Chapter 4 Room 9 or 6?

Brielle

The red-haired young man from earlier was shirtless on top of a girl, kissing her with such heated intensity that neither of them noticed me standing in the doorway.

Of all the things I had expected to find behind the door of my assigned room, this certainly wasn’t one of them.

The girl had her arms wrapped around his neck, her fingers tangled in his red hair. One of his hands rested beside her head while the other was around her waist.

I should have looked away, closed the door, and pretended I had seen nothing.

Instead, I stood there like an idiot.

Then his head turned. His crimson eyes met mine, and the corner of his mouth lifted into a wicked smile.

“Care to join us?”

“Stop it, Pyre,” the girl on the bed said. She shifted her gaze, sizing me up from head to toe. “Wrong room. Get out and shut the door.”

“What’s the hurry, Zandaya?” he asked lazily. “Our guest has barely arrived.”

Before I could say another word, Pyre moved. One second, he was on the bed; the next, he stood directly in front of me.

I stumbled backward, and my back hit the door.

Up close, he was even more dangerously handsome than I remembered. His tan skin was bronzed, with tiny red scales running from his chest up to his neck. They shifted subtly with each breath. His red hair was tousled, falling on either side of his face, and his glowing crimson eyes seemed to burn brighter when he looked directly at me.

“What an interesting trick you pulled back there.”

I stiffened.

“That barrier you created in the courtyard. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to cast magic of that magnitude?”

I said nothing.

“Young mages struggle with basic shields. Some can’t even maintain one for more than a few seconds.” His gaze dropped briefly to my hands before returning to my face. “Yet you reflected a dragon’s fire.”

He leaned closer and inhaled slowly, his gaze narrowing as though he had detected something.

“What are you?”

My heart pounded. Was my masking potion not potent enough? It was supposed to last for seven days.

Before I could respond, something brushed the back of my neck. I flinched.

A sharp, burning sensation followed, making me jerk away with a gasp. “What the hell was that?”

Pyre’s dragon tail curled beside him, its pointed tip withdrawing from my neck. He examined the tiny trace of blood on its tip. Then, to my absolute horror, he brought it to his tongue.

His crimson eyes brightened.

“What is wrong with you?” I shoved him back, pressing my hand against the back of my neck and glaring at him.

The girl on the bed shrieked. She got up hastily. She didn’t bother trying to put a shirt back on. Her perky chest remained on full display. Her slightly ruffled blonde hair cascaded down her back. Her onyx eyes picked up the light from the floating candles on the ceiling. Her face twisted in annoyance and condescension. “How dare you lay those filthy hands on royal blood?”

I hated how she looked at me like I was something she could step on.

“Your Royalty touched me first.” My voice was furious.

“Your blood is strange.”

“You are the strange one!” I snapped. “Do you go around attacking people whenever you feel like it? What is wrong with you? Pervert!”

His mouth twitched.

“You are a pervert who barged in here just to watch him make out. Unbelievable. Do you know what?” She pointed at the door. “Get out!”

“This is my room. I have every right to barge in.”

“What?” She whipped her head towards the left wall. A name was imprinted on it: Zandaya Kineth.

She crossed her arms over her chest.

“That’s not possible.” I let out a deep sigh. I was too exhausted for this.

“Let’s play a game, Storm.”

“Brielle,” I corrected. “I have no interest in any game. Just leave so I can rest.”

“I get that you’re new, but watch your mouth, or else you will hate your life in this school,” Zandaya warned.

“Give us a moment.” He didn’t shout, but his words carried a dangerous glint that couldn’t be disobeyed.

“Pyre,” Zandaya warned, her irritation returning. “For the love of the gods, let her go. She’s clearly not worth the trouble.”

He glanced over his shoulder, and she obeyed, going to sit on the bed.

“I want to take accountability for hurting you. Let’s play a game.”

“I don’t have time for this.”

“Then let’s make it quick.” He tilted his head towards the room. “You claim this is your room. I say it isn’t.”

“It is.”

“Prove it.”

I pulled the paper Principal Alexis had given me from my pocket.

“Room nine. There. Are you satisfied?”

He glanced at the paper but made no attempt to take it.

“Here’s my offer. If this is your room, I’ll leave, not without apologising.”

I narrowed my eyes.

“And if it isn’t my room?” His smile turned wicked. “Then I get to ask you anything I want.”

I hesitated. That sounded suspiciously convenient for him. Behind us, Zandaya let out an impatient sigh.

“Just accept the bet and get it over with. Some of us would like to return to our evening.”

I glanced at her. “Fine!”

I held up the paper again, making sure he could see the number. “Room nine. Now, keep your promise and leave. I don’t need your apology.”

I was already imagining the relief of finally being alone.

Then he burst out laughing. He snatched the card.

“Hey!”

He flipped it between his two fingers. The 9 changed to a 6. I stared at the number printed on it.

Six.

“What?”

I snatched the paper back and turned it over again.

“That—how—”

Pyre leaned against the wall, looking far too pleased with himself.

“The academy emblem always stays at the top, darling.”

Zandaya clicked her tongue. “Too much confidence is not good.”

“You cheated.”

He placed a hand over his chest, feigning offence. “Cheated? We agreed to a game. I told you the rules.”

“You deliberately let me believe I was right!”

“Rules are rules.”

I shut my eyes tightly.

Of all the things that could have happened on my first day at Kastros Academy, why did I have to end up in a room with this man?

I reached for the door handle, immediately yanked it open, and ran out.

I continued down the corridor until I was certain he wasn’t coming after me. Then I crouched, bracing my hands against my knees as I tried to catch my breath.

“Brielle!”

My head shot up.

A girl with bouncy raven curls was hurrying towards me, her face lit by a smile as warm as the sun. Before I could react, she grabbed my hand and pulled me upright.

“There you are!”

I blinked at her.

“Do you know me?”

She stopped. Then she slapped a palm against her forehead.

“Oh, sorry! My bad. I’m Anya.” She flashed me another smile. “Your name appeared right next to mine on the room board. I’ve been searching everywhere for you.”

She looked down the corridor, then back at me.

“Where did you go?”

My lips parted.

How was I supposed to explain that I’d walked into a room, interrupted a prince kissing a girl, been accused of smelling strange, and somehow lost a bet over my own room number?

“I got lost,” I said finally.

Anya laughed.

“Honestly, I got lost on my first day too. This academy is enormous. I spent nearly an hour trying to find my dormitory.”

She squeezed my hand.

“Thankfully, I found you. Come on. Let me show you to our room.”

“Oh. Thank you.”

She linked her arm through mine and began leading me down the corridor.

“By the way, finding you wasn’t difficult. You’re the only new student today.”

She glanced at me with a curious smile.

“And apparently, you’ve already made quite an entrance.”

Before I could question her further, she stopped in front of a door and pushed it open.

“Welcome to our room!”