Chapter 20
My palms were slick with sweat.
My heart pounded against my ribs.
And then there was Stasia’s gaze.
I couldn’t tell what it meant.
Only the shop assistant seemed determined to remain perfectly composed.
“In all my years of experience,” she said carefully, “I’ve never seen two opposing energies choose the same mage.”
She tried to smile.
But I noticed the faint tremor in her hands.
“In what form would you like to wear your talismans?”
I exhaled slowly.
I still didn’t believe it.
Couldn’t believe it.
Didn’t want to believe it.
And yet...
How was I supposed to deny it when both of my abilities had chosen me themselves?
After a long silence, I finally answered.
“As earrings.”
“For the inner part of my ear.”
I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, revealing my two piercings.
A helix.
And a conch.
It felt like the perfect place.
Subtle.
Almost invisible.
I’d probably forget they were even there.
At least I’d never really noticed piercings in those spots before.
With a flick of the woman’s wrist, both talismans shrank into tiny stud earrings.
She handed me a mirror so I could replace my old jewelry with them.
My hands trembled ever so slightly as I fastened them into place.
I was afraid of the consequences.
Afraid of what Stasia would do with this information.
“We would appreciate it if everything that happened here remained within these walls,” Stasia said suddenly.
The unexpected request nearly made me drop one of the earrings.
I looked up at her in surprise.
The warmth vanished from the shop assistant’s face.
“Do not insult Madame Croix’s establishment with such assumptions,” she said sharply.
I could swear those blue eyes alone were sharp enough to cut through steel.
“Our clients’ privacy and safety have always been—and always will be—our highest priority.”
Stasia gave a slow nod.
Honestly...
I had no idea how I was supposed to react to any of this.
******
Half an hour later, we were sitting in an underground bar.
In silence.
It seemed we now knew each other’s secrets.
And neither of us had any idea where to begin.
I had to admit...
I’d relaxed a little.
There was something strangely comforting about knowing I wasn’t the only person trapped by my secrets.
I didn’t care whether Stasia had a second ability or not.
But her reaction—
Her fear of being exposed—
Calmed me.
Leaning forward, she pressed a button embedded in the center of the table.
The music filling the bar instantly softened.
I glanced around, my gaze drifting toward the center of the room, where several people danced beneath flashing lights that made the place feel more like a nightclub than a bar.
Yet none of them seemed to notice anything had changed.
“So...” Stasia sighed.
“You’re a hybrid.”
I looked back at her.
She was trying to appear calm.
But her slender fingers kept tapping restlessly against a glass filled with some bright pink drink.
“So are you,” I replied, crossing my arms over my chest.
I didn’t want Stasia noticing how nervous I actually was.
“I didn’t expect this to be the outcome,” she admitted quietly, avoiding my gaze.
Then she added,
“I planned to figure you out.”
“Instead, I ended up exposing myself.”
My brows furrowed as I replayed her words in my head.
“That sounds like you already knew about my second ability.”
But how would that even be possible?
Maybe she'd overheard me talking to the spirits?
But they would've sensed her nearby...
Wouldn't they?
“My hidden ability is foresight.”
I froze.
Unable to look away from her.
“That’s the gift tied to Tutuarus.”
“Why are you hiding it?” I asked immediately.
“The woman at the shop said it’s perfectly normal to be a hybrid as long as your powers don’t oppose each other—”
Stasia cut me off.
“Because my family can never find out.”
Her voice sharpened.
“When students enroll, Isthmond sends their families information about their abilities.”
I still didn’t understand.
And judging by the look on Stasia’s face...
She knew it.
“My sister...”
She paused before lifting the glass to her lips.
“Alicia.”
“She studies at Isthmond too.”
I mirrored her movement and took a sip from my own drink.
“Our relationship is terrible,” she continued quietly.
“So terrible that our parents are constantly at each other’s throats because of it.”
Another brief silence.
“If she found out I'd surpassed her at something...”
“Especially power.”
“Especially the number of abilities...”
