VI | Just Because

Persephone's point of view

♕︎ ♕︎ ♕︎

It's a lot.

"Now," Headmaster Diana clapped her hands, "for the sophomores, as you are taking up the top of the students of the entire academy, we decided to make a advanced special classes for all of you together."

"What the fuck?" I gasped and many heads turned to me, and I ignored full heartedly. "I'm sorry sounding disrespectful, but, what in the actual fuck? We won't be able to chose our classes?"

"No, isn't it wonderful?" Headmaster Samuel beamed. "You won't be able to runaway from the others now, sweetheart," and he said that very fucking loud.

I clenched my fists, "Could you say the reason behind of this bull... Behind of this amazing idea?" I made sure to make my irony and sarcasm very clear.

Both Samuel and Diana grinned in amusement with my reaction, and she was the one to answer. "You are all advanced students in all your topics, so, why not give you all special classes together? It's fair."

They must be fucking with me. It must be a bloody joke. A nightmare.

"Fair?" I scoffed. "How kind of you. That's not very preparing for the outside world though. Nothing in fair out there," I muttered.

"Unfair indeed. But it's different in here," Headmaster Samuel added. "53 students in the top 50. Persephone and Pride tied on top 1, Apollo and Loki tied on top 2, Vain and Atlas tied on top 3, plus all the sole top 47. You will all be studying together now."

"That's a horrible idea," I mocked. "But it seems like my entire house we'll be part of it. That's satisfying enough," I rolled my shoulders still annoyed.

"Quite the feat indeed," Headmaster Diana winked at me. "The classes will start tomorrow morning. You are free to go," but before I could open a portal and leave, she held my forearm again. "One more rule. You and Pride-Niklaus are prohibited from using your time magic to slow and stop the class, to do all your exercises and leave first. You are also prohibited from using your spatial magic in class unless it's requested." And I thought it couldn't get worse.

Both me and him gasped loudly, "What? Why?"

"Because you two are our strongest but also most problematic students, and have a deep conflict going on between each other. So, you will be playing fair for now. At least inside you classrooms!" Headmaster Samuel said with his hand on his chin.

"Fuck, I hate this place even more at each day that passes," I cursed and opened a portal to my house that was now available for us again. "I wish I could destroy everyone else right now to make this easy," I scoffed as I crossed it inside and gave the middle finger to all the other students. "Adios, lowly peasants."

✵ ✵ ✵

After four hours passed, I was able to settled my stuff down again, read ¼ of a book called Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, take a bath, and I was planning on working out on the roof when my iPad rang and a couple of text came in my private chat with my siblings.

─ Drakyres On Top

Apollo: Sis, I just settled on Elysium.

Apollo: I'll be in your rooftop in ten minutes.

Apollo: We need to talk.

Atlas: I just settled too.

Atlas: I'll be there in ten.

Atlas: Let's see who gets there first.

Me: Did I let you come?

Apollo: We are coming to you!

Atlas: So, go to the roof, smartarse.

Atlas: Let's have a good talk.

Me: I'm tired.

Apollo: To hell you are.

Apollo: You are the most energetic out of us.

Atlas: Going.

Apollo: Open the barrier for us.

Rolling my eyes, I put on my black gym suit that covered me entirely and tied my hair in a high ponytail, then I put the black Yves Saint Laurent shoes with a 10cm platform each. On my phone, I put Too Sweet by Hozier to play. Pouring bourbon into my 1L bottle of water, I climbed the stair up to the roof and as I got there, I found both my brothers flying with their partially shifted ivory white dragon wings.

"The barrier, Persephone," Apollo complained.

"Come on, don't be mean," Atlas pouted.

Rolling my eyes, I waved my hand and allowed them access, opening the barrier enough for them to come inside. "What is it? We spent two months together at home, what do you want now? Isn't it too soon for you to miss me?" I mocked, putting my bottom on the side with my phone playing my playlist, then I climbed onto the leg press. "Speak."

"How demanding, tsk," Atlas took his shirt off and went to the bars.

Apollo followed suit, but went for the weights, his shirt also gone. Probably 'cause they both are stupid and like to show off their muscles. "So, why are you hiding so many things from us, Persephone?"

"Am I?" I grinned, focusing on my equipment.

"If we ask you some questions will you be sincere with us?" Atlas asked.

"Perhaps. Depends on the question," I purred.

"What's your eye color?" Apollo asked.

