Chapter 21
Twenty-One
New moons are always notorious for beginnings. Especially when it’s an equinox. We should all be thankful none of the solstices fall on any new or full moons. The energy – magic, aura, vibe, luck, karma – would be indescribable.
That has to be the reason for everything that has happened today. All the. . . impossible things that have happened.
First, the Willow of Lore flooded the grounds with flickers of blue aura. The spirits of the Willow of Lore zipping through the area readying it. The ceremony isn’t even supposed to happen for another two and a half months – on the Winter Solstice.
Second, a single bolt of black lightning struck somewhere deep into the Hinterwood Forest. Anything to do with the Hinterwood is never a good sign – but black lightning? Asher said black lightning hasn’t been seen since the first years of Syngenia.
And now this.
Too many thoughts are racing in my head as I watch Callahan-fucking-Armani hold Mavyn. His father is the devil chairholder of the Mage Board. He’s higher than royalty and he is in my dorm room – holding my friend – crying.
And he had seen her scars too.
The last thirty minutes have been. . . impossible. That’s really the only way to describe it. How else could you explain all these things happening that have never happened before and shouldn’t happen.
Mavyn disappeared into ashes. As if she had been hit by the sun and disintegrated.
Asher had pulled me off the floor before, but I feel like I could slide right back down. She’s lying unconscious on her bed with Callahan – her fucking fated! That’s what Professor Asier had said, I can’t believe I forgot about that.
A new wave of panic and adrenaline and anxiety hits me and my legs wobble.
Asher grips my waist and pushes me over to the bed.
I’m sure he’s probably prickling with every thought about how befriending Mavyn was going to be a shitshow.
He had been fine after the blood oath, but I know deep down he wished I was never roommates with her.
Except I like Mavyn. She feels different to all the other bratty girls from my tutoring classes and schooling before coming here.
The ones who would talk about me behind their backs and whisper about me and make snarky comments to me.
All they ever cared about was wealth and power, and my family is far from the elites, but at least I was able to enroll in the University and they weren’t.
But none of them matter because Mavyn doesn’t care about that. She doesn’t care about how poor my family is or how low on the hierarchy scale they are. She doesn’t care about status or what other people think.
And I’m sure there are a hundred other girls like her. I’m not delusional enough to think she’s the only one. I’ve made lots of friends here so far, but there’s something real about Mavyn. Something gravitational.
I shut my eyes and take a deep, calming breath. I feel every droplet of water through my body and in the air and outside in the dark clouds. Then I release and it causes the temperature to drop. Prints of frost form over my skin as I open my eyes.
“It’s going to be fine,” I state, calmly and clearly.
I have no idea if it is going to be fine or not, but I’m channeling my inner Mavyn. She always seems calm, always seems to have a plan, always seems to know everything is going to work out.
Callahan looks over to me like he doesn’t believe me. His eyes are rimmed red and tears wet his face again. I can feel that water too. It’s twisted with salt. . . like the ocean.
I nod to him and try to persuade him with my eyes. “She will be fine, Callahan. She did this before when she first got here and was exhausted. Her body needs the rest, and then she’ll probably need to eat a lot of food.”
At least I hope that’s just the case. I have no idea what the sun death realm is or how long she was there or why she was taken.
She said it was more or less like a nightmare realm.
Meaning it has to do with her nightmares, and those are especially torturous sometimes.
I had to have Asher draw a sound barrier shield around our room after the first time it happened.
She screamed as if her body was being torn apart.
“She just needs sleep,” I say again. I force myself to believe it. She was fine when she came back, so she’ll be fine when she wakes up.
He sniffles and stands. Hovering over her, he takes his hand and skims the back of his fingers across her cheek. His crying stops at the contact, but after a moment he flinches back. A look of distress passes over Mavyn’s face before it smooths out.
A rumble of Callahan’s devil aura drops in the room as he whispers, “Hands, feet, neck.” And then he fists his hands and takes a step back.
I have no idea what he’s talking about or what happened, but he turns towards us and softens his features. Asher still pulls me closer to him and tightens his hold, but Callahan doesn’t seem to mind.
“I’ll be staying here until she wakes up, but I’m going to get her some food for when she wakes up. Do you know where her key is? Not all of us should miss class.”
It takes me a moment to process what he said. After everything my brain is going too fast and yet lagging too badly.
Jerking out of Asher’s hold, I step over to her desk and open her drawer.
Inside is the dorm key, not that she ever uses it.
Asher also created a spell around the room that allows me and Mavyn through without having to lock and unlock the door.
It’s something most second year and older students have around their rooms. It’s something we’ll be learning next year.
For everyone else they either need the key or need us to open the door for them.
I hand him the cold metal and he nods before leaving.
Fated.
That’s. . . a dream. Finding someone your soul is tied to, finding someone who is your perfect partner. It’s not exactly rare, but it’s also depicted like a fairytale. Some people never find their fated while others have more than one.
I glance at Asher and his olive green eyes are staring directly at me. He softens his features too as he walks over and wraps me in a hug.
“It’ll be alright, Le Le,” he whispers into my hair.
I choke back a sob and one of his hands start soothingly rubbing my back.
Even though this isn’t why I was looking at him, I’m glad for the comfort.
The physical contact. I don’t know how people live their lives without it. “Oh princess, it’ll all be okay.”
I hope so.
I hope all the omens are not telling of something horrible to happen.