My Necromancer Wife

Karim

The uniform had been delivered to my doorstep earlier.

After answering the door and receiving the package, I had clambered back into bed, pulling the duvet up to my chin while praying to catch a wink of sleep before classes start.

I haven't been able to sleep with everything going on - Arya gone, Clara unprotected, the occurrence between the Presence and Ace, Morrow, and now, Furuno.

Oh, I forgot to mention my roommate's loud snoring.

---

The chime of the bell heralds a flood of students into the main hall, each heading to the class the hour dictates.

All I have in my hand is a hard-cover notebook and a pen - not that I intend to write anything in it.

I spot Furuno coming from the other end of the hall, his head cast down and his skin pale.

He doesn't see me as he passes, slightly bumping into me in the crowd.

Stunned, I watch him walk past, wondering if I should call him back or be offended by his behaviour.

His shoulders are firm, resolute.

I shake my head and continue my journey, reaching the classroom door exactly as the bell chimes again.

I take a seat at the back of the class, setting my pen and jotter neatly .

The door opens and more students troop in. Among them is Furuno. I watch him closely. He scans the room for a seat and his eyes resting on mine briefly. He walks to the seat beside mine and settles down, irritating me with the scraping sound the seat makes against the polished floor as he drags it out .

He sinks into the chair and mutters an inaudible greeting - one I do not return.

The teacher walks into the class and shuts the door behind her - signaling that no one comes in after her.

She dumps her heavy books on the desk and perches a hip on the edge of the table, folding her hands neatly on her lap. Her brown hair is pulled back in a neat chignon, adding character to her walnut eyes and creamy complexion. A neat black skirt and a pink silk shirt, simple yet elegant.

Her eyes scan the curious faces before her with a calm and serene expression.

"Goodmorning, aspiring sorcerers. How are we all feeling today?"

Her question is met with heavy silence. Expectant eyes stare back at her.

"O...kay. This is an introductory class for freshmen. Feel free to skip if you feel there are more important places you should be".

She waits patiently, but no one leaves.

The only movement is that of people shifting in their seats or adjusting their chairs.

I cringe at the continuous scraping noise coming from every angle of the room.

The teacher smiles satisfactorily and stands to her feet.

She writes her name on the marker board without going near it - the thick yet legible scrawl just appears on the board.

It reads; Melanie Augustine Larkaway.

"Larkaway". Furuno mouths, staring intently at her name on the board.

Larkaway? Isn't that the name of the Furuno's dorm building?

Melanie walks forward into the room, the sound of her heels echoing through the room.

She perches herself on a student's desk in the middle row.

"Most of you already know what I am about to say because you have been preparing for this opportunity since you were little - that goes for the purebloods. But, for those of you who aren't familiar with the rules of sorcery, I suggest you pay close attention".

Furuno and I exchange glances.

"Sorcery is not for the faint of heart", she continues. "Your objective is not to be like anyone else - you should always strive to be yourself. Each one of you has an inborn talent, something you can do naturally in addition to the spells you'll learn here."

She leans in to whisper, "Some will be better than others, but everyone is useful. Take my darlings in the second year for example, Daylong can control the weather, Esther can see the future, and so on while there are those who can only create magical objects, et cetera. No one should feel inferior and unimportant - everything works, no matter how little, for the bigger picture".

Control the weather? See the future?

Those are very cool powers. Ace had been right when he said that there were much cooler students in the school.

Melanie goes on to explain several magical terms and personalities for reference.

She has a certain aura that makes us freshmen feel relaxed in her presence. Hands start raising when it's time for questions.

I sit back and listen to her witty responses.

Unfortunately, the bell chimes while she is speaking.

No matter how interesting her class is, the chapter has been closed - everyone troops out the door and flood the hall.

---

After three more classes where I end up filling my notebook with notes, Furuno and I walk down to the cafeteria for lunch.

Colour has returned to his skin, ridding it of its previous deathly pallor.

The place is filled when we arrive, alive with loud chatter and laughter.

We glance at each other.

To the far end, elegant-looking students sit staring at us with interest. One of them, a girl - the only girl among them - catches my attention.

She looks normal like the rest, but her eyes strike me as strange with its odd shape and glimmer.

Furuno sees her as well, tensing as her gaze locks with his - strange.

