“My father thinks I should request you to convince your husband that a second consort is an advantage for Eitir's future. After all, you can not give birth to children,” Ceva muttered bitterly.

Akana frowned when he heard this. He did not like the idea that Sidastir would take a second wife even though he could not find the logic behind the condemnation.

“According to Sidastir, children are not a problem in the future. What I understand there is a way to make a man pregnant. Not that I can figure out for anything in the world how that is supposed to work. I can only assume it has anything to do with magic,” Akana murmured, and Ceva laughed blithely.

“It has something to do with magic. We Balkravians only have a few shamans who sit and shake a bell in a cart while they scream out tomorrow's weather. It happens about once a month that they are accurate. Pregnancy is on a completely another level, and we do not possess the knowledge or money to employ that kind of magic so we must rely on the old, honest way. I guess Auons are the same,” Ceva said with a twinkle in her eye.

Akana must admit he has never heard of such a thing. It sounds… Unnatural but logical as it must be practical for other countries. They can choose to start a marriage contract with the most suitable person instead of just the one who offers them, heirs.

“Mention to your father that Sidastir has a state where he freezes everyone who touches him. Only my marvelous abilities make me immune. It should hopefully cause him to reconsider,” Akana said.

“True! a walking block of ice for a daughter might cause him to think anew,” Ceva laughed.

“Not that I believe someone in this world can convince Sidastir to break traditions and take a second consort.”

Akana felt satisfied with Ceva's answer, although he was relatively convinced that she said this to appease him. But for all of Sidastir's flaws, the absence of loyalty was not one of them.

He has generally illustrated little interests for anyone other than Akana although Akana was not sure if this was due to his feelings of Akana or whether this was a consequence of Akana’s abilities that make him immune to Sidastir's magic.

Akana noted a familiar figure in the corner of his eye. Atra Serpentis examined them with a slick smile. Something was amiss. She did not belong to the Furies, therefore, should not be in Cathurn. Not to mention that she looked unusually joyous.

Akana was just about to inform Ceva about Atra's presence when he noticed people were watching them. Naga started growling and Akana turned around to suddenly be ripped from the bench and slammed against a column.

Zhan Yuan's face was just a few inches from his and Zhan's eyes looked untempered. Akana gazed at his face, which was presently smeared by a distinct burn-mark from their previous encounter, and he tried to get some distance between them. Zhan merely pushed Akana harder against the column with an angry hiss.

“What are you doing here, desert rat? You should have been exiled. No, skinned, for what you have caused or does the school allow people with Demonfire to walk freely,” Zhan's words echoed across the yard and Akana noticed how many of the spectators began whispering in horror.

Akana saw Atra grin pleasingly towards him and he could only assume this was exactly what she had devised.

“Dragonfire, maktaf!” Akana finally was able to utter after clutching Zhan's arm for air.

“What?” he hissed back.

“Dragonfire! Your idiot! I possess Dragonfire!”

With the last words, Akana's hands flared up with white fire. Zhan threw himself back with another hiss to avoid being burned. Akana discerns how people started talking loudly but he disregarded them.

Right now he was ushered by two emotions which had exploded in him. The first was fear of seeing his assailant stand before him. The other was anger. Raw, uncontrollable anger. This man has no right to stand before him.

“Dragonfire? Demonfire! It makes no difference! You can't conceal your true ancestry, demon!" Zhan roared and look out at the spectators

“Thoroughly look at the unnatural color of his fire! His demonic appearance. How can the school accept such a creature? He is clearly a danger to the public. He stole my mana, but he wasn’t even punished,” Zhan riled his frightened audience.

“If you hadn't struck me to the gate of death, I would not have been in need of defending myself. Or, is unprovoked violence allowed among the so-called civilized kingdoms!” Akana shouted back.

He could not subdue his voice or prevent his body from trembling. Naga stood between Zhan and Akana. He menacingly growled at Zhan with his back spikes pulled out.

“What have I ever done to you?” Akana said with a voice trembling with ire.

“You exists!”

Zhan's voice sounded almost inhuman when he responded.

It was obviously not only Akana that had reacted as the people around them writhed in discomfort and stared at Zhan with accusing glances. It began to dawn on many of them that this was not about Akana being dangerous so much as it was about Zhan's hatred of Akana’s race.

The second part of the audience was from Patricalum and was inclined to a similar view on races. They saw nothing wrong with disgust for something different and loathing them merely because they exist.

Zhan had drawn his sword and began to move toward Akana. Several had begun to scream, some just looked on eagerly while Atra Serpentis looked ecstatic. Akana prepared himself to summon the white fire. He could feel Sen move in his part of his mind. His brother was ready for battle.

Akana took a deep breath and would just attack when Zhan froze. It took Akana a while before he saw why. Ceva was standing in one of Zhan's two shadows, created by the two suns, with a dagger against his back.

“Take one more step and I will whittle out your spine. I doubt you will mourn it when you don't seem to have a good bone in your body,” her voice was dark.

Dangerously cold. Akana had not witnessed her sneaking behind him or, for that matter, seen her dagger. Where did she hide it? The spectators fluttered and whispered eagerly. Akana could only assume they were as surprised as he was, but how could everyone here have missed her?

“Your Balkravian harlot!” Zhan cried and Ceva gave him a apathetic smile.

