Chapter 1 insta book 2 Read online

  I quickly made my way through the halls, avoiding all eye contact and possibly Artemis. I was trying to hide in plain sight, but it was hard to do so being the school Null. Some students didn’t think me worthy of being in their presence without a slave collar, and others were angry that I was given the time to redeem myself. I was the only one given time to level up, and that’s all that they knew.

  Only the council, Carmen, the Professors, and I actually knew the conditions of my being free. There have been rumors of me having relations with the Major, and some believe that I’m a part of an experiment. When people asked, I only told them that I was an exception, which is what I was told to say. If others knew that a deal was made between the council and my parents, then there might’ve been a chance that someone else would try and make the same deal, and eventually, there would be questions about a law change. I was a risk to the Lytonian laws, and they didn’t want to take any more of them.

  I noticed three girls taking their time to get to their classes in front of me and attempted to get around them. As I tried to pass them on their left, the red head on the end stepped out, causing me to bump into the back of her shoulder.

  “Sorry,” I said, slowing down and turning to her.

  “It’s o…” When she recognized me, she frowned, “Watch where you’re going!”

  I took a deep breath and gave her a blank stare. If it wasn’t me that bumped into her, then she would have been polite about it.

  “I said sorry,” I said, calmly. Looking at the other two girls, I noticed that Lithaly was among them. She was a student in Combat Training with me, and someone that I tended to learn from. With no powers, I needed to be able to fight, and what better way to learn than to go against the best?

  “Ugh,” the red head brushed off her shoulder. “I don’t care. I can’t believe that you actually touched me.”

  I only stared at her. Inside, I was fuming, but outside I seemed calm and collect.

  “Lithaly, how can you train with this Null?” the red head asked.

  Lithaly’s dark eyebrows furrowed, and her lightning blue eyes glistened, “I don’t mind.” Her two friends paused and narrowed their eyes at her. Lithaly only smiled and shrugged, “Well, I’m going to be late for training guys. Rayah, care to walk with me the rest of the way?”

  The two girls turned to me with disgust and confusion on their faces, and surprisingly, that only made me want to laugh. Still, I continued to hold a straight face.

  “Sure,” I said, turning around.

  Lithaly chuckled to herself as she continued to walk with me to class. When I turned to her, I admired her slick black hair and wondered what it looked like when it was down. I bet that it was long like mine.

  “What?” Lithaly asked, looking at me.

  “Oh, nothing. Thanks for that.”

  “For what? I just needed someone to walk to class with, that’s all,” she shrugged. “Don’t think I’m giving you any special treatment because you’re a Null and all…Nully.”

  I sighed with a smile, “You know, soon you won’t be able to call me that anymore. My light will show.”

  Lithaly gave a gorgeous smile. She always smiled when I was around for some reason, and it was actually genuine. Her smile was one reason that I liked her so much. “Do you really believe that?”

  Lithaly and I stopped outside of the training room’s door.

  I really didn’t know how to answer her question. I hadn’t shown any light before, and the first time that I actually felt something, I ended up knocking myself out. There was this red and blue spark that I remember seeing, but I couldn’t be sure if it was from the blow to the head, or if I actually did something. I hoped that it was just from the blow to the head, because having a red light would make me a Gods Daughter, and those were killed on the spot once found out.

  Lithaly offered a smile, “If you do believe that, then it’ll happen, but if you don’t…Well then I don’t know what to tell you. Start believing.” She walked into the class.

  I chuckled and shook my head, then followed behind her. Ever since I met this girl, she’s been nothing but straightforward with me, and I was nothing but appreciative.

  Since today was Monday, we were only going to spar against our opponents and then go over something more specific the following day. Lithaly and I had become partners, because we matched each other the best. I noticed that I was getting better after every sparring session with her, but I still couldn’t seem to beat her. It was like she knew my every move and would counter it right when I thought I had her.

  Lithaly threw a side kick at my head, but I blocked it with my forearm. The force of her kick caused me to stumble to my left, but I stayed up on my feet. The level six Kali Bright was determined to put me on the ground though, and started coming at me with punches that were too fast for me to see.

  I backed out of the way, trying my best to avoid getting hit, but once it seemed like she was growing tired, I stopped backing off and threw a punch right at her lip. I noticed that she was bleeding, but that didn’t stop me from fighting. I wanted to take her down for once.

