Chapter 49: Fractured But Unbroken

  Jessica moved quickly, her pace just shy of a full sprint as she descended toward the arena floor. Zyrenia clung to her hand, struggling to keep up, her small legs barely able to match Jessica’s urgency. With an exasperated sigh, Jessica scooped the vampire child up in one motion, shifting her against her hip as she continued forward.

  Hannelore kept pace beside her, silent, but her eyes never left Tobias. Her normally composed expression was locked into something unreadable—her ice-blue gaze flicking over every inch of him, assessing the damage before they even arrived.

  Tobias was still standing, but he might as well have been a statue. His legs were locked in place, body visibly trembling under the weight of injuries he hadn’t yet processed. Blood coated his arms, his chest—dried in some places, still fresh in others. The jagged remnants of earth spikes were embedded deep in his skin, their edges dulled, but their presence unmistakable. He had held himself together through sheer will alone, but that will had limits.

  Jessica exhaled through her nose, not bothering to call out to him yet. He wouldn’t move, not until he physically collapsed or someone forced him to sit.

  Above them, the Headmaster still remained in his private viewing box, unmoving, watching as the healers hurried down from the opposite entrance. Tobias hadn’t even attempted to remove the spikes himself—either too weak to use his magic or too stubborn to acknowledge he needed help. It was hard to tell which.

  As they reached the edge of the field, Zyrenia finally spoke up, her voice smaller than usual. “He doesn’t look good.”

  Jessica didn’t reply. She already knew that.

  The healers arrived, hesitant at first, as if expecting Tobias to resist, but the moment one of them touched his shoulder, he let out a long breath and seemed to finally accept it. His knees buckled slightly, but he caught himself, jaw clenched as the first of the spikes were carefully pulled from his flesh.

  Tobias blinked, shifting his focus slightly as Jessica approached. Then, with a tired smirk, he rasped, “You do realize you just brought a vampire straight to a blood-soaked mess, right? Has she even eaten today?”

  Jessica blinked, looking between Tobias and Zyrenia as if only now registering the issue. Zyrenia’s arms were looped around Jessica’s neck, but her golden eyes were locked onto Tobias with a slightly narrowed gaze, her lips pressing together tightly.

  “I’m fine,” Zyrenia muttered quickly, but Tobias just gave her a lazy, knowing grin.

  “Yeah? You sure, Princess? I don’t need you getting all bitey.”

  Zyrenia immediately puffed up in irritation. “You’re disgusting! Why would I even want to bite you?”

  Tobias snorted. “You tell me.”

  She crossed her arms with an indignant huff. “Would you eat a steak after it fell on the ground?”

  Tobias, still barely able to lift his arms, ran a sluggish hand through his muddy, blood-matted hair, as if only now realizing the full state of himself. He let out a slow, hoarse chuckle. “Fair point.”

  Jessica watched the exchange with vague amusement, shifting Zyrenia in her grip before focusing back on Tobias. “Still with us?”

  It took him a second too long to respond, but finally, he smirked. “You tell me.”

  Jessica exhaled through her nose. “Idiot.”

  Hannelore stepped forward, her voice calm but firm. “You should go to the infirmary.”

  Tobias shook his head, jaw tightening. “Not yet. I’ve got a match to watch.”

  Hannelore’s eye twitched, but she kept her posture composed, her expression a mask of neutrality. Only the way her jaw clenched betrayed her irritation. She inhaled sharply through her nose. “That’s your decision.”

  Jessica, who had been vaguely aware of the stares from the noble spectators, now noticed the shift. Several nobles were openly watching them, their eyes flicking toward Hannelore with barely disguised curiosity. They had heard her scream Tobias’ name. They had seen the Ice Queen break.

  Hannelore, ever aware of scrutiny, only lifted her chin slightly in response, returning her gaze to Tobias as if she hadn’t noticed the attention at all.

  And then Jessica felt it—a gaze drilling into the back of her head.

  She turned slightly, her eyes landing on Duke Vaelora, watching her from his high vantage point. His expression was unreadable, but she could practically hear the thoughts running through his head. She had carried a vampire princess into the middle of a blood-soaked arena, only for her to start bantering with a mud-covered, half-dead Tobias.

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  Jessica stared back at him for a moment, blinking. Fear? No. Respect? Not really.

  After a beat, she awkwardly lifted a hand in a small, stiff wave, still holding Zyrenia with the other arm. As if this were normal.

  The vampire lord’s expression didn’t change, but somehow, she swore his gaze intensified.

  Jessica ignored it and turned toward Magnus, who had been standing quietly nearby. “You alright?”

  Magnus barely shifted, his deadpan expression unchanging. “I’m fine.”

  Jessica tilted her head. “Do you plan on taking the spikes out of Tobias?”

  Magnus let out a dry, single laugh. “I’m spent.”

  Jessica immediately shook her head. “Liar.”

  Magnus blinked, actually looking at her for the first time, confusion flickering across his face. “What?”

  Jessica shrugged. “You have enough mana in your network. I can see it. You just have to concentrate.”

  Magnus’ eyes widened slightly. How the hell could she see that? And then it hit him—she had said he went supernova. She had told Tobias he had to fight, and Tobias had believed her. Had she lied? Had she just decided how long the fight was going to last based on what she wanted?

  The thought was ridiculous. What kind of warrior relies on a lady’s cheers?

  Apparently, this one.