“Ceva Le Gu, the Ravenking's daughter. At your service,” Ceva whispered in Zhan's ear so that only he and Akana could hear her.

Zhe tried to shake her off as he apparently did not appreciate her proximity. Akana had never heard that she was the Ravenking's daughter but now that he pondered upon it, it was unusual for a Balkravian to go outside their country. Either she was of a distinctive ancestry or she was banished, but then she would not be able to afford to go to Virtus Scolaris.

Akana's thoughts were disturbed when the spectators dispersed from two familiar faces, who had only just arrived at the scene. Sidastir and Magnus rushed towards them. Sidastir rushed past Zhan without releasing him with his gaze and forced the dragon out of the way, who let out a whine.

Sidastir hastily inspected Akana for wounds before turning to face Zhan's disdainful gaze.

*****

Sidastir sensed the ice magic surged through his veins. He felt Akana trembling behind him, but he could not determine if it was from fear or anger. Not that it bore any major significance to Sidastir as he had already decided that Zhan would leave the area alive.

Magnus had seized Zhan and hurled him to the ground. Magnus looked like he was both enraged and confused. He stared at Sidastir, then Akana and finally at the girl who had defended Akana with a puzzled gaze.

Sidastir recognized her as the girl from Akana's class which he had spoken to before Akana had been assaulted. Akana had depicted her as a friend and now Sidastir was convinced that she was a one.

Akana had inaccurately called her Ceva but Sidastir had not mentioned to Akana that Balkravans did not have a surname. Ceva Le Gu was her first name. Why mention this when Ceva himself didn't seem to mind the nickname.

Ceva offered an unusually, lovely smile towards Magnus which seemed to make Magnus more confused than he already was. Sidastir would usually think Magnus's awkward response would have been amusing, but he did not feel like laughing in this situation.

Ceva waved her hand and the dagger appeared to magically vanish into thin air. Several people gasped as if she had performed a rare, magical trick but Sidastir had seen similar techniques close up from the assassins.

Magnus shook off his dismay and turned to Zhan, who has risen and was about to seize hold of his sword which had fallen on the ground when he had been hurled down onto the ground. Magnus cut him off and snatched the sword to keep it out of his reach.

“What, in the gods dawn, are you doing? How dare you to disgrace me this way? Battles between students are forbidden. Not to mention between those of the same familia. You! You also went one step further and assaulted one of the same familia, not just once, but twice with the intention of killing. Are you completely out of your mind?” Magnus roared and several of the spectators jerked uncomfortably.

“How can you defend that creature? You saw what he did!” Zhan shouted, pointing wildly towards Akana.

“He defended himself after you and your fools to allies tried to slay him. What did you expect someone to do when you assault them? That he would just lie there and allow you to strike him. Or are you cross that you didn't succeed even though you outnumbered him!” Magnus roared angrily and Sidastir could feel how Akana moved behind him.

Akana needed to hear this. Although he hadn't mentioned it, Magnus's words in the alley wounded him.

Zhan was just about to answer when Magnus struck him again.

“With my right as one of the leaders of the Furies, I banish you. I can't expel you from Virtus Scolaris and considering that the headmaster detests most races that aren’t his own, I guess he will not expel you. He will only excuse you but as the leader of the Furies, I can guarantee you will never put your foot in Cathurn again. Throw him out! I don't want to see this disappointment anymore,” with Magnus's orders, several of the spectators came and grabbed hold of Zhan.

He was forced to depart from the scene while he roared out his ire.

Magnus went over to Akana and Sidastir turned around and examined Akana who looked both tired and relieved.

“Are you okay? Sorry, it was a foolish question. Are you hurt?” Magnus said hesitantly and writhed uncomfortably.

He tried avoiding Sidastir's gaze and Sidastir knew his friend well enough to see his shame about the situation and how he had reacted before. Akana nodded slowly as he was unsure of how to react.

“I’m well. I was just so angry and scared. It was commendable Ceva guarded me. In that situation I don't believe I could have controlled my strength,” he muttered, and Sidastir felt relieved that Ceva had been here.

Both for the well-being of Akana and for averting future troubles that would have occurred if Akana had lost control of his powers.

“I doubt my intervention can be considered a rescue. I bluffed mostly and could merely hope that it did not end in close combat,” Ceva said shrugging casually.

Magnus couldn't remove his eyes from her and Sidastir rolled his eyes.

“I think it's time for me to venture home. Akana requires rest and moral support. In one case, your spouse is more qualified than I am,” Ceva said with twinkling eyes and Sidastir could merely assume it was the last one he was qualified for.

Ceva shoved Akana and he frowned confusingly. Ceva and Akana were engrossed in an immensely entertaining conversation using their eyes. Evidently, Akana didn't understand what Ceva wanted at first but sighed after a while.

“Magnus, can you escort Ceva's home?” Akana asked, and Sidastir almost burst into laughter when Magnus was jerked away from his dreamlike stare of Ceva.

“What! Why?”

Magnus's voice broke, which only made the situation more comical.

“She defended me and Zhan is still out there. I would feel better if you could escort her,” Akana said casually, and Magnus cleared his throat.

“I guess I can escort her to safety,” Magnus said, trying to straighten his back in an attempt to seem dignified. Sidastir rolled his eyes but Ceva looked joyous and grasped Magnus's hand.

She began dragging him across the courtyard and Magnus looked completely lost.