The Messenger( Iva) novel Chapter 246

First Day at Work-3

Attia nodded. “The academy tries to accommodate the headmaster’s needs.”

“Lucky me.”

Another small smile. “Lucky you.”

He leaned back in his chair, his gaze never leaving her face.

“You always wanted to be a doctor?” he asked.

Claim

Lori realized, with a start, that this was it. This was his opening. His way of getting to know her. No more secrets. No more walls. Just two people asking questions and giving answers.

She took a breath.

“Yes,” she said. “My family comes from a long line of healers. My parents are both doctors. My grandparents were doctors. It’s… it’s what we do.”

“And you never wanted anything else?”

Lori thought about it.

“Sometimes,” she admitted. “When I was younger, I wanted to be a painter. I loved colors. Mixing them, seeing what new shades I could create.” She laughed softly. “I was terrible at it. My mother still has one of my paintings hanging in her clinic. The perspective is all wrong, and the colors are muddy, but she refuses to take it down.”

Attia listened. Really listened, his eyes fixed on her face, his attention absolute.

“What did you paint?”

“A tree. A very crooked tree.” She smiled at the memory. “I told her it was an abstract interpretation of a tree. She told me it looked like a potato with sticks.”

Attia’s laugh was louder this time-a real laugh, warm and surprised.

“A potato with sticks,” he repeated.

“My artistic legacy.”

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment.

Then Lori turned the question back on him.

“What about you?” she asked. “Did you always want to be a headmaster? To teach?”

Attia’s expression shifted. The warmth dimmed, replaced by something darker.

“Never,” he said. “I never imagined I would end up stuck behind a desk or in a classroom.”

Lori’s heart ached at the bitterness in his voice.

13

<First Day utwort a

“What happened?”

Claim

He was quiet for a long moment. His gaze dropped to his hands-those hands that had held her, that had trembled when they touched her face.

“If we are going to do this, he said slowly, “if we are going to get to know each other… then I should be transparent. With you. About everything… and I need to warn you that not everything is pretty.”

Lori nodded, not trusting her voice.

Attia took a breath.

“I was in the military,” he said. “The youngest general in a century. I led battles. Won wars. I was… I was good at it. It was what I was born to do.”

His jaw tightened.

“Then came the demon wars. We were outnumbered. Outmatched. But we fought anyway, because that’s what soldiers do.” He paused. “I took a hit. A curse wound. It shattered my knee. They said the curse was irreversible.”

Lori’s eyes widened.

“The wound-curse,” she whispered. “I’ve read about them. They’re…”

“Almost always fatal,” Attia finished. “Yes. I was one of the lucky ones. I survived.”

He looked at her, and his eyes were raw.

“But my career did not. The kingdom cannot have crippled generals. So they gave me a medal, a title, and a desk job.”

Lori was speechless.

She had read about curse wounds in her medical texts. The survival rate was nearly zero. Those who lived were marked forever-chronic pain, limited mobility, a constant battle against the dark magic that had invaded their bodies.

She had never imagined that the headmaster-this powerful, imposing man-was one of them.

“The pain,” she said softly. “Is it… constant?”

Attia’s jaw tightened, as this was a hidden part of him… not many knew about it.

“Some days are better than others. Some days…” He trailed off.

Lori’s chest ached.

She thought about all the times she had seen him standing at the front of the classroom, seemingly invincible. All the times she had been intimidated by his strength, his power, his absolute control.

She had never imagined that he was fighting a battle every single day. That beneath the crisp shirts and the commanding presence was a man who had lost everything he loved and was still trying to survive.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

23

< First Day at Work a

Attia’s eyes met hers.

“Don’t be. I made my peace with it long ago.” He paused. “Or I thought I did. Until you.”

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