*Note: That's  just how Ceiver speaks  so, no it's not incorrectly spelled. He has trouble pronouncing 's'

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Draeyer Academy
Drae Skyland
Northeastern Space

Areisha's groan of pain resounded through the common area of Star Dorm. Ever so slowly, she settled herself on the single couch while clutching at her bandaged sides through her shirt.

"Are you alright now, Isha?" Solana said. With her grin plastered on her face, Areisha's brow twitched in annoyance.

"Do I look like I'm alright!" she snapped. "And why are you grinning?"

The blonde released a round of raucous laughter which lasted until she ran out of air. She took deep pants while stifling the laugh which threatened to come again. Areisha never stopped narrowing her eyes at her all throughout.

"You're so hot-blooded, you know? I was just genuinely concerned," she said. "And at the same time, I finally know the thing you're really scared of the most!"

"I am not afraid of snakes!" Areisha yelled.

"Did I mention snakes?" Solana countered. She paused, and her eyes grew big like a deer caught in a trap. One of her cheeks puffed out and she leaned back on her cushioned seat, ignoring her best friend. Solana laughed at her once more, which quickly stopped when the doors to the dining opened. Ceiver padded over the dark blue carpet and over to the lounge with a tired sigh, before plopping himself on a loveseat.

"What's the matter Ceiv?" Solana said. Ceiver adjusted his glasses before he sighed yet again. He fell on his side and lied down on the loveseat, with his feet dangling over the other end because of his height.

"Utually, I would be cooking dinner, but Mrt. Muriel told me to leave the kitchen and do tomething elte," he said. "Now I don't know what elte to do."

Areisha was unable to help it and chuckled along with Solana when he let out a groan and placed his round glasses on the low table in front of him. He stared up the ceiling before his nose twitched when he sniffed.

"You tmell terrible River," Ceiver said. He brought his hand to pinch his nose as his face wrinkled. Soon after, River and Knox stepped down from the last step of the staircase, and walked over to the sitting area.

"What the Blazen are you spouting, Ceiver?" River said. He sat on the long couch next to Knox, and glared daggers at the blonde boy occupying the seat across from him. Areisha saw, how Knox leaned close to him, and sniffed at his shoulder. She chuckled.

"He smells fine to me," the male twin said.

"Not if you have my power," Ceiver said.

"Maybe your ability is so powerful you can smell even his personality!" Areisha said. As soon as she finished, they all burst into a fit of laughter, filling the lobby with their cackles. She soon stopped, when she felt the aching of her sides again from her fall half way down the Pinorin tree. The rest continued laughing, while River tried to glare at each one of them. When they ceased, and left their dorm mate alone, Solana spoke, causing their brows to rise at their hairline.

"Let's play a game," she said. She clapped her hands, and hopped on her seat. Areisha smiled at how adorable she looked. Although she would never say that aloud because Solana made it clear to never call her with a painful punch on her shoulder.

"Depends on what game is it, sis," Knox said.

"It's a guessing game!" she yelled. They kept their brows raised, still asking what they would be guessing about. When silence continued to fill the room, she heaved out an exasperated sigh, before she spoke. "I know you're all just as curious as me about Alec."

"I'm not," River said, but they ignored him. Ceiver sat up, and Knox leaned forward. Areisha's gaze drifted to the vase of yellow flowers on the center table.

"So, we're just going to keep guessing stuff about him, and wait till we prove those guesses correct or not?" Knox said. Solana pointed a finger at him, and clucked her tongue.

"I knew you'd get it, bro!" she said. "Who will start?"

"We haven't even agreed to it," Ceiver said. "Betidet, Alec might get mad if he findt out. Remember what happened at breakfatt a few dayt ago."

"I might get mad about what?" a voice came from the top of the stairs. They looked up, and found Alec staring down at them, with the triplet Draes perched on his shoulders and head. They fell quiet as he made his way down. When Alec 's sandals-clad feet landed on the last step, Leyan and Midnight hopped off him, and flew to a spot next to Solana.

Even with his lose tunic and trousers she could make out the hard muscled body which lay beneath. She suppressed the warmth which formed on her cheeks when she remembered she already saw and felt it.

Holy Saggar, Areisha, she thought, stop thinking about that.

"We were going to try and guess some stuff about you," Solana said. Silence engulfed them once again, and Alec stared at her with his cold gaze. Areisha watched as her best friend raised her hands to either side of her head, a sign of surrender. "I remember my promise, alright? We're just going to guess. It doesn't mean you have to answer if it's true or not. In fact, you don't even have to listen to what we all have to say!"

Areisha's brows knit at what she said.

Alec stood there watching Solana, before turning his gaze to her and the rest of them. For a moment, she caught a glint of concern in his pale blue eyes, when they landed on her. He jerked his head back to Solana, making Areisha knit her brows even more at what she saw. Their eyes widened when he chuckled, and reached out to ruffle her blonde hair.

They heard Solana grumbling something along the lines of "Don't touch my hair" before Alec sat himself next to her, with his male Draelings between them.

Areisha looked away, feeling a familiar feeling bubble within her. She clutched one of the armrests before taking in a subtle breath. She couldn't feel that emotion now. She looked back at them, and for the first time, she noticed the book Alec held in his hand. It was the one they fought over last week. A light frown flew to her face, but it disappeared when Alec spoke.

"I won't mind or get mad. I'd like to see how far you guys can go before you land on something correct." he said. "But it doesn't mean I'll make an effort to correct anything you guess wrong, nor confirm anything you get right."

"Yes!" Solana said.

"I'll go first," Knox said. "I think you're a domesticated noble like Ceiver."

