I watched in fear as he began to approach us. It seems like weve met

somewhere before.

“I miscalculated a bit,” March repeated with enviable calmness despite the

fact that the senior student was taller and wider.

- You actually could cripple someone! How do they get such stupid people

into the academy?

The guy walked past me. Black tousled hair, cheeky tone, and a scar on

the side of his cheek. That is right, I ran into him this morning.

“They took you somehow,” my classmate chuckled.

- Youre immortal or something?

- And what if you are Jason Milton, then I should be afraid?

Thomas wasnt about to back down. The jitters inside me grew stronger.

- Want to check it out for yourself?

No, no, what are they doing? For a fight, you can immediately fly out of the

Academy. But for some reason neither Klaus nor Dean nor the others tried to

stop them.

A white ball of energy appeared in the scarred boy's hand, which he

launched at Thomas. March deftly dodged, and the next attacks were already

flying at him. There were so many of them that it was impossible to hide.

But the Ether of the enemy dissolved, and did not reach the goal.

- What the? – the stranger dumbfounded looked at the opponent.

I managed to create a barrier. After a year of constant training, he became

invisible. My classmates smiled, especially Thomas. They knew whose hand it

was.

- How did you do this?!

- Leave me alone.

But the brunette tried to attack again. And I still kept the barrier.

- Is this all you are capable of?

March did not want to slow down his ambition. Maybe I'm defending him

for nothing?

- What Rider? The senior obviously didn't understand what was going on.

- Jay, - a female voice suddenly called out to him, - its not him. She is!

I winced and turned around. Curly blond hair was unrecognisable. Just

how did Terry Fisher manage to get into this company?

All attention immediately turned to me. I made eye contact with Klaus,

who was looking seriously from me to his friend.

- Do you think its funny? Jason suddenly turned to me, and I didn't know

how to react.

- Arrange a fight with the first year? I should have kept quiet, but his

arrogance annoyed me. - It is not funny at all.

He stood beside me, tall and broad-shouldered. I sat on the bench and

looked up at him.

- What was it? - he was furious.

“I have nothing to do with it,” I’m sure, doubt flashed in his eyes from my

phrase.

- She has a barrier, she is special with us, - Terry emphasized the last word

in an arrogant voice.

I turned around and looked at my classmate. We never really talked to

her. I thought she didnt even know my name. And why show off like that in

front of him?

- Special? And now you think you have nothing to be afraid of? Jason

fumed, and a white clot of energy was already sparkling in his hand. - Let's

check?

"Milton, stop it," Klaus said suddenly. "I think you've already been

apologized to." And Lady has nothing to do with it at all.

Jason hesitated for a moment, catching his eye. Then he looked at me

again as if he understood something.

"Thats how it is,quot; he smiled slyly. “No, Klaus, kids need to know their

place.

Heres an asshole! In the morning he did not even apologize, and now he

was completely eager to fight.

Milton, seriously...

- No, why not? Come on," I said calmly, rising to my feet.

Dozens of eyes followed me as I entered the field. I didn't want to draw

too much attention.

“For months now, there have been rumors that a Wall has appeared at the

Academy,” Jason scoffed. Curious to see how durable it is.

What an absurd situation ... An accident that caused a whole scandal. And

now I have something to prove to someone? But there is nowhere to

retreat. After all, he is no stronger than a ghoul.

“Let’s check it out,” I said with mock indifference.

In training, we often had to fight against each other, so a barrier

immediately appeared around me. It is unlikely that the fight will be fair.

I glanced out of the corner of my eye at Klaus, who had come down

closer. He clasped his hands and waved them in front of him, and then winked

as a sign that he was rooting for me.

- Well, hold on! - Jason swung a clot of luminous energy.

The undergrade attacks rained down on me like hail. There was a loud

explosion as the aether collided with the barrier, but not a single ball of energy

passed through the veil. I heard cheering applause from my classmates, but

that only pissed Jason off.

Let's see what you have to say to that!

