I nod my understanding.
“Well,” Dr. Spencer says. “It sounds like you’ll be rather busy, but if you have the time, I believe you could be an asset in my historical research. The very research that could reveal more about your ‘strange’ magic. Join me at the headmaster’s mansion Thursday after your classes?”
“Um, yes ma’am. Of course.”
“Ma’am? No, dear. If you’re to be my research partner, you must call me Sienna.” She studies me for a moment. “How strange it is to be so gladdened to live in an age where omegas are developing affinities once more, yet so saddened that it had to be you. Your path ahead is a difficult one, Juniper. Ready yourself.”
CHAPTER28
As a bitter February cold snap settles over the campus, a new sort of normal emerges.
At least, as normal as life at the academy can be during the times we live in.
Normal in the age of masked soldiers and affinities.
Normal now is Luca meeting me at the wards every morning and walking me to class, Marcus on my other side. It’s Simon sneaking Kit-Kats into my bag when we pass in the hall.
It’s Alyssa, steaming mad and stomping about the infirmary because Doc won’t let her return to classes yet when they resume the Monday after Night of the Fallen.
“My brain isn’t broken!” the diminutive omega protests when I bring her a brown-sugar frappe from Ciel. “Just my arm.”
“Your note-taking and casting arm,” Doc reminds her from the bedside of a bruised, battered alpha girl. The healer sets down a chart with a clatter. “Does no one understand the concept of rest?”
“I mean this kindly, Doc, but you’re a hypocrite. You haven’t slept in days. At least let Mr. Huong relieve you so you can catch a few hours of sleep,” Alyssa yawns, dropping back down onto her cot beside a sleeping Darika. Alyssa brushes the alpha’s short, messy curls away from her face. “This one could sleep through the end of the world.”
“Only when you’re safe in my arms,” Darika mutters, cracking an eye open. “So get back here.”
Normal. Perfectly, chaotically normal.
* * *
I havemy first affinity training with Ian that night, and it preoccupies me the whole day until I’ve made myself sick with worry. He believes in me so fucking much, but what if I really do just have strange magic and I’m not special? What if I don’t have an affinity like he, Mai and a somewhat hesitant Sienna, believe?
And even if I have an affinity, what if I can’t call it like I wasn’t able to call my magic for half of fall term? That had a reasonable, if utterly unbelievable, explanation, at least.
But to have this rare magic… to be cursed with such awesome power… I can understand why Ian wishes it wasn’t me.
I play at being strong, at having the courage Fairhaven so champions, but who am I to take on my father? The Soldiers?
Who am I to have an affinity?
* * *
“Dig deep within yourself,”Ian instructs, his voice soft. “Clear your mind and find the thread of your magic. Let your intuition guide you.”
I let out a ragged exhale, already knowing what I must do. I do have to dig deep, deep into all the painful words my family have slung at me, into a pool of trauma so vast, I fear I’ll drown.
Because every single time I’ve performed any kind of extra-cognition, I’ve been in a heightened emotional state: struggling to free myself from Rad when he attacked me, overcome when Ian unlocked my magic, joyously dancing in the arms of my alpha and beta before our world turned upside down.
I close my eyes and I sink, praying to the saints that I won’t drown.
You believe she could possibly have an affinity? Pitiful little Juniper?
Useless girl.
Foul omega that she is. But she won’t be a concern of ours much longer.
I won’t let some stupid little omega cunt like you ruin everything I’ve worked for.
