An Opportunity And A Promise
1738 Words
Coming out of Ravenna’s office, I am left with a hollow, gaping feeling in my chest—something between fear and uncertainty. Her words cling to me, wrapping around my thoughts like a slow, tightening grip. For a fleeting moment, doubt creeps in.
Why not just give up?
I’m already here. Already dead.
What does it matter who killed me—or if it was even a murder at all?
Maybe it was just an accident.
Maybe I should let it go.
But something in me refuses to accept that. It resists quietly, stubbornly, like a voice I can’t silence. My fingers tighten around the vial in my hand, and Ravenna’s words echo again in my mind.
You will be given an opportunity… sooner than you think.
An opportunity.
That means Earth.
A chance to go back.
A surge of determination pushes through me, steady and unyielding.
I’ll find out the truth.
Somehow… I will.
“Are you in trouble, or what?”
Mikael’s voice pulls me sharply out of my thoughts. I look up to see him leaning casually against a pillar, arms crossed, watching me with mild curiosity.
“Came out with a warning,” I reply as I walk toward him.
“Good,” he says, pushing himself off the pillar as we begin moving down the hallway. “That probably means you’ll finally cooperate and take the elixir.”
I don’t respond.
He notices immediately.
His steps slow… then stop.
“You are taking the elixir, right?” he asks, turning to face me fully. His expression shifts into that familiar seriousness—sharp, observant.
“Y-yeah,” I say, dragging the word slightly, forcing a nod.
The moment the lie leaves my mouth, I know it wasn’t convincing.
His eyes narrow.
And then it happens.
I feel it.
That same strange sensation—like something brushing against my thoughts, slipping past the edges of my mind. Only this time, I recognize it too late.
Mikael’s gaze sharpens.
And just like that—
He sees everything.
Ravenna.
The conversation.
The vial.
His expression changes instantly.
Shock spreads across his features, followed closely by disbelief.
“She’s helping you?” he says, his voice rising before he can stop himself. “How is that even possible? A Councilor—someone responsible for maintaining order—supporting this kind of recklessness?”
I quickly glance around, my heart jumping at the volume of his voice. Thankfully, no one seems to be paying attention.
“Lower your voice!” I hiss, grabbing his arm and pulling him toward a quieter corner of the hallway.
“Mikael, calm down and listen to me—”
“I am not listening to this,” he cuts in sharply. “This is exactly how things spiral out of control—”
“Will you please just calm down!” I snap, the strain in my voice surprising even me.
He stops.
That alone feels like a small victory.
“Ravenna isn’t helping me,” I say quickly, trying to steady my tone. “She’s just… letting me figure things out. That’s all. She’s not interfering.”
He gives me a look—flat, unimpressed.
“Really?”
I hesitate.
“…Okay, maybe it sounds like she’s helping,” I admit, exhaling. “But that’s not the point. I have to do this, Mikael. It’s the only way I’ll be able to make peace with any of this.”
Before I can second-guess myself, I reach for his hands, holding them gently.
“Please,” I say, softer now. “I need this.”
For a moment, he just looks at me.
Really looks at me.
Something shifts in his expression. The tension in his shoulders eases, just slightly. He exhales, long and quiet, like he’s giving in to something he doesn’t agree with.
“Fine,” he says at last.
Relief washes through me instantly.
“But,” he adds, his tone firm again, “you keep me in the loop. Everything you do—I need to know.”
I nod quickly. “You will. I promise.”
He studies me for a second longer, as if deciding whether to believe that.
Then he turns and starts walking again.
“Come on,” he mutters. “You’re not done being my responsibility yet.”
I smile faintly and follow after him, clutching the vial a little tighter.
Maybe… just maybe… I can actually do this.
As we walk, I glance down at my gown, grimacing slightly. The once-white fabric is stained with dirt and dried streaks of blood—a reminder of everything I’ve been through since arriving here.
“I really need to change,” I mutter. “I can’t keep walking around like this.”
“You won’t have to,” Mikael replies. “You’re about to meet your roommate.”
I blink. “Roommate?”
“Yes,” he says, glancing back at me briefly. “I’m taking you to your dorm. As your guide, this is technically my last duty.”
“Technically?” I echo.