So, they really forgot. I imagined that could be a possibility.

"What's with the sudden curiosity?"

"Don't avoid the question with another question," he growled annoyed.

"Red."

"What?" Atlas gasped.

I tilted my head, "My eyes are crimson red."

"That easy?" Apollo choked.

"I wasn't hiding from you. I'm hiding from everyone else. It's not my fault if you forgot, since you once knew this," I rolled my shoulders.

"And your hair?" Atlas asked.

"My hair is ebony black," I added a bit more weight on the leg press.

"You're a black dragon," they said together.

"I am, yes."

"Why do you never shift near us?" Apollo questioned.

"Just because," I don't feel comfortable knowing that they are dragons similar to mom, and I'm not. It's out of my bitterness. Nothing else.

Call it jealousy if you want to.

"But we shift near you," Atlas growled.

"I never asked you to, did I?"

"Is your dragon different than ours?" Apollo frowned.

"Yes. I'm a lot bigger and my dragon's body is more serpentine. Mother told me that I took it from our great-grandpa," clenching my jaw, I added even more weight to the leg press. "I still have wings though, but my body is more slander than yours."

When they didn't say anything else, I turned to them, only to see their jaws on the ground. "Like an eastern dragon?" Atlas gasped.

"Kind of. A mixture of both. My dragon is also more bloodthirsty than all the others. Way more than you two," I tilted my head. "My nature is more chaotic and aggressive. May also be 'cause I'm part vampire. I mean, we all are, but again, my dragon is different."

"How didn't we know that?" Apollo mumbled in shock.

That's where they are wrong. "You did. You just forgot. We were together when I first shifted, so, you definitely knew. But you were very lil, so, your memory must have gotten messed up."

"We are the same age, Dora," Atlas gasped.

"And still, I'm stronger, smarter, and more experienced than both of you together, uh?!" I mocked mischievously, trying to ease the tension.

Again, I love my brothers with all my heart, but the fact that they don't know the truth complicates everything. I can't bring myself to tell them any of it either. I can't even talk about it, even less spill everything to them.

"What happened in Draki Mountain, Dora?"

Atlas's words made me freeze and I'm sure I turned pale, my stomach definitely rolled like a bitch again, but thankfully I haven't eaten anything yet, so, there's nothing to throw up. The nausea is there regardless. Getting up, slowly given how dizzy I got all of a sudden, I picked my bottle and drank half of the bourbon in one go.

"Sister?" They asked concerned. "What happened in there?"

I clenched my jaw and tried my best to keep my face blank. "It's none of your business. Don't ask me about this again, it's a matter than only concerns the next ruler. I don't like to remember it either. Do not bring that up," I said it all with my back to them.

"Something bad happened!" Apollo stated.

"Was that why it took you 10 extra days to come down the mountain?"

"It's the most dangerous place on earth, what did you expect? That it would be a smooth climb as if I were in a friendly marathon?" I mocked bitterly. "I am serious, I will not talk about it. No matter how many times you ask me, I won't say a word. What happened in Draki Mountain is my problem to deal with, and solely mine. It'll die with me."

"But we are your brothers!" They clenched their jaw annoyed.

"One more reason to keep it a secret," I said softly. "Don't press me on this, nothing good will come out of it."

"Persephone!"

"I won't change my mind. There are things that are better kept hidden. If you keep pressing me, I will beat you two up. Don't forget that I'm the oldest in here. And you better keep my appearance a secret or I'll really kick your arses from here to our kingdom. If you spill it to anyone else, I'll also stop talking to you," let's use some pressure.

"Why are you hiding?" Atlas crossed his arms over his chest.

"Just because," I grinned.

"Can we gain access on your penthouse now? Or will you keep us on the roof? You kept it a secret 'cause you are yourself in there, no? Dye magic out of your hair and eyes."

I turned to Apollo, "That's not the sole reason, so, nope. I enjoy my privacy. I know you two enough to know that, as soon as I let you in here, you will always be around. I like my solitude and quietness, thank you, very much."

They can't see what I do in there.

Definitely not my murals of my investigation into Lust-Rhae Evangeline Python, or on all of the strengths and weaknesses of all the top 50 or the academy, and of the most influential kids and families. Plus, I also like to walk just in my underwear and they can't see the scars I gained from my time in Draki Mountain. Even less the tattoo in my back.

That tattoo has a explicit meaning and they can't know about it.

"Give up," I exclaimed before focusing on the leg press again.