"In my bedroom" a low rough voice replied, sending shivers down Jasmine's spine.
She spun around trying to locate the speaker but the dim light made it difficult to see clearly. The voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
"Show your self! "She demanded trying to keep her voice steady.
As the voice spoke, Jasmine's eyes locked onto a figure stepping out of the shadows. Damien's piercing gaze met hers, his chiselled features illuminated by the faint moonlight.
"Damien?" Jasmine whispered, relief yet weariness visible in her tone. "what...what's going on? how did I get here?"
Damien had his usual unreadable expression, his eyes seeming to bore into her very soul. "Well, someone must have spread ertox into your dorm. Any human would have died within few minutes, even Extra-natural beings wouldn't last long." he paused narrowing his eyes slightly. "Which brings me to my question...who are you?"
The air thickened with tension as he awaited her response. "I'm just human," She said, trying to seem convincing. "I don't know how I survived, but is the scorpion venom still affecting me?"
Damian's expression softened a bit. "I've temporarily halted the poisons effects. You'll be okay for now."
Jasmine's eyes widened in relief, but his next question brought her back to reality. "What's your enemies deal with poison? There are other ways to kill...I mean, why do you have so many foes?"
She seemed to think for a while, her mind racing. She thought back to her roommate, Lydia, who hadn't come back last night. This wasn't the first time she'd suspected her roommate of trying to harm her.
Before she could speak, Damian's gaze turned intense. "Don't speak. I'm already certain who you suspect."
He didn't just suspect; he knew it was her roommate ,Lydia, who had done that. He had overheard their conversation behind the trees.
Jasmine's eyes narrowed. "Did you read my mind?"
"No," Damian replied. "You don't even let me."
Jasmine felt confused for a while but let it go. It seemed she had forgotten something. "The exam!". She jolted up from the bed. "Can you take me back to my room?"
Damian seemed to think for a while. He had brought her to the demon realm according to Baxia's orders, but if he keeps her her now , it would be troublesome for him. He'd find another time to bring her here again.
"Sure," he spoke, and with a thought, they were at the door of Jasmine's dorm.
Thankfully, she made it just in time, as soon as the trumpet was blown. She turned around to thank Damien, but she noticed he was gone – vanished without a word.
Jasmine entered her room and scanned the space, noticing Lydia was nowhere to be seen, which made her suspicious. Where was Lydia? Had she already left early for the exam, or did she know about the poison from yesterday?
Pushing her concerns aside, Jasmine focused on preparing for the exam ahead. She quickly got dressed and gathered her materials – sword and everything she needed. Bracing herself for the challenge, she headed to the assembly area, joining the students who made their way to the gathering point, and took her position among her teammates.
Professor Flynn and the other leaders looked worried, their faces etched with concern as they contemplated the announcement they were about to make. "Good morning, future students," they greeted. "We are truly sorry to announce that the Unity by Strength exam will not take place today due to the blood moon. You all must leave immediately to ensure your safety. There's no need to pack all your things, as you'll be coming back tomorrow. However, if you still feel the need to take a few things, you're free to do so. Additionally, you may come with your guardians or parents to witness the exams tomorrow."
The murmurs of the crowd grew louder, with gasps and whispers spreading through the assembly. Jasmine's eyes widened in surprise as she turned to Beatrix. "Why? What's going to happen on the day of the blood moon?"
Beatrix took a deep breath, her expression unhappy. "Chaos! There will be chaos in the Extra-natural realm." She paused, sending a shiver down Jasmine's spine. "On the day of the blood moon, all extra-natural beings go crazy. That's when the dead also come out, and there's so much killing in the realm. Humans are lucky not to have to face that."
Jasmine felt bad for them and wanted to ask more questions but seeing Beatrix expression, it seemed she was not in the mood.
They all headed to their dorms to pack. though jasmine didn't want to pack anything, she just needed to go see if Lydia was back.
Jasmine entered her room, surprised to find Lydia packing all her belongings. "Lydia, why are you packing everything?" she asked, confusion visible on her face. "The professor just asked us to pack a few essentials, not everything."
Lydia who was also surprised to see Jasmine, seemed taken aback. If Jasmine was alive, it only meant one thing: she wasn't there when the poison took effect, or the poison didn't work, she thought to herself. "Oh, I...I just decided to pack everything, in case of some uncertainty, you know, just in case," Lydia replied, her explanation sounding unconvincing.
Jasmine raised an eyebrow, doubtful of Lydia's words. "Okay, but why didn't you come back last night? I was worried about you."
Lydia's eyes wandered around the room before she replied, "I, uh, accidentally slept in a friend's room. I didn't mean to make you worried." She partially lied, and Jasmine knew it.
Despite hearing Lydia's explanation, Jasmine was certain it was Lydia spread ertox in her dorm, but she decided to play along, pretending to believe her lies.
Unexpectedly, Lydia enveloped Jasmine into a tight hug, tears welling up in her eyes. "I'll miss you so much. I'm going to miss our talks and our times together, though we won't see each other for just a day."
Jasmine felt disgust wash over her, but she forced a smile and pretended to be sad. "I'll miss you too. Take care of yourself...You can go first; I'll join you later. Maybe I'll leave last; I have something to do."
As soon as Lydia left, Jasmine's expression changed. She sat on the bed, her mind fixed on revenge. She will surely make her roommates pay for what they've done, bit by bit, once she's fully recovered and finds time for them. She will then take revenge. She took a deep breath, and immediately her thoughts shifted to what Professor Caleb had said earlier.
If she went back to the human realm, she would have nowhere to go. The palace was not an option; she couldn't let her father and stepmother find out about the exam invitation. She would never let them show up as her parents. To avoid seeing their faces, she wouldn't return.
She wished Damien could take her to the demon realm instead. She strongly didn't want to go back to where she came from. Suddenly, she witnessed someone materialize in front of her. Her eyes widened in shock.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, still trying to figure out how he knew she was thinking of him.
"You called me" he replied nonchalantly.
"How...how did I call you?" Jasmine asked, curiosity getting the better of her.
"You don't need to know," Damien said with a hint of mystery in his tone.
Jasmine let it slide, remembering why she thought of him.
She snapped her fingers, "Take me to the demon realm.
"Damien seemed shocked by her ridiculous request. "You want me to take you to the demon realm?"