We keep walking, but her gaze never leaves him. The others seated with her keep throwing casual glances in our direction, long enough to show their curiousity but not lasting enough to be unnerving.

At the end of the hall, a gold-haired guy is seated alone with headphones over his ears, munching down a salad lazily - as if he has all the time in the world to do so.

No one dares to seat near him. Even the table in front of him is vacant.

We settle on the table in front of him quietly. He doesn't look up - and I don't bother him.

Furuno picks up the menu on the table.

The paper is blank.

"Is this some sort of sick joke? I'm hungry, for fuck's sake".

I almost smile at the remark. This is the first time today he's sounding like... himself.

"Are you sure they don't expect us to whisper our Reg numbers to it?"

He grins, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes.

"Outside this place, this would look like pure madness to onlookers. Just imagine people seeing you whispering to doors, walls and now, paper!"

I finally give into the impulse to smile, imagining a scenario where someone catches me talking to a door - especially Arya.

Despite his sarcasm, he still whispers his Reg number to the menu.

The menu comes alive with a list of assorted fIood. He mentions the first dish on the list and it appears in front of him.

I peer into his tray, my eyes narrowed with suspicion.

Something knocks into our table.

"Sorry". A girl whispers.

We both look up. Morrow just stands there, twisting her arms timidly as she waits for an invitation.

She goes red in the face when Furuno raises a brow at her.

"You can sit with us", I say to her. "This is Morrow Lasmark, the person I had told you about - the one who volunteered to join our resistance".

His eyes settle on her, taking her apart with his fierce gaze. She takes a seat, clearly uncomfortable under his scrutiny.

"She looks really young. Are you sure she knows what she's getting herself into?"

Her brows quirk in indignation.

"You don't have to talk over me. And yes, I know perfectly well what I'm getting myself into".

Furuno leans back on his seat and folds his arms across his broad chest.

I wait for a clever retort from him, knowing it's inevitable.

"I like her already", he says, a smug smile spreading across his features.

I blink at his unexpected response.

Some tension seeps out of her and she relaxes.

"Do you like me?" Someone asks beside me.

I jerk, nearly rising from the seat.

Legs start appearing, black stockings, a skirt - until the rest of the body is visible.

Angela.

"I was beginning to wonder how long you were going to just sit there". Furuno says.

Angela's bright smile fades slowly at his remark.

Envy washes over me. This is the second time I didn't see her.

"Hi". Safari waves, settling down beside Morrow at the other end of the table.

She looks at me first, before turning to glare at Furuno.

To her annoyance, Furuno is too busy with his food to notice the daggers she throws with her eyes.

"I heard you were suspended, Morrow. Why are you still in school?" Angela asks.

But Morrow isn't listening - she's staring at the person seated at the table behind us.

Safari nudges her gently.

She looks up, instantly colouring.

I nearly roll my eyes at all the drama. Our table is filled with girls, I should have seen it coming.

"Oh, me? The board changed their minds". Morrow says, staring down at her hands.

Safari and Angela look unconvinced.

My expression remains guarded and unreadable.

Why doesn't she tell them? I thought they are her friends. Why tell strangers like Ace and I?

Safari starts tapping her feet beneath the table, irritating me with the noise she makes.

"Uh, Angela told me about your plans... after a long session of blackmailing and torture-"

"She hung me up-side down from the ceiling until I was ready to faint!" Angela intercepts dramatically.

The comment earns Furuno's attention.

Safari shrugs.

"I can manipulate the gravity of a single object at a time."

She takes our curious faces as a go-ahead, placing a hand on the table and focusing her gaze on the glass of water in Furuno's tray.

It lifts slowly, ascending toward the ceiling.

"Show off!" Someone calls from another table.

Safari tenses, but pays them no heed.

Someone from the crowd shatters the floating glass mid-air, causing it to rain on us.

Laughter erupts though the hall.

Safari's eyes darken as she spins on the chair and stretches her hand out.

A freckled red-haired boy rises from his seat. He flails, trying to grab the edge of the table - which keeps slipping out of his grip. The people around him hold onto his hands, but to no avail.

He slams against the ceiling and falls face-flat into a bowl of broth.

No one laughs - they've been chastened.

Safari turns back to us.

The table is brimming with tension - no one dares to meet her gaze.

She takes a moment to catch her breath.

"Back to what I was saying. Can I also join your resistance?"

I look at Furuno.