I came down a hallway that had arches opening to the gardens and saw a peculiar sight. Lord Lucien was kneeling beside a round pool in one of the inner courtyards, staring down into its depths. He was in his human form, gazing at something at the bottom of the pool below, although what I couldn’t be sure. Was he looking at his reflection, or something deeper?
I liked Lord Lucien. He was always fair, and he was a good teacher. He looked really… sad. It felt wrong to just walk by.
“Hello, Professor,” I said. He rose to his feet when he saw me. “Are you all right?”
Lucien forced a grin. “Yes. I am quite fine, Emma. All Arcanea are melancholy this time of year, after all.”
“Have you lost someone that you had to honor on the Day of the Dead?” I asked.
He gave me a sad smile. “All the people I grieve are still alive, I’m sorry to say.”
He gestured to a stone bench near the pond. I sat down on it, and he followed my lead, swooping his cloak behind him. The birds were chirping in a pine tree above us, and I caught a whiff of the last dying flowers of fall lying on the edge of the pond. That golden sunlight that was always so characteristic of Malovia reflected off the pool, making the water look yellow. The first snow had fallen last night, and it had stuck, coating the ground with patches of white.
“You mean…” I thought for a moment. “You don’t speak to your loved ones anymore?”
“In a way. I am not a very popular or beloved man, even within my own family,” he admitted.
This made me wonder why. Lord Lucien was a badass, and he was really nice. Ethan highly respected him, and I did, too. What would make his family abandon him?
“What about your parents? Are they still alive?” I asked. I hoped I wasn’t being invasive.
But Lucien didn’t seem to mind. “My parents are still alive. We are… how do you say it… estranged,” he said. “I have not spoken to them for many years.”
“What about your mate?” I blurted, before I hurried to apologize. “You don’t have to answer that. I’m being nosy. Sorry.”
Lucien let out a laugh. “It’s all right. You’re merely curious. And sometimes, it’s nice to talk about these things. I haven’t spoken of what has happened in years.”
“So… what did happen?” I dared to pry.
“My mate rejected me long ago, when I was young,” Lucien said. “We were together for a few years before she decided she wanted nothing to do with me.”
“Oh my gosh. I’m so sorry.” I was gutted by the statement. I couldn’t imagine rejecting your mate— worse, being rejected by them. It was the worst fate that could ever be dealt to an Arcanea— worse even than death, to be cursed to wander the earth with a part of you missing forever.
“It’s all right. It was her decision,” Lucien said. His voice had taken on a heavy tone that pained me to hear. “But I never did move on. Sometimes I wonder what she’s doing now. If she’s found anyone else.”
Lucien clapped his hands on his knees. “Enough talk from an old fool. What have you got there?”
“Oh?” His eyes were on my leather journal. I blushed. “Oh, it’s nothing.”
“Must be something. You seem keen on hiding it,” he teased.
I made a face. “It’s… kind of my new resolution list. I don’t have anyone to grieve on the Day of the Dead, so I decided to use the holiday for reflection instead. It’s kind of stupid, huh?”
“Not stupid at all,” Lucien said. “In fact, I think it very wise. Not enough of us are focused on self-improvement.”
“I could use some self-improving,” I grumbled as I propped my elbow upon my knee. I leaned forward and put my chin in my hand. “I’m further behind than anyone at this school. I can’t use magic very well, and I can’t fly. I can’t even find my wings. I’m the worst sorceress ever.”
“You’re far from the worst. I’ve had many students come through my classroom that don’t put in half as much effort. You’re quite the exception. I can tell you’re a hard worker.”
“I passed out when trying to use telepathy. I’m the laughing stock of the school.”
“That’s not unusual. Many students pass out when summoning Faction magic for the first time. I did,” Lucien said.
“Really?” My eyes widened as I turned to look at him.
He nodded. “Whacked my head on a desk when trying to communicate with another wolven a mile away. Still got the scar.”
He parted his hair back and showed me. There was a thin pink line on the top of his temple. I started to feel a tiny bit better.
