned back to Nasa. "You're mad because I didn't kneel?" she asked, her tone mocking. "Let me tell you something, unlike you, I don't bow to anyone. Especially not to that rude ass person like him."
Nasa's face twisted in anger, but there was a flicker of hesitation in her eyes. For a moment, it seemed like she might back down, but instead, she straightened, her tone turning icy. "You're going to regret this, Nyxoria," she hissed. "Mark my words."
Nyxoria chuckled softly, tilting her head as she stared at her cousin. "Oh, I'll mark them," she replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "But don't forget, Nasa, I'm not the one living in fear because I fear no one."
The classroom seemed to hold its breath, the tension between them thick and suffocating. Dika, sensing the danger brewing, stepped in again, this time more firmly. "Enough, you two," she said, her voice stronger now. "Let's go, Nyx."
Nyxoria held Nasa's glare for a moment longer before letting out a dramatic sigh. "Fine," she said, allowing Dika to guide her toward the door. But as they left, she threw one last look over her shoulder. "This isn't over, Nasa."
Nasa stood frozen in place, her fists clenched at her sides, her face burning with frustration. The sound of Nyxoria's confident steps echoing down the hallway only made her anger boil further.
★★
"When you said you had someone you wanted to annoy, I thought it was Principal Archmiagus," Dika said as they walked down the quiet hallway. Her voice was calm, but there was a trace of exasperation. "But no, you went straight to annoy your sister and, to top it all off, the Emperor himself."
Nyxoria let out a soft chuckle, her stride unbothered as they neared the last classroom in the building. It was at the far end of the hallway and had been specially assigned to Nyxoria for her personal use.
"Dika," Nyxoria said with a shrug, "you know how I've always been. This shouldn't be a surprise, and for the last time, she's not my sister. We just happen to share a tiny bit of blood. That's all."
"Nyx," Dika sighed, stopping for a moment to look at her, "annoying Nasa is one thing, but the Emperor? That's something entirely different."
Nyxoria waved her off, her expression indifferent. "It's none of my business. Whether it's an Emperor or not, this is who I am, and no one is going to change that."
Dika shook her head, following Nyxoria into the classroom. Once they were seated, Dika leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. "That reminds me," she said, her voice quieter now, "the way he spoke to you... it felt like there was history between you two. The anger in his eyes, it wasn't just because you annoyed him. It was something deeper."
Nyxoria's smirk faded, replaced by a thoughtful frown. She leaned forward slightly, resting her elbows on the desk. "Why didn't you read his mind to see what he was thinking?" she asked, her tone casual but laced with curiosity.
Dika has the power to read the minds of people and it has been she and Nyxoria little secret since they met, but in the case of the Emperor, his thoughts were blocked.
Dika raised an eyebrow. "I could have, but he blocked his thought, Nyx."
Nyxoria sighed, leaning back in her chair. She had been trying to piece it together ever since her encounter with the Emperor a few minutes ago. The way he had looked at her, the raw anger and intensity in his eyes, it wasn't the reaction of someone who had just been annoyed. It was personal.
"I've been thinking about it too," she admitted. "That face... I've seen it before, but I can't place where, I mean it's like we've met before. It's been cracking my head all day. Have I met him somewhere? And if I have, why can't I remember?"
Dika watched her closely, her expression softening. "Maybe you are not trying enough to remember. Whatever it is, Nyx, it's not just anger. There's something else there."
Nyxoria didn't respond immediately, her mind already diving into fragments of her memories, the ones she could remember, searching for a clue, a moment, anything that could explain why the Emperor's presence unsettled her so deeply.
★★★
Emperor Tharros was livid. He didn't left the school grounds; instead, he stormed back into Principal Archmiagus office, his presence filling the space like a thundercloud. Without a word, he ordered the man to rise from his seat once more.
"Stand," Tharros commanded sharply, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Archmiagus scrambled to his feet, his face pale with fear. Tharros motioned to the empty space before the table. "Pace," he ordered coldly. "And while you are pacing, I want you to think of nothing but ways to beg me not to do something drastic to you and this arcane. Keep walking around until I say otherwise."
Principal Archmiagus obeyed immediately, his steps uneven and his expression twisted in dread. Meanwhile Tharros lowered himself into Archmiagus chair, the faint scent of Nyxoria still clinging to his senses, haunting him like a curse.
Her divine scent refused to leave him. It lingered, wrapping around him in a way that made his skin burn with frustration.
She was even more beautiful than she had been when they were younger, an unsettling thought that only fueled his anger further.
But it wasn't just her scent or her beauty that occupied his mind. It was the thoughts that followed, unbidden and unwelcome. He hated himself for it, but he image of Nyxoria beneath him, writhing and moaning his name as he pounded into her, invaded his thoughts. The primal need he felt was overwhelming, a hunger he hadn't experienced before, and it disgusted him.
He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms as he tried to banish the image. It was wrong, unacceptable. How could he even entertain such thoughts about her.
And then, a deep, guttural voice echoed in his mind, cutting through his turmoil.
"Mate."
The word came from his Shadowed wolf.
Tharros eyes widened in shock, his breath catching in his throat.
"Impossible," he muttered to himself, his voice barely above a whisper.
The wolf growled softly, the sound vibrating through his mind. "She is ours."
"No," Tharros said firmly, shaking his head as if to rid himself of that thought. "She can't."
But deep down Tharros he knew they were mates the moment they saw each other in the forest ten (10) years ago.