Frowning, he tightly gripped his palm, in which a clot of Aether seeped

through his fingers and turned into sparkling fragments. Flashing, they flew to

their goal.

I was too confident in my shield and didn't immediately notice how

Jason's attack suddenly darted at my classmates.

- Not! - burst out of me.

The trio did not immediately understand what had happened. With my

hands, I unknowingly redirected the barrier at them in the instant before

impact.

- In time, - I breathed a sigh of relief, watching their shocked faces.

- Carefully! someone shouted.

But it was already too late. A luminous clot of ether, like a heavy projectile,

hit me in the stomach and threw me back a few meters. His eyes darkened,

and the pain made it hard to breathe. But the resentment from the unfortunate

oversight was stronger. Albeit a deception, but Jason managed to break

through my protection.

Shouts and mutual threats were heard.

Tali, how are you? Klaus tried to bring me to my senses. - Can you get up?

- Uh-huh ... - I muttered, opening my eyes.

- Well, it's enough. Dispersed! A loud voice rang out, silencing

everyone. Jay, what did you do?

- What? - calmly answered my offender. Dean, are you serious?

- Quite! Couldnt accept defeat from a girl? Maybe you'll apologize? - from

the cold tone of the heir, even I got goosebumps.

Klaus helped me up and sat me down on a nearby bench. Jason chuckled

and was in no hurry to apologize.

- I'm also a hero, he attacked a freshman! Thomas spoke up. “Yes, you

should complain to the dean!”

"Actually, it was you who didnt follow the precautions," Dean was now

defending his friend. - Who gave you permission?

Of course, formally, it was not Jason who started this, and if the teachers

find out about the brawl, then everyone can be expelled. What was I thinking?

- Well, he would have fought with me. Why did he attack the girl? The

march never stopped, and Billy and Peter were already hissing at their stocky

partner.

- You, I see, are also not in a hurry to defend. Cowardly? Jason retorted,

but immediately caught Deans disapproving look. - Okay, okay, got

excited. Sorry.

The guy raised his palms up, turned around and walked offendedly

towards the exit. It was evident how hard it was for him to step over his

pride. He didnt even look at me. One of the senior students immediately

followed him.

- Are you okay? Maybe a doctor? Klaus looked at me.

Yes, she is already gone. No need to see a doctor, no one should know

about it.

"You feel like protecting someone,quot; he laughed. “I thought it was the only

one.”

I grimaced slightly, as if in pain, but I was actually hiding my

embarrassment.

- Lady, not bad - Dean suddenly appeared next to us.

Did he smile at me?

- But remember Jason's lesson!

The heir turned around and caught up with his friends, and Klaus just

laughed, winked and followed the whole company of students. And what was

that?

- Who does he build from himself? Billy snorted, straightening his curls.

- It is known whom, - the know-it-all Peter answered. - The future ruler, of

course.

- Well, fuck such a board. You can't think of any worse than these three, -

Thomas hissed, - One is more arrogant than the other. And what to expect

from them? It's easier to immediately hand over the city to the dark.

- Don't talk nonsense. Anthony Reid was able to lift Esther from her knees,

and since childhood she has been teaching her son how to manage the

city. Same with Burch. But I'm not sure about Jason...

- What about Jason? - I was surprised.

“He is the best guard in the academy. They only say that he will become

the Supreme Guardian, - Peter said knowingly.

Well, I just didn’t have enough fights with the future ruler. That's why I

came here, yes.

When I reached the locker room and collapsed on the bench next to my

box, I leaned forward and put my head in my hands. The crystal on the circular

announced a new message. Bree's name flashed on the screen. I'll answer

later, now I'm just not able to.

The training was obviously not a success, and it cost me incredible efforts

to pull off my uniform with traces of grass and earth and go to the shower.

What did I do anyway - did I suffer a shameful defeat, or is everything not

as bad as it seems?

- Lady, are you there? Joan's voice was heard.

Yes, I'm getting dressed!