CHAPTER 101: TROUBLE

The learning for the day had ended for the day, and everyone was on their way home including Serena and Lumina.

"Hey! Blind bat!"

The air went still for a moment at Aurelia’s insulting word.

Serena turned at once, her eyes widening as she saw Aurelia striding toward them with her usual arrogance, her golden hair swaying like a banner behind her.

"Princess Aurelia!" Serena gasped, shocked at the blatant insult. "That is not a good way to address..."

But Aurelia only scoffed, folding her arms as her gaze swept over Lumina from head to toe.

"She is blind. I see no reason to pretend otherwise. I have called her that before, and I will call her that again. Consider it a reminder to stay in her lane."

Lumina, instead of shrinking back, gave a soft, humorless snort.

"Oh? I wondered how long your fake politeness would last," Lumina let out calmly, her milky eyes narrowing slightly. "Guess you were only pretending to tolerate me."

Aurelia’s smirk widened. "When was I ever pretending to be nice to you? I am not even nice to my own brother. Why should I be nice to you?"

"Aurelia!" Serena hissed sharply, moving closer as if to shield Lumina.

"Enough of this..."

But Lumina tilted her chin, she interrupted Serena. "I guess the fact remains that you act like a spoiled brat toward your own little brother, when he should be able to look up to you."

Aurelia’s nostrils flared. "He is a curse! Why should I associate with him?"

That word, ’curse’ made Lumina’s jaw tighten until her teeth ached.

"Princesses are supposed to set an example for the rest of the realm," Lumina replied. "We are meant to be gracious... but you? You hardly fit that role."

"You...!" Aurelia took a threatening step forward which didn’t faze Lumina at all.

"Don’t forget, Princess Aurelia," Lumina said.

"I warned you last night...Don’t try me," Lumina warned in a low voice. "I don’t play fair."

Aurelia froze for half a heartbeat, shocked at Lumina’s audacity.

"Mum was right," Aurelia finally spat, her voice trembling with rage. "You are cunning, sly... and disrespectful."

"And I am blind," Lumina shot back coldly. "What do you expect me to be? If I can’t use my eyes, I have to use my head. And right now, it tells me that you are nothing but a bully who enjoys picking on those she thinks are weak."

"You!" Aurelia shrieked, losing all composure. Before anyone could stop her, she thrust her palm forward, a blast of fire leaping from her hand.

The flame struck Lumina squarely, knocking her back. She hit the ground hard, the impact tearing her gown at the shoulder and leaving a dark scorch mark on her pale skin.

"Princess!" Serena cried, rushing to her side, but Aurelia wasn’t finished.

Another fireball gathered in her hand.

"Aurelia, stop!" Serena yelled, but the princess shoved her aside.

Lumina winced, trying to push herself up, but the second blast hit her shoulder, searing through the thin fabric of her gown. Pain shot through her arm and she bit back a cry.

"Enough!" Serena screamed but the third, much larger ball of flame was already forming.

And then, before Aurelia could release it, a force far greater than hers surged through the air.

The attack blasted Aurelia flinging her back across the courtyard. She struck the wall with a sickening crack and crumpled to the floor, in a daze.

Serena turned toward the source of the power, only to feel her knees buckle at the sight.

Ashen stood there, his eyes burning in rage.

"As... Ashen..." Serena breathed, suddenly aware of how terrifyingly powerful he was.

But Ashen was already moving. In a blur, he was kneeling beside Lumina, gathering her into his arms.

"I told you," he said sharply, his voice rough, "I told you not to let anyone hurt you!"

His anger startled her, and before she could stop herself, hot tears welled up in her eyes.

"Why are you yelling at me?" she cried, her voice breaking. "She’s your sister! You don’t expect me to attack her!"

Ashen froze, staring down at her in disbelief. She looked like a spoiled little princess, tears streaking her face, but it struck him straight in the heart.

"Hey... hey," he murmured, his anger softening at once. His thumb brushed her tears away. "I am sorry. I didn’t mean to yell. I just... I hate seeing you hurt."

Serena stood off to the side, watching in stunned silence. Ashen, the prince who barely spoke to anyone, who was always cold and distant was now holding Lumina as though she was the most precious thing in the realm.

Before Serena could even process it, Aurelia let out a groan from where she had fallen.

"You little devil!" she hissed, staggering to her feet with Serena’s help. "How dare you attack me like that, Ashen!"

Ashen’s head turned slowly, his eyes narrowing. "And again he blasted another fire toward her but Serena was quick to make her miss!"

"Ashen! How could you hurt me for her?!" Aurelia screamed in shock, the look in his eyes could tell that he didn’t give a damn for the future but right now he was ready to hurt her.

"You used a foul word for my wife," his voice boomed. "That alone pisses me off.. and now you expect me to choose you over her?"

"Ashen!" Aurelia shrieked. "I am your sister! You have only known her for a few moons!"

"Have you forgotten that you and I barely have a relationship at all?" Ashen shot back. "Or are you suffering from memory loss?"

Lumina couldn’t help it but a small laugh slipped out, despite the blood trailing from her lip.

Aurelia’s fury trembled through her voice. "I swear, you both will pay for this."

Lumina suddenly pushed herself to her knees, clutching her side as though in great pain, and her next action shocked everyone.

She dropped forward, her body trembling as she cried out, "Ahh! Please, Princess! You don’t have to punish us! Forgive us, we didn’t mean any harm!" Ashen glanced at her confused but then she pulled Ashen to his knees, making his knees make a thud sound on the floor.

"What are you doing?" Ashen asked, startled, but before Lumina could reply, a deeper voice echoed from behind Aurelia.

"What is going on here?"

All four of them froze.

"Your Highness!" Serena gasped, quickly bowing followed by Aurelia.

Only then did they understand Lumina’s switch and then it dawned on Aurelia that Lumina had just put her in a crisis that would be too hard to escape.