When I left the room, my mood was completely spoiled. I didn't want to join the others at the pool, but I couldn't stay in my room either, knowing perfectly well that Kaandor wouldn't leave me alone. Whose side was he really on, after all?
A cool breeze wafted through the corridor. Wrapping myself more tightly in the soft spa robe, I headed for the stairs. A cleaner was walking toward me, pushing a cart filled with cleaning supplies and various brushes. I gave the woman a brief smile and continued toward the stairs, walking further away from my room.
The lobby on the first floor was crowded. Familiar faces sat on soft leather chairs, wearing the same robes as mine, sipping tea from narrow glass cups that resembled whimsical hourglasses with wide funnels in the middle. At one of the tables, I spotted Andrei — Nikita's friend. As soon as our eyes met, I felt a burning gaze filled with hatred, and I quickly tried to recall any reason I might have given him to feel that way, but I couldn't think of a single one. Strange.
I shook my head, trying to push the intrusive thoughts away. Lately, I had been more paranoid than usual, as well as more anxious. Deciding that it was all in my head, I quickened my pace to get through the lobby faster, and I succeeded — the farther I went, the fewer people from my class and staff members I encountered.
I involuntarily glanced around, expecting Kaandor to show up with another taunt and ruin my day completely, but the dark companion was not in a hurry, as if waiting for the right moment. Troubling thoughts kept hitting me one after another, and it was oddly frustrating; of course, I couldn't stop, as if it were impossible. Trying to reason with yourself when you're on edge is like trying to put out a fire with gasoline: it's not only futile but counterproductive.
Finally, I turned one last corner following the signs and found myself in the middle of a long, bright corridor, at the end of which stood massive double doors with frosted glass inserts in the center, allowing future guests to only guess what was happening inside. The spa center's website was still under construction, so there was no way to sneak a peek at the main facilities online — you could only admire the facade and the forest landscape surrounding the area.
I took a deep breath, counting to eight in my mind, performing my personal ritual that I repeated every time before entering a room where vampires might be. It felt like if I took one careless, too-deep breath, my self-control would slip away like a veil caught in a strong wind, and the world would see the part of me that could harm even those closest to me.
Trying to get into the right mindset, I straightened my shoulders and gently pushed open the doors in front of me. They swung open, and I couldn't believe my eyes: it was truly, incredibly beautiful. I had expected to see a simple rectangular pool with four lanes, some dull walls, and a floor covered with neutral-colored tiles that wouldn't distract from the main activity — swimming.
But nothing like that. The room resembled a fairy-tale greenhouse. The ceiling and two walls were made of glass, and the wooden frames that connected the panes were a pleasant cream color. The glass, polished to a shine, let soft daylight in from outside, creating an illusion of spaciousness. In the center of the room was the pool, shaped like a figure-eight, and I liked the visual effect much more than the sharp angles of perfectly even rectangles. Even just looking at the deceptively azure water, colored by the tinted bottom, seemed much more pleasant as it splashed within its smooth borders. In the narrow "link" of the pool, at the very center of the eight, was a small circular area with several stepped rings, which gradually lowered the water level from the edge to the center, slowly leading the guest deeper. It was a small pool for children, and I thought it was really clever and considerate to have it nearby so that no one would feel left out. However, today, instead of children, my classmates occupied the small pool, apparently to avoid the madness of the deep pool.
The guys were playing water polo. Max had the ball when Arthur made a sudden move toward the witcher and started swimming with precise strokes. His hands cut through the water's surface, and for a moment, I felt dizzy: Arthur looked threatening on his own because of his broad shoulders and defined biceps, but it was one thing to watch the smiling giant from a distance in a calm setting, and another entirely to see how well he controlled his body, even when he was chest-deep in the water. He radiated strength from afar, and it was as much awe-inspiring as it was intimidating.
Max was focused, looking around to find someone to pass the ball to. As soon as his eyes met Viola's, his lips curled into a cunning smile. He pulled back his arm, swung it forcefully, and sent the ball flying toward his sister. Stas rushed to block Viola's path, hoping to get the ball first, while Diana tried to prevent Tatyana and Nik from surrounding Stas and catching him off guard, believing his maneuver might still succeed.
But the guys didn't see what I saw from the shore. Engrossed in their struggle with one another, they completely forgot about Viola and didn't notice when she raised her hand above her head and made a slight motion — a wave. The ball immediately changed direction, and I stared in horror at the witch: she was casting a spell right in front of not only our classmates but also other kids from sports teams who, as it seemed to me, were also here, as many of their faces were unfamiliar.
The game continued as if nothing had happened, and I started scanning the room, observing the other guests and trying to figure out if anyone had noticed anything wrong, but it seemed like everyone was so immersed in their relaxation and socializing with their peers that they barely paid attention to the group of monsters indulging in water polo right under the noses of mortals. To be honest, I even felt a bit disappointed, secretly hoping that sooner or later, Viola's careless behavior would come back to bite her: she forgot herself too often and moved objects with her mind, especially to open and close doors, as if afraid to ruin her manicure. At first, I didn't even realize she was casting spells, thinking there was a motion sensor installed in the doorframe, or that the car had a feature to close the trunk remotely, but in reality, it had nothing to do with technology.