This is another one of my many crazed projects. This one is a story in the vein of Sarah J Maas but in my own voice. It is sort of a blend of a lot of things, and doesn’t have a particular time period. I have been told that it has better voice than my other project but I would love new input. Hope you all enjoy a snippet of my prose.
Chapter 1
Kayrie was especially annoyed that night. Usually, her nightly escapades brought her to the edge of the city of Hariind and back in less than an hour, but that night everything that could have gone wrong did. Tripping on her broken boots, her usual road now blocked by construction, everything was wrong, and she hated it. She thought to herself, Of course it had to be tonight, it’s not like I’m already behind. Tugging her cloak closer to her chilled form, she ran faster.
Sopping wet and full to the brim with irritation and fury, Kayrie O’Brien stalked her way unceremoniously into the Hall of the Unchecked. The Hall of the Unchecked lies just below the abandoned sewers on Kensing and Hatchet Way. The entrance still amazed her, even though she’d seen it a thousand times. Small and unassuming, the stairway door labelled Condemned opening into a grand hall with a long emerald green carpet extending from the threshold that then drew your eyes to the massive common area full of large chairs and couches all in front of the largest fireplace that anyone had ever seen. A fireplace that burned bright blue. Much too lavish, but Kayrie didn’t mind.
As Kayrie trudged her way to the center of the common room a familiar figure slowly walked up to her. Noticing this without even turning her eyes toward him she said, “Not now Aldrin, I know I look like a sack of shit, so you can shut up.”
“I was merely going to say that you were invited to a dinner with me and some of my friends at Finn’s, but since you so graciously greeted me, I suppose you don’t wish to attend,” he replied smoothly. Aldrin was much taller than Kayrie, and more muscular, though that wasn’t saying much considering how twiggish Kayrie was. He had dark brown hair that was tousled but neat and an infuriatingly flattering outfit of black pants and white shirt that hugged his form tightly, allowing for the swift movement they all needed. She would never admit it to herself, but she resented how perfect and normal he looked compared to her. While his hair was straight, glossy and neat, hers was dirt brown, frizzed and unruly, her arms and legs wan, not with malnutrition or any lack of food, she had just always been that way. She was small as a mouse and had the brown hair to match. It exploded forth from her head, barely restrained within the braid she had kept it in. The wet clothes clinging to her didn’t do her any favors either.
“Maybe. I mean, I might, I just— what time?”
“9:00, hope to see you there Kayrie, and you don’t look bad, just cold,” he said with a roguish grin as he clapped her on the back and walked off towards his rooms.
Cursing herself under her breath Kayrie trudged back to report to Lefra before she went to her rooms to sleep. Walking down the halls she took in every detail. She still had a hard time reconciling the fact that she was even allowed in the Hall of the Unchecked, let alone a member. The walls were filled with runes and arcane equations that dotted and lined everywhere in mostly greens and blues, all softly glowing. All of them protection and general safety glyphs, it always gave her a sense of security whenever a rune or mark gleamed particularly nicely.
It took her about five minutes before she reached Lefra’s room. Her pulse rose and her feet began to tap vigorously. Breathe she said to herself. You can sleep after this and tomorrow you’re practicing elements, it’ll be alright. Just stop. She stood there for two more minutes, heart racing every time she reached for the door. But, after two minutes, she bit her lip and opened the door.
Lefra was sitting at her desk, mixing something in a bowl that looked suspiciously like blood. Lefra, also unlike Kayrie, was about six feet tall with sleek black hair that flowed past her waist and adorned her beautifully pale skin. That hair beautifully contrasted with the sleek white nightgown that clung to her.
“Well,” she said picking something off that extremely low cut nightgown, “Did the rounds go well? What did you find out about the reports of the various families in the slums. And stop shaking, you’re going to spill my ritual bowl”.
“Uh, yes, of course. Sorry Miss Gadriel, Kayrie said pulling some strand of hair out of her face.
“Lefra. Call me Lefra. Don’t call me Miss Gadriel, that’s what my parents call me,” she cut in sharply.
“Of course. Well, umm, it didn’t go particularly well. I uhh, my boots sort of fell apart a bit and the road was blocked and I couldn’t really get there in the best time so most of the families were asleep. I did get some information though. The Millers have been using the poultices we sent for their daughter and they appear to be working. The Graybens’ house also seems to be warding off the rain from the protection runes we set up there. I’m not sure about the others but that’s the report so far Mis— Lefra.”
Lefra finally looked up and met Kayrie’s eyes. She looked so tired, lines of black that never seemed to leave dug into Lefra’s skin just below her eyes, giving her a very gaunt appearance that would frighten most. But Kayrie had grown up around sickness, and wasn’t afraid, just concerned.
“Good. At least we know about those two. Tomorrow after your practice you should see if you can check up on the other three families and get back to me about it,” she said with a sigh as she put her face in her hands and rubbed vigorously.
“Alright, I’ll do that,” Kayrie said backing towards the door, “and, uh, if you ever need something for your eyes I can get it for you. I just— you looked— tired. I know how to make a lovely cream with a healing enchantment that could help with the dark circles if you ever needed it.”
Lefra just stared straight into Kayrie with an expression that was completely unreadable, but that also might have been because of how flustered and anxious Kayrie was.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to overstep or intrude, I just, I know how annoying they can be and I would really appreciate it if someone brought me a cream but you aren’t me, you are very important and you can likely deal with it yourself and— “ her lungs started to tighten and air wasn’t getting through. She looked away and said hurriedly “Nevermind, I’ll just do what you said. Goodnight.”
Lefra just kept looking back at her with her eyes that were a shade of brown so much darker and colder than Kayrie’s. Kayrie could see none of this however, as she darted out of the room and shut the door with a loud thud of wood and ran down the hall to her room.
You’re an idiot. Why would she want anything from you. You just wasted her time. And you basically slammed the door on the way out. Nice job, fuckup. Why didn’t you just tell her what you needed and gotten out. Oh, that’s right, because you’re stupid and can’t do anything right. These words kept repeating in various different ways in her head, and the tears were flowing silently down her face as she opened her door to her room and slumped down the wall and collapsed.