"I think you're from a low-class community," River said.

"I think you tpend mott of your time outtide becaute you're tlightly tanned than mott Arktint," Ceiver said.

"I'd say you're somebody important to grandfather," Solana said. Areisha knit her brows when he saw a slight twitch in Alec's brows at that one.

All pairs of eyes landed on Areisha with the exception of Alec's, who busied himself with reading the book. She sighed when she saw Solana pleading at her to join her little game. Staring into her big begging grey eyes, she relented. She thought for a moment before she spoke.

"You admire your brother the most," she said. She saw how Alec tensed, and his eyes darted to her before going back to the book in a matter of moments.

"What else can you five guess?" Alec asked. He looked up from his book with raised brows. By then, Entiny left his head and curled close to her brothers, and Alec couldn't help but smile at them.

"Solana!" he suddenly yelled.

When Areisha looked, the yellow book lay open on the couch, while Solana snagged Alec's hands with questionable strength. Her friend ignored his deathly glare, as she ran her fingertips over his palms. She saw a crease forming between Solana's brows, causing her to raise a brow.

"Aha!" Solana yelled. They winced when her voice echoed off the lobby's white walls, including the hallways on either side of the lounge. She let go of Alec's hand and pointed a finger at him. A wide grin made its way to her lips, and they all sighed, Alec heaving an exasperated one out.

"You're a hunter!" she said. "You have the calloused hands of one!"

Alec shook his head but all the while, Areisha could see, the effort his jaw exerted to stop himself from smiling. He picked the book up once more and flipped the pages to look for the bookmark.

"If you're a hunter, then you mutt be a matter at uting the bow and arrow!" Ceiver said. "After all, the bow and arrow it a hunter't bett friend!"

"This game is pointless," River whispered. Areisha and Knox, who heard his words, turned to him. They both narrowed their gaze at him, silently telling him to shut up. Areisha turned his head back to Solana, who chatted away with Ceiver. She let out a sigh, when it seemed the blonde girl didn't hear River's words.

That would've gotten ugly, she thought. She looked to Knox, when she saw him sigh in relief as well. She clutched her sides when she felt another round of pain crawl up her torso, and a bead of sweat trickled down the right side of her face. She released a breath, when it ebbed away bit by bit.

"I think you should go back to your room and rest," Alec said. Her head snapped up to meet his, and saw him staring at her with his brows lightly meeting in the middle. The moment their eyes met, he looked back down at his book and continued reading. "I'm just saying, since you took quite a fall."

"I'm fine," she said. She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him. "I don't need anyone telling me what to do."

"Whatever you say, you stubborn squirrel," Alec said. River's face turned passive and stared at Alec. Meanwhile, Knox, Solana and Ceiver let out a chuckle which they ceased at once, when Areisha stood from her seat. She ignored the pain which came from the abrupt action, and narrowed her eyes at him.

"What did you call me?" she said. Alec looked up from the book and met her intense gaze with his blank one. He sighed, before turning back to the page he was reading.

"I think you're not deaf to not have heard it the first time," he said. Her hands curled into fists and stomped over to his spot. Solana stood, and ran over to her brother, pushing River to make space for her in the middle. Areisha ignored her, until she stood in front of pale-blue-eyed bastard who called her squirrel.

"Don't you dare call me that, you little Eimion! Go back to the hole you crawled out of from the Blazen!"

Alec closed the book with loud thud, which almost made her flinch back. She felt the tension in the air, including the chill which seemed to be radiating off of Alec. Maybe that was taking it too far, she thought.

She unconsciously stepped back, when Alec rose from his seat to his full height. He towered over her, his build casting a shadow over hers. He looked at her with eyes so cold she felt a terrible shiver run up her spine. His eyes seemed to darken with every passing moment. Her fists loosened as her hands shook, but she kept her face stern and cold as his.

A flash of dark blue caused her to break away from their staring contest, and saw Midnight flapping his wings, hovering close to Alec's shoulder. He moved closer and settled himself on the crook of his Draeyer's neck. The Draeling stuck his tongue out and licked up Alec's cheek. The bastard he called an Eimion blinked numerous times as pants escaped his lips. He reached out to Midnight, and rubbed his silver head. He shook his head, as if attempting to snap out of something, before turning his gaze back to Areisha.

She subtly let out breath when the temperature returned to normal, as well as his eyes. The fear she felt earlier still lingered, but not as prominent that it could make her quake.

"I guess I am an Eimion, as you say," Alec said. He shifted his weight to his left foot, and leaned forward with his head tilted to the right.

"But between the two of us," he paused, "who's little now?"

Her eyes grew big and her hands curled back into fists. He pulled back and gave her an Eimionish smile, which sent more shivers up her spine. That smile vanished and he whirled around, taking Entiny and Leyan, cradling them in his arms. The book lay on the couch, forgotten for the moment. He headed to the direction where Mrs. Muriel poked her head out of the dining room doors.

"Dinner's ready, children," she called before disappearing into the room.

Areisha, kept her eyes on the back of his head. She resisted the urge to clutch her chest when the fear chose to stay and gave her an uncomfortable feeling. "Who are you?" she whispered. And why does my father want me to be associated with you?

"I still think he's like a Gelion," Solana said. All four of them shifted their gaze to her, and found her analyzing her nails like the way every time she makes a comment.

"I think he's an Eimion," Areisha said with a huff. Her best friend smiled up at her.

"But you don't know him enough yet. He was concerned about you just now," Solana said. She stood, and walked down the hall to the eating room.

"Maybe he's a mix of both?" Knox said. Ceiver and River shrugged, and the four of them decided to appease the beasts growling in their stomachs.