Aralyn's POV
If anyone had told me that my first real day as a student at Shadowvale Academy would end with me pinned to a stone wall by invisible forces, I probably would have said it sounded a bit dramatic, but here I was, flattened against the cold surface like some unfortunate insect on display, with Elyra beside me wearing an expression that perfectly mirrored my own mix of disbelief and frustration.
At this point, I didn't even know if I should be angry or just laugh.
I didn't want to be the type of person who judged an entire student body by the actions of a handful, but after what I went through with Serenessa and now this charming group of classmates who had decided to ambush us for no reason other than me existing, it was getting hard not to form some very unkind generalizations.
Maybe it was the air here. Maybe there was something in the food, or maybe, just maybe, most of the students in this place were simply not right in the head. Bullies and spoiled, overpowered brats who thought throwing magic around gave them the right to treat people however they wanted, and if I wasn't currently powerless and glued to a wall like some cursed decoration, I would have loved to show them that I wasn't someone who was scared easily.
But sadly, all I could do was wiggle my fingers slightly and glare at the back of the boy who had done this. He was walking away now, looking incredibly pleased with himself. Arrogant, smug, and wearing a stupid jacket with gold buttons that I wanted very badly to set on fire.
"Can you do anything?" I asked Elyra through gritted teeth.
"If I could, don't you think we'd already be out of this?" she shot back, not unkindly, but clearly just as irritated as I was. "They pinned my hands, and I can't use my magic without them."
Great. Just perfect.
We were missing class, a class Elyra had already warned me was crucial. According to her, the professor in charge of this next session had the kind of personality that made Ilven look like a sweet old grandmother. This professor didn't care about excuses, and apparently, lateness was punishable by something far worse than I could imagine.
Wonderful.
I tried once more to force my arm forward. The energy holding us there wasn't visible, but it was solid, like being caught in a vise that had been molded specifically for me. My chest could move enough to let me breathe, but not enough to actually move, and while it wasn't painful, the longer I stayed stuck, the more humiliating it felt.
"This school is insane," I muttered.
"No arguments here," Elyra replied, staring down the hallway as if trying to figure out if anyone was coming.
The corridor was empty now. Everyone had already cleared out to get to the next class. Even the group that had cornered us had wandered off, probably proud of themselves for such a mature display of superiority.
I hated this. I hated feeling like prey.
"If this is what it's like every time you annoy someone, I don't know how anyone survives here," I said, half to myself.
Elyra gave a dry laugh. "We don't. Not without learning to fight back."
I sighed. That was the part that bothered me the most. If I had powers, if I had even the faintest idea of what I could do, I might have been able to push back, to defend us, to knock that smug look off the fire-girl's face, but instead, I was a mystery. A wild card no one, not even me, understood.
The High Priestess brought me here. That had to mean something, didn't it? But right now, it meant nothing. I was stuck, helpless, and apparently, a big target for people who didn't like not knowing where others fit.
Elyra shifted slightly. "I might be able to cast a small reversal spell if I can just get one hand free. It won't break the binding entirely, but it might loosen it enough to move."
"How small?"
"Tiny. Like... thumb wiggle tiny, but it's something."
"Then go for it."
I watched as she concentrated, her eyes narrowing slightly. The muscles in her fingers twitched, and I noticed her thumb move just a bit more than before. Her brows drew together in intense focus, and for a moment, it looked like something was actually going to happen, but then a flick of energy pulsed through the air, and we both jerked as the spell holding us tightened for a second before settling again.
Elyra hissed out a curse. "They set a rebound trap."
"Of course they did," I muttered, even though I didn't even know what that meant. "Because petty power trips aren't enough, they have to be thorough."
We both fell silent for a while, neither of us saying anything. There wasn't much else to do. We couldn't scream for help because if anyone heard us, it'd likely be another student, probably one that was just as bad as the ones who left us here, and the professors?
I didn't know any of them well enough to believe they'd even care.
Time dragged. My back was starting to ache, and my feet had gone numb. Every now and then, Elyra would try to shift slightly or murmur a low spell under her breath, but nothing worked. We were well and truly stuck.
"When I get out of this," I said quietly, voice low and serious, "I'm going to find that orange-haired witch and throw something at her face. Powers or not."
Elyra smirked. "I'd pay to see that."
Just then, we heard footsteps echoing down the corridor, and my heart leapt.
"Do you think…?"
"Shh. Let's see who it is first."
We both went still, waiting, barely breathing. The footsteps grew louder and closer, and then finally, a familiar figure rounded the corner.
Velmira.
I almost cried in relief.
She paused when she saw us, eyebrows shooting up in surprise. "What in the name of the moon happened here?"
"Your wonderful students," Elyra said dryly. "Showing off their mastery of being complete jerks."
Velmira didn't respond at first. She walked over, examining the invisible spell holding us against the wall. Her hands glowed briefly with soft blue light, and with a gentle flick of her fingers, the binding around me snapped.
I nearly stumbled forward, catching myself just in time. My legs ached, and my shoulders screamed in protest as blood rushed back through my limbs.
Elyra was freed next, stretching her arms with a grunt.
"This school," I said, rubbing my wrists, "is actually insane."
"I'll speak to the council about this," Velmira said, her voice calm but icy. "No one is allowed to use binding magic on another student without permission, and especially not like this."
"Can you guess who did it?" I asked, wondering if she already knew just by looking.
Velmira gave me a look. "I have a few guesses, but next time, don't let them corner you."
I stared at her. "Do you think I let this happen?"
She sighed. "No, but you'll need to learn how to avoid it or fight back quickly. Shadowvale doesn't have space for slow learners."
And with that, she turned and began walking away.
Elyra looked at me. "You okay?"
"I will be," I said, even though I wasn't sure. I was sore, angry, and humiliated.