He exhales through his nose. “Given the situation you’ve dragged me into, I doubt I’ll be free of you anytime soon. Someone has to make sure you don’t make more… questionable decisions.”
“Questionable?” I repeat, raising a brow.
He doesn’t respond.
Which somehow feels worse.
We ascend a long flight of stairs, and I can’t help but wonder why stairs even exist in a place filled with winged beings. The thought lingers briefly—along with another.
When do I get mine?
We stop in front of a door.
Mikael knocks.
Almost immediately, there’s a loud thud from inside, followed by the unmistakable sound of something crashing.
“Hold on!” a voice calls from within.
Mikael and I exchange a brief look.
Then the door swings open.
A girl stands in the doorway.
Her wings—bright, feathered—mark her as an angel, but everything else about her feels… different. There’s an ease in the way she carries herself, a confidence that borders on reckless. Her gaze moves from Mikael to me, then back to Mikael.
Her brows lift slightly.
“Mikael?” she says, surprised.
“Eva,” he replies with a small nod. “Still causing chaos, I see.”
She smirks, leaning casually against the doorframe. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
Her eyes shift to me again—slower this time.
More deliberate.
A smile spreads across her lips.
“Well… what do we have here?”
I stiffen slightly under the weight of her gaze.
Mikael sighs. “This is Ellora. She’s your new roommate.”
“Ellora,” Eva repeats, tasting the name like it means something.
Then she grins.
“Pretty name,” she says, tilting her head slightly. “Fits you.”
Heat creeps up my neck.
“Mikael,” she adds without looking away from me, “you’ve been holding out on me.”
“I literally just met her,” he deadpans.
“Shame,” she murmurs. Then, to me, “I’m Eva.”
She steps aside, gesturing for me to come in. “Come on in, doll.”
I hesitate for half a second—then step past her.
The room is… surprisingly normal. Spacious, neatly arranged, with two beds, a shared sitting area, and a wardrobe set against the wall.
“Be nice,” Mikael says from the doorway. “She’s a Veilborn. Don’t overwhelm her.”
Eva scoffs lightly. “Relax. I have some self-control.”
He gives her a look that clearly says he doesn’t believe that.
Then he turns to me. “I’ll check in later.”
I nod. “Thank you… for everything.”
He pauses briefly, then gives a small nod before leaving.
The door shuts.
And just like that—
It’s just me and Eva.
She turns to face me fully, arms crossed, a playful glint in her eyes.
“So,” she says, “you just got here… and you already look like trouble.”
I let out a small breath, unsure whether to laugh.
“I didn’t plan for any of this,” I admit.
“No one ever does,” she replies lightly. Then she gestures toward the wardrobe. “Go on. You look like you’ve been through hell… ironically.”
Despite myself, I smile faintly and walk toward it. When I open it, I freeze.
Clothes.
Rows and rows of them.
All my size.
“How—?”
Eva laughs softly. “If this place can drag you out of death, trust me—it can figure out your measurements.”
I shake my head, pulling out something simple.
After changing, I feel… lighter. Not completely—but better.
When I step out, Eva is sprawled across her bed, watching me.
“So,” she says, “how’d you get here?”
I hesitate.
“…Car accident,” I reply quietly.
Her expression softens—just a little.
“Yeah,” she says. “That’ll do it.”
I sit across from her. “What about you?”
She shrugs. “Born into this. Angel parents. Sent here to train, serve, follow orders… all that.”
“You don’t sound thrilled.”
“I’m not,” she says bluntly. “Feels like being shipped off to some divine boarding school I never asked for.”
I huff out a small laugh.
She grins.
“But hey,” she adds, “it’s not all bad. We get assignments.”
“What kind of assignments?”
She leans forward slightly.
“Sometimes… we go to Earth.”
My heart skips.
“What?”
“Yeah,” she says casually. “Missions. Short ones. In and out. Nothing too crazy.”
But I’m barely hearing the rest.
Because one thought hits me—
This is it.
This is the opportunity.
Before I can say anything else—
A loud, echoing horn blasts through the air.
Eva groans, dropping back onto the bed. “Great. First class.”
I blink. “Already?”
“Welcome to the Citadel, doll,” she says, standing up. “No time to breathe.”
I take one last look at the vial hidden in my hand.
Then I follow her out.
Because now—
I have a way back.
And I’m not wasting it.
- Writer