  He let out another dry laugh at the absurdity of it all but turned his focus toward Tobias. He could still feel the remnants of earth lodged in the other boy’s body, and with effort, he concentrated, forcing his depleted mana to obey. Slowly, the spikes loosened, pulling free one by one, about ninety-five percent of them dislodging completely. The healers, seeing the shift, immediately moved to handle the last few that had already started coming loose.

  Jessica just watched, expression unreadable.

  Chapter 50: The Burden We Bear

  Jessica adjusted her grip on Tobias, shifting his arm more securely over her shoulder as Magnus did the same on the other side. Tobias, despite his usual bravado, barely grunted in protest—his exhaustion too heavy, his body too battered to fight back against their help. Blood still matted his hair, caking the cuts along his arms and staining the ruined fabric of his uniform.

  Zyrenia clung to the back of Jessica’s top, her small fingers curled tightly into the fabric as she stuck close, clearly determined not to be lost in the press of the crowd. She said nothing, but Jessica could feel the subtle pull on her uniform with every step, the slight hesitation in the way the little vampire stepped forward.

  Jessica and Magnus moved in sync, their steps steady, careful—but not soft. Tobias might be injured, but he wasn’t fragile. And neither of them were about to coddle him.

  Still, as they maneuvered through the shifting bodies toward the stands, Jessica couldn’t help but sigh.

  “You know,” she muttered, glancing at Magnus, “if he weren’t in this state, I’d be tempted to just throw him over my shoulder.”

  Magnus snorted, his voice as dry as ever. “If he weren’t in this state, he’d break your ribs before letting you try.”

  Jessica hummed in agreement. “Yeah. Shame.”

  Tobias, despite the pain lining his face, managed a hoarse chuckle. “Princess carry me and I’ll haunt you.”

  Jessica smirked. “With what energy?”

  Magnus adjusted his grip, shifting Tobias’ weight more evenly between them. “He’ll come back just to be annoying.”

  Zyrenia huffed from behind Jessica. “I think he’s already doing that.”

  Tobias groaned. “Et tu, Princess?”

  She only puffed up indignantly, her hands gripping Jessica’s top a little tighter. “You smell like a dead animal. You don’t get sympathy.”

  Magnus, for the first time, looked vaguely entertained. “She’s got a point.”

  Tobias sighed dramatically, letting more of his weight rest on them. “I am surrounded by traitors.”

  Jessica only shook her head, adjusting her hold as they finally reached the stands. The students gathered there parted instinctively, whether out of respect or simple wariness at the battered, mud-streaked state of Tobias’ body.

  Hannelore stood at the edge of the arena floor, watching them go. Her gaze didn’t waver—not from Tobias, not from the trail of blood he left behind, not from the fact that Jessica and Magnus had taken on the weight of carrying him without hesitation.

  She said nothing. Not immediately.

  Then, softly—too soft for anyone else to hear—she exhaled.

  “…Idiot.”

  Tobias didn’t look back, but his fingers twitched against Jessica’s shoulder.

  Hannelore turned away.

  The Headmaster gestured from above, signaling the next match to begin. With a quiet sigh, he lifted a single hand, his fingers flexing ever so slightly as the ground beneath the arena shifted. Mud hardened into smooth stone, jagged craters seamlessly sealed themselves, and shattered walls rebuilt with almost effortless precision.

  He did not let his expression shift, but there was a quiet sort of irritation in the way his magic moved—effortless, refined, but edged with mild indignation at how utterly destroyed the battlefield had become. This wasn’t the first time he had to fix it, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last. Still, his composure remained as he molded the arena back to its original state, ensuring the next fight would not be fought in a war zone.

  Jessica, Magnus, and Tobias found their way to their seats, Tobias practically collapsing into his, groaning as he stretched his legs out. Zyrenia wrinkled her nose and immediately yanked on Jessica’s sleeve. “I don’t want to sit next to him.”

  Jessica raised an eyebrow. “Not my problem.”

  Zyrenia stomped her foot. “He smells awful! I’ll get sick.”

  “You’re a vampire. You don’t get sick.”

  “I will from this.”

  Jessica exhaled as Zyrenia pulled on Magnus’ arm instead, eyes full of indignation. “Sit between us. I want to sit next to her.”

  Magnus blinked. “...I don’t take orders.”

  Zyrenia huffed, crossing her arms. “I’ll bite you.”

  Jessica snorted as Magnus rolled his eyes but relented, shifting over so Zyrenia could climb onto Jessica’s lap. She nestled herself comfortably, still scowling toward Tobias as if his mere presence offended her senses.

  Tobias, watching the whole ordeal, gave an exhausted smirk. “What, Princess? Not a fan of the scent of victory?”

  Zyrenia sneered. “That’s not victory. That’s decay.”

  Jessica bit back a laugh as Magnus shook his head. Tobias groaned, but the slight amusement in his expression never faded.

  Finally, Magnus leaned back, watching the arena. “So… who do we think is going to win?”

  Tobias exhaled sharply, his voice hoarse but steady. “Hannelore’s got this. Ice magic is incredible. If she plays it right, she can pull out a win.”

  Magnus, ever the neutral party, tilted his head. “Could go either way. Alistair is more refined in combat.”

  Jessica said nothing at first, eyes narrowing slightly as she watched Hannelore preparing for the fight. Her posture was precise. Too precise. Controlled, but beneath that—something else. Something even she hadn’t shown before.

  Jessica exhaled slowly, her voice lower, more certain.

  “I think we’re in for a surprise.”

  Magnus shot her a glance, catching the way her gaze lingered.

  Tobias hummed. “Surprise, huh?”

  Jessica just kept watching.

  Hannelore was going to do something no one expected.