Stasia swallowed hard.
“She would kill me.”
“Come on.”
I frowned.
“I don’t think your own sister would—”
This time, Stasia interrupted me without saying a word.
She swept her hair aside.
Then slowly pulled down the high collar of her shirt.
I froze.
A long scar rested directly above her carotid artery.
“I know exactly what she’s capable of,” Stasia said calmly.
She pulled her collar back into place.
“Alicia tried to cut my throat three years ago.”
“After a healer told my parents that my dormant demonic gene would become exceptionally powerful once it awakened.”
A shiver ran down my spine.
And somehow...
That was what finally convinced me this was real.
That I was fully awake.
That none of this was a dream.
“She couldn’t stand the idea of being second,” Stasia continued, lifting her eyes to meet mine.
“Even though our magic is completely different.”
She let out a quiet sigh.
“That’s why I wanted the talisman.”
“They tend to amplify a mage’s senses.”
I stayed silent.
Trying to process everything I’d learned today.
“But...” I said slowly, finally voicing the thought that had been circling in my head, “it sounds like you wanted me to discover your second ability.”
Stasia studied me for a moment.
“You knew the talisman would react to the origins connected to my magic.”
“I’d read that talismans usually gravitate toward a mage’s strongest ability,” she said with a sad smile.
“But apparently... both of mine are equally strong.”
“How did you even find out about my powers?”
“Most of my visions come through dreams,” Stasia explained.
“The night after we met, I dreamed about you.”
A strange tightness settled in my throat, and I reached for the glass of water that had been brought to our table alongside the cocktails.
“You were standing on the Sacred Steps, where the rulers of Istarus sit during the Selection Trials,” she continued softly.
“In front of you stood the Creator of Plaraarus in his true dragon form.”
A faint smile touched her lips.
“And behind you...” She hesitated.
“There was the shadow of a serpent.”
Silence settled between us.
But it wasn’t empty.
“I immediately assumed it was a sign of a connection to Mataarus,” Stasia admitted.
“The energy that created that world chose the image of a serpent as its symbol.”
I had no idea how I was supposed to react.
Honestly, it felt as though all my emotions had frozen along with me.
How was any of this even possible?
“Do you know why you received that vision in particular?” I finally asked.
“It actually makes perfect sense.” Stasia gave a small shrug.
“Just like Tarven, I suspected you were connected to Harold.”
“Suspected?” I repeated, immediately catching the past tense.
“I don’t think you’re working with him anymore,” she replied casually before finally turning her attention to the dessert she’d apparently been ignoring this whole time.
My own slice of blue cake still sat untouched in front of me.
“Why not?” I asked immediately.
“Because of the vision,” Stasia answered around a mouthful of cake.
Then she grinned.
“It showed me we’d become friends.”
“What?”
I frowned.
“And you actually believed that?”
“Of course not.”
She snorted.
“You seemed way too suspicious.”
Somehow, she still managed to smile while chewing.
“But after what happened at Madame Croix’s shop...” she continued, “that’s when I realized visions never lie.”
“Well,” I admitted honestly, “you still seem suspicious to me.”
Maybe honesty was just one of my many flaws.
“Sounds like a you problem.”
Stasia swallowed another bite before shrugging with the same shameless grin.
“So...”
She nodded toward my plate.
“Are you going to eat your cake, or should I generously rescue it?”
I wasn’t much of a sweets person.
But refusing dessert altogether felt almost criminal.
So I picked up the tiny silver spoon and cut myself a small piece.
The moment it melted on my tongue, I nearly closed my eyes.
It was unfairly good.
Soft, airy sponge cake layered with silky cream and a delicate blueberry flavor.
“They really know how to make desserts here,” Stasia said.
“Do they use magic for baking too?” I asked, already taking another bite.
“I honestly think they do,” she replied before suddenly frowning.
“I’ve tried making something like this a few times, but it never—”
She never got the chance to finish.
Tarven’s irritated voice cut through the bar before she could say another word.