[CONTENTID1] Magic [/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2] Chapter 5 [/CONTENTID2]

[CONTENTID3]

When I walked into class the next day, I felt the eyes of my classmates trail me as I traveled to my seat.

“Ash!” I heard someone call. I turned around to face a smiling Jungkook.

“Morning,” I greeted. Patting the empty seat on his right, Jungkook gestured for me to sit. All too aware of the glares and whispers being sent my way, I reluctantly complied. Noticing my hesitation, Jungkook chuckled and leaned over to whisper in my ear.

“They’re just jealous,” he said, giving me a subtle wink. I gave him a look of disbelief, pretending to gag.

“Yeah, you’re a real piece of work alright,” I teased and he pouted.

“Bully.”

A chilly feeling caused the hairs on my neck to stand up and I looked up to see Taehyung glaring at me. Immediately, I felt my blood beginning to boil as recollections from last night began to bubble up to the surface.

“What’s she doing here.” I cursed the bluntness of his words.

“I asked her to sit here,” Jungkook replied. Taehyung made no move to sit. “Come on hyung, just sit down.” Unable to refuse his brother, the ice prince resigned himself to his seat on the other side of Jungkook. I sighed, this was going to be a long class.

After what seemed like an eternity, the class bell rang, signaling it was lunch time. Sure, learning about Fae history was interesting, but the icy cold stare of a certain prince kept me from focusing. I felt my anger simmer below the surface.

I felt a tug on my sleeve –– it was Jungkook.

“Lunch?”  Across the room, Kris met my eyes. We need to talk, he seemed to say. I tore my gaze away.

“Sounds good.” Turning my back to the vampire prince, I followed Jungkook out of the room.

“Are you excited for magic classes today?” Jungkook asked me as we walked toward the cafeteria. After our morning classes, we had alternating days of sword practice and magic training in the afternoon.  

“I don’t have them on my schedule,” I told him. He looked at me, confused. I didn’t elaborate, letting him draw conclusions himself. In reality, over the past few months, I had come to realize that my Source never grew back after using magic. Instead, I simply felt weaker every time I used it. I chuckled to myself. The first mortal Fae, among other firsts. Headmaster Park had excused me from magic classes under the pretense that I had a low affinity for magic, as some Fae did. Jungkook nodded and sent me a smile tinged with pity.

“I’m sorry,” he told me, confirming my suspicions. I shook my head, feeling slightly guilty for having to lie to him.

“It’s fine.”

As we neared the cafeteria, I noticed many pairs of eyes turning to look at me and Jungkook. I winced –– it reminded me of when Kris and I used to walk through the capital. The whispers, the stares, they were all the same: what was I doing next to a prince? I met the eyes of as many as I could, challenging them.

Jungkook steered us to a table where Taehyung was waiting. Sitting down, I ignored Taehyung’s glare and looked around our table. Besides the three of us, there were only a few other silent Winter nobles. I glanced at the Summer table, where a gaggle of light haired Fae crowded around Suho, chattering away, and sighed. I stuck out like a sore thumb here amongst these Raven haired beauties.

“So… how are you liking classes here?” Jungkook asked me.

“They’re really interesting,” I said, making him chuckle. “What?” I demanded.

“Nerd,” he teased. I rolled my eyes.

“How could you find the Great War boring?” I argued. Jungkook’s eyes lit up.

“Want to know something cool?” Jungkook said. I leaned forward, curious. “Look up the “Silent Knight” of Winter.” I heard a noise as Taehyung abruptly turned towards Jungkook.

“Jungkook,” he warned, his voice low. I glanced at his face –– his eyes were unreadable. The other Winter nobles seemed to shift uncomfortably in their seats. I remembered what Jungkook had said about his swordfighting master last night: “Taehyung was really close to our Master, he was like a father to us.” I made a mental note to find out more about this “Silent Knight.”

One of the greatest swordsmen of all time, his quick and deadly fighting style earned him the nickname “The Silent Knight.” With his icy blade, he singlehandedly was able to turn the tide of battles. His name was Sihyuk of Winter.

My eyes scanned the rest of the page, skimming over his accomplishments. When I reached the bottom however, I became confused. Sihyuk’s biography ended abruptly with the end of the Great War –– there was nothing about his death. I remembered Taehyung’s reaction to the mention of his former master; something must’ve happened, something that the Winter court wanted to keep hidden about this mysterious warrior