“Glao.”The plume shimmers, breaking apart and folding in on itself until Ruby’s face appears.
“Lyna, are you okay?” Her eyes search mine, concern lacing her voice. But when she takes in where I am, surprise flickers across her face.
“Pegasus?... I haven’t seen those inyears.” She whispers the last part in awe, eyes glued on the flying horse, resting on my lap.
“I think I’m starting to remember,” I interrupt gently, drawing her attention back, then I spill all of it out.
Ruby takes a moment before replying, “That’s good, Lyna. You’re doing great. I’m still in Arvendal; there are complications. I won’t be back for at least another week. We’ve discovered the virus is turning mundanes into demons.” I bolt upright, heart pounding in my chest.
The pixies scatter in a flurry. Several pegasus take flight, wings beating the air, blending with the sky, turning invisible. Skyfire lifts her head, wings flared wide, her tension a mirror of my own. Every muscle taut with alertness, reflecting the storm inside me. I reach out, sinking my hand into her mane, searching for something solid to hold onto, to steady my breath. My heart races as if it’s trying to outrun me, my dad. But Skyfire stays, and her soft coat slowly grounds me while the steady pressure of her head against my palm pulls me back to the present. Slowly, I find my way back. That’s when I realize Ruby’s been calling my name.
“AVILYNA REY!”
“—Yes, yes! I’m here.”
“Sakura already put your dad into a permanent coma. The Elgarians’ immune system is stronger, and as long as they’re asleep, the parasite stays dormant. The transformation doesn’t take hold.” Her words hit; stones sinking deep. I exhale sharply, and a small wave of relief washes over me as the tension slips from my shoulders. Giving me a fleeting sense that maybe, just maybe, I can handle this.
“So, what do I do?” My voice is on the edge of breaking, but I force it down, swallowing the lump in my throat. Because in the end, no one really wants to carry other people’s shit.
“You learn. You train. You get stronger,” Ruby says softly, trying to ease the gravity of it all. “Things are shifting, Lyna. History might be ready to repeat itself. Trust your instincts; they’ve kept you alive this far, but don’t be naïve. This world is dangerous.”
Yeah, no shit.
“Those attacks we saw on the news back home… are they connected to this?” Ruby hesitates. And in that pause, the answer becomes painfully clear. “Is there anything that can protect us from turning into demons?”
“To avoid infection, based on what we’ve gathered, it’s triggered by a DNA exchange. The only temporary safeguard we’ve found is induced sleep.” Her voice softens. “But don’t worry, Lyna. I’m doing everything I can to find a cure. Theo might not be my brother by blood, but he is in every way that counts.” I swallow hard, emotion tightening in my throat.
“Thank you,” I whisper, the words barely holding together.
The call ends, and Ruby’s face dissolves in the air. I glance at the time, fifteen minutes until class starts.
Just enough time to pull myself back together.
27
Avilyna
HIDDEN PAST
School kicked my ass today.And sure, not sleeping doesn’t help, but neither does walking around with the magical knowledge of a toddler. I expected classes to be rough, but not accidentally almost burn down the alchemy lab rough. Not a strategy class turns you into a full-time demon conspiracy theorist, rough. And definitely not magic lessons remind you you’re not a witch and make you question your entire existence,rough. Apparently, that’s the bar now. The beginner’s classes lived up to their name because they were another level. To say that school in a magical world would be more educational is an understatement, thrilling, sure, dangerous,definitely.
There isn’t really room for mistakes when you create potions, and I learned that the hard way. The report the Institute received of me portrays my abilities as strong, which they are, but they’re without a doubttemperamental. Our teacher, whose name I’ve already forgotten, since you know, I have other things to keep in mind, asked us to create a potion to help with focus.
Because I quote, “You’re all savages, prey to your emotions, so a bit of focus during the evaluation period will be greatly beneficial,” says Miss. Prav-something with a sing-song voice as she walks between the long tables cluttered with herbs andbeakers. She naturally assumed that I knew the blueprints of essence, since I’m technically in my second year of magic, and that’s, apparently, last year’s curriculum.
So I go ahead and add a few drops of rosemary oil to my wooden bowl. Add peppermint roots, sprinkle with black pepper, and finally add a garlic clove. But the thing is, you can’t put two spiced elements together; fire with fire always leaves aspark.
“Fötar”, the word leaves my lips, bringing everything to flame, activating the focus spell, and it focused alright.
Except for the counter-effect of the smoke, which caused the whole class to lose their sense of smell. And with my strong affinity to Kvirr, well, there’s a good chance it will last all day, Miss. Praventi lectured me in front of the whole group, making my cheeks a shade closer to my hair colour.
If I’m going to survive this place, I need to keep my power controlled and unquestioned. I have to practice in places where eyes and curious minds can’t follow; the clearing could be a good spot. Speaking of keeping things quiet, my charming roommate is expecting a report every. Single. Day—Ugh. I need to be careful with what I report back.
Stupid Corporal is a real pain in my ass. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if Kai is missing a few brain cells, especially if last night’s drinking isn’t exactly a rare occurrence. A small part of me wonders what he was trying to drown. We’re all held hostage by something, and some days it’s too loud, easier to silence the ghosts than face them.
Still… he did take care of me.
In his own unorthodox, chaotic, questionably unsober way. And that counts for something, I think. Pushing those thoughts aside, I walk into the cafeteria and immediately regret it. The noise hits me first, then the crowd, and I freeze mid-step, caughtin the middle like a deer in headlights. It feels as if every eyes are on me, and then Iknowthey are.
