The Afterlife Academy Saga

Chapter 24

24

Over the next weeks, life in the Afterlife Academy settled to a dysfunctional normal. Some classes were cancelled, others were held with the teachers in a detectable rush. Apart from Afterlife Etiquette, all my other theoretical classes were scrapped from my curriculum. The Essence Of A Valkyrie had taken a practical turn from the regular theory, which meant we were already learning to find our inner wings and getting familiar with different types of metal for making keys.

As announced, all classes focused on the practical side of things, except for Resurrection.

After my stunt, Rada decided it was too dangerous to take first-years into the Veil. No matter how much I, or my classmates, tried to change her mind, she didn't budge. Which was extra annoying because this was the one thing I needed to learn.

At least she was teaching us interesting things about the edge between life and death. Just not the information that I needed.

Despite reading every book on the Veil, I still didn't know how an elemental could hide within it or how he was keeping the dusk wolves contained. Just like Hyde, the other wolves should be calling out to their owners. Why was nobody hearing them? How was he getting away with it?

After careful consideration, and a glare from Ryoko, I decided not to rush into dying. None of the knowledge I found gave me the confidence to successfully travel to the Veil and back. Instead of signing my own death sentence, I was examining all my options.

Maybe I had to approach Flavia after all...

"Ylva?"

I looked up from my dinner. "Yeah?"

"You're kind of zoned out," Aellyn said, crunching on her fruit salad.

"Sorry. I’ve just got a lot on my mind."

All the research was eating into my sleep time and I could feel it in my eyes. With heavy eyelids and dark bags underneath, I looked worse for wear. Still, I couldn't falter. Not when I was so close. I could feel it, the answer was right around the corner.

At least some of the gossiping and animosity had died down with the passing of the weeks. There was still a hint of awkwardness detectable between Ryoko and I, but on the surface, everything was perfectly pleasant between us. Underneath, I knew she wasn't as warm towards me as the beginning.

She was still helping me with my research, but I could feel she was holding back. Every time she looked at me with cold eyes, I felt a hand squeeze my chest, but there was nothing I could do about it. Not without admitting something to myself that I wasn't ready for yet.

A sudden nudge yanked me out of my thoughts again.

"Trouble at five o'clock," Aellyn warned as she stood up to leave. "Sorry."

"Great," I muttered under my breath, looking in the direction she pointed out. What now?

A clique of dark robes and scythes pushed through the tables, clearly coming towards us. Fantastic. The Reapers again.

With a grin on his pale face, Sim sat down on the table. "Good afternoon."

"What do you want?" I sighed, too tired for this s**t.

"I just want a little chat, Ylva." He swung his scythe around, which clearly was meant to intimidate me.

It might've worked in the beginning of the year, but I was too f*****g tired to be scared.

"Just leave me alone," I tried, rolling my eyes and eating my cracker.

"Why? I'm comfortable here." Sim swung his scythe on his knees and grabbed a tissue. "I'm just polishing my handle."

"Yeah, I bet you've practiced that a lot," I mocked, earning an angry glare. Not that I cared. He was all talk and intimidation, but no actual violence. He was too afraid of getting expelled.

But that didn't stop him from strutting around like he owned the place and getting in a couple of cheap shots whenever he could.

A sudden shadow fell over the table and the sound of leathery wings reached my ear. Valkyries.

"Beat it, Sim," a familiar voice said.

"Flavia. So nice of you to join us. What happened to your face?" the Reaper asked, standing up to face the strong blonde. "Did you run into a wall?"

She snorted, flexing her wings threateningly. "To get away from your stench, yes. You need a shower, Sweat-boy."

"What? I don't stink," Sim retorted. With a grimace, he grabbed the cracker out of my hand and squashed it into crumbs.

Flavia snorted. "Wow. Such strength."

"Yeah, he's strong from polishing his shaft," I joined in, jolting my fist up and down in a crude motion.

"Ooh, snap." The blonde clacked her tongue as she snickered. "Beaten by a first-year, Sim. That's low, even for you."

With a growl, the Reaper grabbed his scythe and stormed off.

Flavia shook her head. "We both know he's sniffing his armpits around the corner."

"Totally," I agreed.

"Don't let him get to you. He's just an entitled brat."

I sighed, wiping the crumbs away. "I know..."

"For what it's worth, I don't believe you had anything to do with the disappearing wolves."

"Thank you. That means a lot coming from you."

She opened her mouth but quickly closed it again. "Anyway. Take care. It won't always be like this."

"I know."

She walked away, even if I desperately wanted her to stay. I needed her help, but she couldn't hang out with me publicly, not with my reputation. Even if she defended me against Sim, that was more about her rivalry with him. But maybe she'd help me in secret. Especially if she believed I was innocent.

That was worth a try.

"Hey, Flavia?" I called, chasing after her.

"Yes?"

"I need your help."

She raised an eyebrow. "With what?"

"I can't tell you, not here. Can we meet somewhere?" I asked, crossing my fingers. If she could help me with the Veil, then I stood a chance of figuring this all out.

Hesitantly, she studied my face. "Mmmm..."

"You said the only things that matter are where we're going and what we accomplish, right?"

"Yes."

"What I'm about to do is big, but I can't do it on my own.”

Flavia nodded. "Alright then, I'm curious. Come to my room tomorrow morning. We'll talk."

She turned, her dark wings slashing through the air. With confidence, she strode to her squad and commanded them with a single look. Taking up as much space as they could, they walked back to their table in the middle of the dining hall. They got in late, but nobody else dared sit at it.

The other Afterlife cliques probably didn't want any trouble, but it was different for Wind Children. If Flavia wasn't the best and strongest, she wouldn't hold onto the respect and her alpha position. If she couldn't help me, no other Valkyrie student could.

Hopefully, she would.

With my crackers crushed by Sim's display of power, dinner was over for me anyway. I grabbed my bags and hurried out of the dining hall, making sure to keep my head up high. I wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of my distress. My life would have to get a lot more miserable for me to fold under the pressure.

As I walked through the halls, I concentrated on blocking out all the chatter and gossip. It was as good a time as any to try to listen to the wind magic within me. According to my Valkyrie Essence teacher, this was how to find my own wings.

"Accept the void. Channel the darkness and unleash the wind," I mumbled, repeating one of the ancient chants. Supposedly, those were to help get me in the right mindset. "Accept the void. Channel the darkness."

It wasn't until I reached the room of my door, I realised where my legs had taken me. Hesitantly, I lingered.

Would Ryoko be in?

With the irregular classes and lectures, it was impossible to predict when my roommate would or wouldn't be here. I didn't even know up front whether I'd be circling back to the dorm or be running around the ice lake while channeling the darkness within me.

"Hello?" I called, not entirely sure what I was hoping for.