MAGE CHRONICLES: The Beginning.

Well, that went faster than I expected.

When we came in, I had seen her sharp look especially since Ax was yet to drop the hand he had wrapped around me during introductions.

I had hoped she wasn’t the stereotypical mean girl but I guess I was wrong. With the way most of the other girls were clustered around her she must have been the head bitch.

“Yeah, who the hell dresses like that?” One of her minions jumps in. A queen always has minions.

“Shut up Ashley, you are wearing a fishnet,” One of the guys clustered around Roan jumps in.

“Yeah, but my body agrees with it, no meat hanging,” dopey Ashley declares.

Fates! Mean bitches do be everywhere, like flies!

Ax moves as if to confront them, when they all titter but I stop him.

“Yes, Roan, I dance, I especially like doing it on poles and laps and girl all this meat has got your boy hooked, look at him,” I say pointing to the tall guy she had her hands wrapped around.

“Who the fuck...” she starts up clearly upset.

“Ay, ay, language honey, baby in the room,” I pointedly interrupt knowing it would only annoy her further.

“Can we please start, you can throw down later,” comes from another guy standing next to a stretching Roan.

Deciding to let the altercation be, I head to the corner of the room with Blue right behind me. We flop on the sofa that was surprisingly cushy, if we were staying we might as well get comfortable.

The practice kicks off and I must admit they are pretty good. I’m pleasantly surprised to see that not everyone was dancing, I guess some just wanted to hang out. I wasn’t ready to see the mean gaggle dance and be good at it.

After a while, Blue begins nodding off so I pick him up and settle him on my lap to lull him to sleep. I must have joined him because I wake up with a start when someone shakes me.

“Drac, wake up. We have to go eat.”

“Huh.”

I blink my eyes disoriented.

“Axel? Where are... Oh my, we fell asleep, didn’t we?”

“Yeah, and you both sleep like the dead, I had to check if he was still breathing!” He says pointing at Blue who is clinging to me still fast asleep.

I look around the room, realizing there are only like five people left.

“Where did everyone else go?”

“We finished practice and kicked them out, only the inner circle is here.”

I looked around and sure enough only around five people excluding Blue and me.

Sitting up, I stretch as I survey them, careful not to jolt Blue, “You mentioned food.”

Laughing, Ax carefully picks up Blue, but he shouldn’t have bothered, the boy probably heard the magic word in his sleep.

“Food?”

“Yeah baby, you hungry?” I ask while rubbing at the wet spot he left on my chest, which obviously made it worse.

“Uh-huh,” he answers trying to get Axel to put him down.

“Well let’s get to it, I hope they got meat,” I say rubbing my palms in anticipation for ignoring my shirt crisis, it wouldn’t the first time I walked around with some part of my attire wet, at least this was a hoodie and white. I proceed to walk to the door only to realise my baby and I are the only ones doing so.

Turning I find every pair of eyes watching me like I had grown another head, except for Ax who was looking at the rest with a smirk on his face. He turns back to us and moves towards the door.

Satisfied, I give in to Blue who had been tagging my arm the whole time, letting him drag me outside.

“What was that about?” I ask once we’re outside.

“What, the guys? I think they are star-struck, for once.”

“Weird… So how and where does the magic happen?”

He goes to answer, but I cut him off.

“You know what I meant you lewd man, that wasn’t an opening to exercise your perverted mind.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“Yeah right, now point me in the right direction before Blue turns hangry.”

“Right this way ma’am.”

We head back toward the dorms, then across to the “learning side” as Ax calls it.

We follow him into a huge white building right in the middle that was more glass than concrete, but you still couldn’t see inside.

And here I was thinking that nothing about the realm would surprise me anymore, how wrong I was.

The inside was built like a typical school cafeteria the only difference being the side where servers would be looked like a supermarket and instead of benches; they had booths. Shelves upon shelves of food and drinks with a check-out desk that didn’t have anyone occupied the opposite side, and I almost sob at the sight.

“Are we supposed to eat this? Not that I’m complaining but I really need a hearty cooked meal, not processed junk.”

“Relax woman, you look like you are about to cry.”

Heading over to an unoccupied booth, Ax helps Blue settle in facing the window then follows him in, leaving me to sit on the other side, which I do narrowly avoiding shattering my knee because my eyes are glued to the windows.

“How come I can see outside, but I couldn’t see a thing before we got in?”

“Magic,” Ax mutters distracted and I turn back to him to see why, “Now for the food,” he continues, picking up another weird-looking tab, “You pick what you want then wait for it to be delivered.”

Snatching up the tab, I go through it not bothering to hide my awe, “Anything from here, and I will get it?”

Blue joins in my enthusiasm as we go through the menu, with me explaining some parts, of course.

When the food arrives, I don’t even realise the trolley is basically moving by itself, the arresting aromas and the impressive spread have me diving in with gusto, and Blue isn’t deterred either.