Griever: Chapter Two cover art

Griever: Chapter Two

Griever: Chapter Two

Listen for free

View show details
Chapter TwoUnfortunately, when Shaeda woke up hours later, she couldn’t remember the rest of the dream. Maybe it had ended right there; she always had that kind of luck with dreams. She was usually such a light sleeper that she never managed to get to the good part before she either woke herself up with thinking too hard, or Migael’s snores in the next room got too loud to sleep through.She actually didn’t mind the snoring, although she sure teased him about it anyway. Shaeda had never lived in a big dorm like this before, with other people sleeping so close to her. At the orphanage, she’d lived in the back room, with a door that locked from the outside, and only the caretakers within shouting distance.It was nice to feel so surrounded by life here; the snores and little nighttime creaks reminded her just how close everyone was. There really wasn’t much chance of her being lonely.To prepare for the examination, Shaeda did a little stretch routine, working from her neck, to her wrists, to her shoulders, to her ankles, taking her time to ensure that she didn’t miss a single muscle that she might end up needing for any surprise demonstration. Then she put on a training uniform; a clean white tunic and a pair of loose brown pants, slipped into her soft flat shoes, and bound her brown hair back with a few pins and a red ribbon.Downstairs, most of the dorm’s resident students were gathered around the dining table in the lounge. At the head of the table, as always, sat twenty-one year old Sarina Rose, probably the most beautiful girl Shaeda had ever known. She was an impressively statuesque redhead, nearly half a foot taller than any other girl in the dorm, and she carried herself like a queen, probably because, according to Talie, she came from the one of the wealthiest families in all of Elsenere. Why she was living in the dorms with a bunch of peasants nobody had a clue, but she wasn’t unpleasant, and she sometimes gave the others helpful training tips, so nobody minded too much, even if she was a little bit stiff and awkward when it came to casual conversation.She was talking to Talie, a nineteen-year-old, sharp-eyed, busty blonde who was frowning and nodding along with Sarina’s every word. As Shaeda walked in, she caught Talie’s eye, and Talie turned and gave her a friendly wave and a smile before giving her full attention back to her conversation with Sarina.Migael Hansa, a dark-haired young man with a small face tattoo that even Shaeda hadn’t yet dared to ask about, appeared from the kitchen, carrying a plate heaped high with fruits, nuts, and a large sugar bun. He slid it onto the table when he saw Shaeda and gave her a nervous grin.“Morning,” he called. “You pumped up and ready to go? Hey, why do you look so tired? Man, don’t tell me you didn’t sleep cause you were too nervous. You’ve got nothing to worry about!”Migael had circles under his eyes so big and dark that it was pretty clear he was the one who hadn’t slept, and when he sat, he kept anxiously bouncing his leg and shifting in his seat.“Neither do you,” Shaeda assured him. “You’re ready. I know you are!”“Are you sure about that?” Talie gave Migael a doubtful look. “I mean, I know that YOU’RE ready, Shaeda, but I don’t think I’ve seen Migael actually study more than a handful of times. Also, it might have helped if he’d spent more time paying attention in lessons, and less time staring at Lenna, but that’s just-!”“Hey, can you blame me?” Migael shrugged, although the look in his eyes was one of burgeoning panic. “It’s not my fault that she’s so pretty; how does anybody do that with their hair, anyway? Professor.Puldari shouldn’t have sat me next to her; she knows my reputation.”He winked at Shaeda, who just rolled her eyes and smiled.“And you’re PROUD of that?” Talie only shook her head. “Wow. Okay, then; let’s see what it does for your reputation when you get thrown out of the Academy for failing your examination. I’m guessing the girls won’t love that, but looks like we’ll find out soon enough!”Migael made a face at Talie, but she didn’t bat an eye. Shaeda, for her part, just laughed under her breath and reached over to snag a piece of fruit off of Migael’s plate, which he didn’t seem to mind.She had only known these two for a few months by now, as they were all in the same class and had started at the Academy around the same time. Even so, they’d fallen into a study rhythm of time spent together, study sessions, jokes, and the sorts of dumb things that teenagers were meant to do.At least, Shaeda thought that this was how teenagers were supposed to be. Until she’d entered the Academy, she hadn’t had much experience acting her age or spending quality time with anyone else who might know what to do with it. She hadn’t exactly expected to be popular at school, but she’d fervently hoped to make at least one good friend.Having made ...
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_c
No reviews yet