  Now I was the one throwing blows, connecting with some and missing some. The crucial one that I missed was a jab to her jaw. Lithaly regained her ground and slipped out of the way, then welcomed my jaw with her fist instead. The impact dazed me and I slowed down, but I still didn’t fall. Instead, I balled my fist and threw an uppercut right at her chin, connecting with force.

  Lithaly grunted and stumbled back. I used that moment to throw out a kick, but froze when she caught my leg and smiled. She used her strength to take me to the floor, and once I was on my back, she mounted me and was about to throw a blow to my face when the trainer stopped the class. I stared up at her with a smile forming on my lips and noticed that one was forming on hers as well.

  “I beat you again, Nully,” she said, pushing herself to her feet and holding her hand out to me.

  I gratefully took her hand and let her help me up, “Yeah, well I’ll get you next time.”

  “That’s what you said last time,” she chuckled. She pushed back a few loose strands that were hanging out of her bun. “So, what you got next?”

  I sighed, dreading my next class. “Power Training.”

  Lithaly’s smile only slightly faded, understanding my dread. “Well, you get those powers to emerge. Make that training session count.”

  I wiped the sweat from my forehead with the back of my hand, “I’ll try.”

  The both of us walked into the hall together, but before we separated, Lithaly grabbed my shoulder. I turned my head to look over it.

  “Hey,” she offered a warm smile. “I just wanted to let you know that if you need someone, then you’re welcome to come to me. You and I aren’t so different.”

  I gave a half-hearted smile, grateful for the gesture, but wasn’t the type to talk about my feelings. Most of the time, I didn’t understand them myself. “Thank you.”

  Lithaly’s smile remained, but it seemed less genuine somehow. It wasn’t as if she were being fake to me, but her smile looked sad. “You’re welcome,” she nodded, and then turned around to walk away.

  I watched her walk down the hall before turning back around to head for Power Training.

  ~~~

  Like every day that I’ve been here, Power Training was a failure. I’ve practiced hundreds of times outside of training, so what were the chances of my light emulating during the actual class? Even in my Lighter Form I wasn’t able to use my powers, and Soren told me that it should’ve been easier for me to draw my light in that form than in my real body.

  Power Training always had a way of bringing me down. Of course, I naturally kept my chin up, but it was becoming frustrating. I only had but so much time to reach level six, and was still only a level one.

  I went back to my dorm to do some studying alone. I didn’t pay much attention during my classes, but that was because I already knew most of t
he material. I made sure that I was on top of things when it came to the basic classes, because a failure in one of those was the last thing that I needed.

  Once I was done with my studies, I went to the best place to be alone on the academy grounds. The rooftop. There, I could forget of everything that went on inside of the building, and mentally prepare myself for the next day.

  I sat on the edge of the rooftop with my feet dangling over the sides. I looked up at the sky and admired its beauty. There was a full moon on my left and a full moon on my right, both surrounded by large twinkling stars.

  “Mommy, look!” I remembered being so fascinated with the night sky. Especially, on the night of the full moons. They would shine over the land below them, tinting it with blue and white.

  I was looking out of her bedroom window that night. Below the moon and the stars was the city coated with dark blue. People tended to turn off their lights on the night of the full moons just so that they could only use the light that the moons provided.

  Lighters loved full moons, and as a monthly tradition the city goers would stop using their powers, climb onto their rooftops, and sit in the dark light, taking in the light energy that the moons had to offer. Two full moons were the equivalent of one sun for us, but we appreciated them more because of the beauty that they granted.

  “Oh, wow. It’s beautiful.” my Mother got down on one knee beside me and rested her warm hand on my shoulder. The moonlight shined in on her, causing her face to glow in the darkness.

  I reached out and touched the ends of her loosely curled red hair. “Yeah…beautiful…”

  When she turned to me, she slightly cocked her head to the side and smiled. I loved when she looked so free this way, in her non-uniform attire and her hair down for me to touch. Tonight, she wore my Father’s t-shirt and boxers. She was so young, and vibrant, and beautiful, and my Father and I loved her for that…

  Now when I look up at the full moons, I wonder if she’s still the same? She was currently Artemis’ slave in my place, probably enduring more pain and torture than what he inflicted on me. As an adult slave, what your master could do to you was unlimited.

  I laid on my back and let my eyes lower. “I’ll get you out of there, Mom…”

  I promise…

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