Pov:Iris
I wake up little by little in an unfamiliar place. The walls are white, and the injection tubing on my arm is connected to a plastic bag in which a yellow liquid flows.
I try to sit up from the small bed I am lying on, but my whole body is sore.
— You're awake, says a female voice I hadn't noticed.
I startle. A tall woman, whom I guess is a nurse by her jacket, approaches me. A little disoriented, I stare at her.
— Are you hurting anywhere? she asks.
— No, just aches, I say in a thick voice.
— The school called your parents, she adds.
— My parents? I say, frowning.
No sooner have I finished my sentence than Hayler bursts into the room, followed by my father.
Hayler comes up to me, her face marked by worry. The nurse leaves, leaving us alone.
— I thought you'd never wake up, she says. How do you feel?
— What happened? I ask.
The door opens again, revealing Démon and Ryan. Immediately, the anger returns.
— What are you doing here? I say.
But Démon doesn't even bother to look at me, as if I were an insignificant thing. Ryan, meanwhile, looks at me coldly. If looks could kill, I would already be dead.
I hold his gaze, refusing to look away.
— You don't remember what happened? Hayler asks, breaking our stare-down.
— No. The only thing I remember is seeing Ryan try to kill a girl, I say, pointing at him.
A growl comes from him, but I don't flinch.
— And then, nothing. I don't remember anything else. So ask him what he did to me!
— My dear, calm down, Hayler says. Cherry said you had an altercation with Ryan, then you suddenly fainted. They took you to the infirmary.
— I fainted? I say, trying to remember. But a horrible pain crosses my head, making me wince. I put a hand to my forehead.
— I can't remember…
— It's okay, don't force it. It might come back later, Hayler says, stroking my hair with a gentle smile.
I nod.
— I don't know… I had a dream, but I can't remember it either. I think… I saw wolves. And a vampire.
No sooner have I spoken those words than I immediately feel stupid. I raise my head, expecting to see mockery in their faces, but instead, they stare at one another, worried.
— What's going on? I ask.
— Nothing, my father replies after having remained silent all this time. We must go home so you can rest now.
— No, I feel fine. I'll continue classes.
— You had a fainting spell, he says, protesting.
— My love, if she wants to continue classes, let her, Hayler says.
My father stares at me for a long time before leaving the infirmary, reluctantly.
— Are you sure? Hayler asks.
— Yes, I say.
— Okay. The twins will watch over you, alright?
Démon and Ryan say nothing. They seem lost in their thoughts, completely elsewhere. Hayler notices it too.
— The boys, she says, fixing them with a look.
Her voice seems to bring them back to reality.
— Bring your sister home safe and sound. I entrust her safety to you, she says.
The information does not seem to please them, for they clench their jaws so hard I think they will break their teeth.
I inwardly rejoice, stifling a smile.
— You promise me, okay? Hayler says.
— Yes, they say in unison.
She smiles at them before turning to me and taking me in her arms.
— See you later, I must join your father, she says, stroking my hair one last time before leaving.
I begin to get used to her tender manner. Her hugs and affectionate gestures no longer bother me as much.
I remove the tube from my arm and look at Démon and Ryan, jaw clenched. They do everything to avoid looking at me, as if my mere presence annoys them.
— My beloved brothers… I say in a falsely sweet voice.
They finally look at me, both of them, with wary eyes. And they are right.
— Could one of you carry me, please? I had a BIG fainting spell and I'm very weak, I say.
They clench their fists, furious.
— Very well… I'll call Hayler, I say in a feigned sad tone.
They both growl.
But Démon ends up stepping toward me, his jaw clenched.
I fight the urge to burst out laughing.
— Wait, I say to stop him, but he doesn't listen.
He lifts me in one motion and throws me over his shoulder without any delicacy, as if I weighed nothing.
— Put me down, Démon you psychopath! I say, hammering his back with punches.
He does not answer, taking a firm step forward, Ryan following.
— Let me down! I'll tell—
I am cut off by a slap on the buttocks. A surprised hiccup escapes me.
— How dare you!
A second slap. Then a third, stronger still, cuts off my breath. I remain silent, seething inwardly, swearing I will make him pay for that as soon as I get down.
He finally enters a room from which a woman's voice comes. As soon as we enter, silence falls.
He drops me roughly. I am about to shout at him when I realise we are in a classroom. About ten pupils stare at us, as does the teacher. My cheeks immediately blaze with shame.
Without looking back, Démon leaves the room, leaving me alone.
— I suppose you must be Iris, the woman says, smiling as if to dispel the embarrassment.
I nod.
— Well, you may sit next to Cherry, she says.
I hurry to join her, thanking her inwardly for sparing me an introduction. Cherry restrains a laugh.
— Oh, come on, please, don't hold back, I say.
She laughs, then adds:
— Quite an entrance, I must say!
A slight laugh escapes me despite the shame. I feel like I have known her forever, even though it hasn't even been a day.
I look around: all the students stare at me as if I had twelve heads.
— Okay, let's get back to today's subject, the teacher says, clapping her hands to regain attention.
— A long time ago, a man named Drakein Joo was born from the union of a vampire and a witch. He was the couple's second son. Everyone thought he would be born with special powers, like his brother, a vampire-wizard hybrid. But Drakein Joo was born ordinary. Rejected by both realms, he left his father's realm and departed.
He then met a woman living in the forest, of unearthly beauty, with silver horses. She lived in a village of wolves. They became the best of friends for centuries. The villagers treated him as their equal, without distinction.
One day, the woman, named Ella, revealed to him that she was the Goddess of the Moon — a secret she should never have shared. Driven by his thirst for power, Drakein Joo abused her pity to obtain her powers.
The Goddess gave him a portion of her power, equal to her own. But he chose black magic and betrayed her, sowing terror and suffering in all the kingdoms he traversed.
It lasted a hundred years. Eventually, the Goddess found him and an unprecedented battle broke out. Unable to defeat him, she cursed him and trapped him in a realm between life and death. But before disappearing, Drakein Joo managed to kill her and reverse the spell.
It is said that he will be freed the day the Goddess is reborn among us, the teacher concludes.
The whole class remains silent, captivated. The bell rings, marking the end of the lesson.
I leave Cherry outside the room, but a crowd has formed in the courtyard around something. We look at each other, then step forward.
A wave of nausea immediately hits me: the body of a human, wrinkled like a tree trunk, maggots coming out of its flesh. Around him, ashes draw phrases in a language that I can read… without knowing how.