Moonveil Academy: Trapped With The Five Kings

Chapter 63: Memory Weaving

Elara:

I slowly turned my head.

Reign was watching me with an expression that was far too pleased. "I think," he murmured, leaning slightly closer, "you are finally starting to realize how much fun today’s class is going to be."

I gave him my coldest stare as I whispered. "No. I’m realizing how much I hate my luck."

His smile only widened as he leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest as though he had all the time in the world. "I’ll give you the chance to test your mental fortress first," he said, his voice carrying just enough amusement for me to hear it clearly. "Although I seriously doubt you even know how to build one."

I ignored the jab. I was painfully aware of the gazes around us. Nobody was openly staring, but the occasional glance from the corner of someone’s eye and the whispers being swallowed whenever I looked up told me everything I needed to know.

Once again, I was becoming entertainment for an entire classroom. Apparently, my life at Moonveil had somehow turned into a never-ending public performance, and Reign Valemont seemed determined to be the person sitting in the front row with popcorn.

I refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing me nervous. So I straightened my back, placed both hands flat against the desk, and closed my eyes.

According to everything I had read, there was no single method for creating a mental fortress. Some people simply needed to speak a spell and allow their magic to construct the barrier, while others visualized physical structures inside their minds - walls, doors, gates, even mazes and webs.

The important part was creating the defense before someone entered. Once another weaver gained access to the mind, forcing them out became significantly more difficult. That was exactly why I needed to succeed now.

Unfortunately, knowing what I was supposed to do and actually doing it were two entirely different things.

I tried imagining a wall. A massive stone wall stretching around my mind, tall enough that nothing could climb over it. The image appeared for half a second before collapsing.

I tried again, this time imagining an enormous iron gate. It formed beautifully in my mind, complete with heavy locks, before flickering away when I heard Reign shift beside me. I clenched my jaw.

Why did this man have to be so distracting? I could feel him watching me. I could practically feel the weight of his gaze against my skin.

"What kind of weaving do you want me to try?" he finally asked.

My gaze shifted to him. "What?"

His lips curved. "You should choose. Memory weaving, dreamweaving, emotion weaving, illusion..." He deliberately paused between each one.

My palms were beginning to sweat. Every option sounded worse than the last.

"Or perhaps I should simply read your thoughts?"

I glared at him. "You wouldn’t dare."

"That’s not an answer."

I took a slow breath. "Why are you even taking this class? Weaving isn’t your field." It was the first excuse I could find to buy myself time.

Reign shrugged. "I know enough to deal with you."

Of course.

For someone like him, I was probably the easiest target imaginable. He didn’t need to be an expert. If I couldn’t even construct a basic mental wall, one or two simple techniques would probably be enough to make me look like an idiot in front of everyone.

I took in a deep breath and forced myself to concentrate. The wall appeared once more, stronger this time. I imagined every brick locking into place, every crack sealing itself, every entrance disappearing. And for one brief second, I thought I had actually managed it. Then something brushed against the edge of my consciousness.

My gaze snapped back to Reign. His expression had changed. The playful amusement was still there, yet something sharper had replaced it underneath.

"You know," he murmured, "I think I’ll choose for you."

My stomach tightened. "What?"

"Let’s try memory weaving."

The words sent a chill straight through me. My mind immediately rebelled. Memories were the one thing I couldn’t allow him to touch. My family. Felix. The diner. My old life. The night everything had been ripped away from me. There were things inside my head I wasn’t ready to face myself, let alone allow someone like him to see.

Little did I know that I had completely misunderstood what he planned to do.

I reached inward desperately, searching for that familiar warmth. Come on. Please. Just once. I needed my magic now. The warmth answered, but it was faint and unstable.

I tried to gather it into the wall I had imagined, but the moment I did, something unfamiliar brushed against my mind. A soft gasp escaped my lips. It felt like someone had dipped their fingers into the deepest part of my thoughts and begun searching.

"Stop," I whispered.

Reign didn’t. Instead, he leaned closer. The space between us disappeared until his face was barely a breath away from mine. His warm breath brushed across my cheek as his voice dropped low enough that only I could hear it.

"Enjoy it while it lasts, Argentis."

I frowned, not understanding what he meant. Then his gaze shifted downward. His hand lifted slowly, and before I could move, his fingers stopped at the hem of my skirt.

My entire body went rigid. For one horrifying second, I couldn’t understand what he was doing. Then his fingers brushed the fabric lightly, and something inside my mind suddenly shattered.

The next moment, everything changed. We were still in the classroom, but it was empty now except for the two of us. Instead of the bright sunlight filtering in, the place was covered in shadows and dim lantern lights.

Something whispered in my head that none of it was real. But I never got the chance to focus on that voice. Because the next moment, Reign’s hands were on my waist as he picked me up and settled me on top of the desk.

"What are you-"

The question never found its end as his lips crashed against mine in a kiss that completely took my breath away. A sensation like any other spread through my body and dismissed any coherent thought in my brain, leaving me with nothing but the realization of just how good and right it felt to be kissed and held by him.