Astrid and their friends wouldn’t know it, but their feelings toward Phantasia were hurting her far more than any underground nightclub filled with despair. Astrid’s growing dislike was like a blade jabbed into Phantasia’s arm.  That was the way things worked for faeries. That was why they preferred not to get involved with humans.

Astrid turned in a whirlwind of silk and waltzed back to her companions. “Let’s not degrade ourselves any further with this filth,” she said, and led them away. Vespa lashed out once more at the prone girl, who curled herself up into a sobbing ball as her attackers walked away laughing. She didn’t even notice when Phantasia knelt down beside her, wishing she could heal physical injuries like the Earth faeries could.

After she placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, the girl looked up and Phantasia recognised her. Shelley Edwards was a girl from Ruby House and they had shared some lessons, though Shelley had always remained aloof. She was looking at Phantasia now with wide eyes, as if she couldn’t believe someone had come to help her.

“Y-you shouldn’t have gotten involved,” she said, “They’ll come after you. And if, if she finds out you helped me, she’ll never want to speak to you again!”

“I don’t care, you’re hurt,” said Phantasia. She tried to help Shelley up, but the slight girl preferred to pull herself into a ball and sit rocking, watching the faerie from the small gap between her hair and her knees.

“It doesn’t matter,” she said, “I’m different, I deserve it. Maybe I am a demon,”

Phantasia immediately put her arms around her. She knew that feeling. That thought that you might not even belong in your current world.

“You’re not a demon,” she said – a demon wouldn’t be tainting mana like Shelley was – “I won’t let you talk such rubbish! Just because you’re different doesn’t make you a demon. They’re just afraid of you!”

Shelley wasn’t convinced however, and continued sobbing. “They’re going to kill us,” she said through tears, “In a week’s time, I’ll be dead,”

***

It was the last school day of the week, and Phantasia’s fifth since starting. By now she had met all her teachers, experienced every lesson, and knew everyone in her year by name. Most of them she had first impressions of by now, but the majority she hadn’t been able to socialise with, much to her disappointment. Kaori and Joel had adamantly clung to her all week, and she’d had little chance to escape their social circle. It didn’t bother her too much, though. After all, they had experienced some bad things, and Phantasia was a ray of hope to them.

That morning there was an assembly for the second year students. The auditorium was the biggest room in the whole Academy, other than the gymnasiums, and filled with far more seats than there were students. The second year barely took up two rows in the middle of the hall, though some of the students had opted to locate themselves elsewhere: specifically, Phantasia could feel Astrid’s hateful dagger pricking at her from the back of the room.

Chapter 7
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