CHAPTER SIX
982 Words
Finally, my chance came, and I took it.
Watching her crumble is exactly how it should be. Perfect, really.
... But why can't she just die?
Honestly, why is she still breathing?
These useless tears again. I don't even know why they're here.
And this stupid ache, it's getting in the way.
I can’t even chug down my favourite wine. He used to make it perfectly.
Stupid. Focus.
I should be thrilled. So why is something clawing at me?
....................
The rest of the lecture passed in a blur.
I couldn't focus on anything Professor Llyen said. My hands wouldn't stop shaking, so I tucked them under my thighs and stared at my blank tablet screen.
How did I know that? Where did that knowledge come from?
Other students kept glancing back at me.
Some curious, others suspicious. I could feel their stares trying to drill holes into my body.
When class finally ended, everyone filed out quickly. Too quickly. Like they couldn't wait to gossip about what had just happened.
This moment filled me with dread.
Liriel paused by my desk, her expression unreadable. "That was... impressive."
I didn't know how to respond, so I said nothing.
She left with the others.
Soon, the lecture hall was empty except for Professor Llyen and me. He stood at the front, organising his papers with deliberate slowness. The silence stretched until I thought I might scream.
"Follow me, Miss Lys."
I walked down the steps on unsteady legs, stopping a few feet from him.
Professor Llyen handed me his papers and turned to leave the lecture hall. Up close, his pale eyes looked almost silver in the dim light.
"That rune has stumped scholars for decades. Most master-level students need months of study to understand the correction you performed in seconds." He explained to me as we walked down the hallway.
He paused, then turned to watch me carefully. "So I'll ask again, how did you know?"
"I don't know." My voice cracked. "I looked at it and just... knew it was wrong. The correction felt obvious."
"Obvious." He repeated the word like it tasted bitter. "Miss Lys, do you understand what you just did?"
I shook my head.
"You demonstrated knowledge that should be impossible for you to possess." He moved closer. "Knowledge that hasn't been widely taught since before you were born. Knowledge that even I had to study extensively to master."
“Can I not be naturally smart and have keen sight?”
Professor Llyen looked at me disapprovingly and shook his head. “You don’t just know runes, you learn them and then master them.”
My chest tightened. "Are you saying I'm in trouble?"
"I'm saying you're a mystery." His expression softened slightly. "And mysteries in the field of magical theory are either breakthroughs or dangers. Sometimes both."
He pulled out his tablet and made some notes. "I'm going to need you to work with me on a research project. Nothing invasive, just some assessments to understand the scope of your knowledge."
"What if I don't want to?" The question came out sharper than I intended.
"Then I'll be forced to report this incident to the department head." He met my gaze steadily. "They'll conduct their own investigation, which will be far less pleasant than anything I would ask of you."
Trapped. I was completely trapped.
"When do we start?"
"Tomorrow. Four o'clock. My office."
"Don't be late." He said loudly from over his shoulder.
Outside, the afternoon sun felt too bright after the dim interior. I squinted against it, trying to orient myself.
Someone grabbed my elbow.
I spun around, heart hammering, to find Liriel standing there with an odd expression on her face.
"We need to talk." She glanced around nervously. "Not here. Somewhere private."
"About what?"
"About what just happened in there." Her grip on my elbow tightened. "About what you can do."
Something in her tone set off alarm bells. "I don't know what you mean."
"Don't play dumb, Arwenna." She pulled me toward a quiet corner behind one of the buildings. "That wasn't normal. You know it wasn't normal."
We stopped in a secluded area between two structures. Liriel released my arm and crossed hers over her chest.
"Before your accident, you couldn't do any of that." Her eyes narrowed. "You barely passed Professor Llyen's class. You had no aptitude for rune work at all."
"Maybe I studied while I was in the coma." The words sounded ridiculous even to me.
"That's not how comas work." She stepped closer. "Something changed. Something about you is different now."
My pulse quickened. "Different how?"
"I don't know yet." Her expression shifted, almost predatory. "But I'm going to find out."
She turned and walked away, leaving me standing there with more questions than answers.
I didn't go to my other classes that day. Instead, I called Kaelith's driver and asked him to take me home early.
The house was empty when I arrived. Kaelith was probably at work, wherever that was. No one had bothered to tell me what he actually did for a living.
I went straight to our bedroom and collapsed on the bed, exhaustion hitting me all at once.
My phone buzzed. A message from an unknown number.
You need to be careful. Not everyone at Collegia is your friend.
Liriel. It had to be.
But which Liriel was this? The one who seemed concerned for me, or the one who'd just threatened me behind the buildings?
I deleted the message and closed my eyes, trying to shut out the day's chaos.
Sleep came quickly, but brought no peace.
Then I had a dream.
I saw blood everywhere in an unfamiliar place, even on me, and I was screaming very loudly, but no sound reached my ears.
Then a voice, cold and familiar, said: "You should just die, too."
I jolted awake, gasping.
- Writer
