Starborn Shadows

Chapter Two

The morning of her departure came too quickly.

Isla had been awake long before the light settled properly into the room, staring at the ceiling like she could delay the day just by not moving. Her bag sat by the door, zipped and ready, looking far too small for something that felt this big. For a second, she considered rolling over and pretending none of it existed.

‘If I don’t get up, I’m technically not leaving.’

That logic almost worked. Almost.

She sighed and sat up. Mira was already in the kitchen.

Of course she was.

“You didn’t sleep,” Mira said, not even turning.

“You didn’t look,” Isla replied, pausing in the doorway.

“I didn’t need to.”

“That’s creepy.”

“It’s accurate.”

Isla muttered under her breath and dropped into her seat. “You could at least pretend to check.”

Mira slid a plate in front of her. “Eat.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“You’re leaving today.”

“That doesn’t suddenly make me hungry.”

“It means you need energy.”

“I can survive on vibes,” Isla said, picking up her fork.

Mira finally turned, giving her a flat look. “You cannot survive on vibes. I raised you. I absolutely know that.”

A small smile tugged at Isla’s mouth before she looked down, hiding it as she started eating. They fell into a quieter rhythm after that not heavy, just slower, like both of them were avoiding something sitting between them.

“You’re very calm about this,” Isla said eventually.

“Should I be panicking?” Mira asked.

“Normal people would at least be dramatic.”

“I burned dinner last night. That was dramatic.”

“That was you forgetting the pot on the fire.”

“Same thing.”

Isla let out a soft huff of laughter, but it didn’t last long. “I can stay, you know,” she added after a moment, casual in a way that wasn’t convincing. “I don’t have to go.”

“It’s fine if you stay,” Mira said.

Isla blinked. “That’s it? You’re not going to argue with me?”

“Do you want me to?”

“…No.”

“Then why are you asking?”

Isla frowned slightly. “Because you’re supposed to push me. Or say something convincing.”

“I already did. Yesterday.”

“That doesn’t count. That was yesterday me.”

“And today you is different?”

Isla opened her mouth, then paused. “…Maybe.”

Mira smiled faintly. “You’re not staying.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do.”

“Why?”

“Because you packed your books.”

Isla stilled.

“You took three. You don’t take those anywhere unless you’ve decided.”

Isla exhaled, dropping her fork. “I don’t like this. I don’t like leaving. I don’t like that you’re okay with it.”

Mira paused, then her expression softened. “I’m not okay with it,” she said quietly. “I’m okay with you going.”

Isla didn’t respond immediately. That landed deeper than she expected.

“That’s a terrible way to say you care,” she muttered.

“It’s the honest way.”

They didn’t say much after that not because there was nothing to say, but because saying it would make it real.

By the time Isla stood by the door with her bag, the house felt different. Not empty. Just… aware. “This is it? No dramatic send-off? A speech? Tears? Something?”

“You wouldn’t listen to a speech.”

“That’s true.”

Mira stepped closer, adjusting Isla’s collar slowly. “You’ll need better boots.”

“I like my boots.”

“Your boots fall apart when you walk too fast.”

“I don’t walk too fast.”

“You trip over flat ground.”

“That happened once.”

“It happened yesterday.”

“…That doesn’t count.”

Mira smiled softly, brushing something invisible off her shoulder. “Don’t start fights,” she added.

“I don’t start fights.”

“You escalate them.”

“That’s not the same thing.”

“It is to everyone else.”

Isla rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. Mira’s hand lingered for a moment before dropping. “Pay attention.”

“To what?”

“Everything.”

“That’s not helpful.”

“It’s not meant to be.”

Isla frowned slightly. “You’re doing that thing again.”

Mira didn’t respond.

A beat passed.

“…I’ll be back,” Isla said.

“I know.”

“You sound very sure.”

“I am.”

Isla nodded once, like that was enough. “Go before you change your mind,” Mira added.

“I’m not going to change my mind.”

“You almost did five times this morning.”

“…That’s not proven.”

Mira just looked at her.

Isla huffed. “Fine. I’m going.”

She turned, walked a few steps, then paused. “…Don’t burn the house down.”

“No promises,” Mira replied.

That was enough. She didn’t look back again.

***

The bus station was louder than she expected. People moved in every direction, laughter, complaints, nervous questions echoing off the concrete. Most of them looked like her. First years trying not to look like it. Isla adjusted her grip on her bag and spotted the bus almost immediately. It didn’t look special, but something about it felt quieter than everything else, like it didn’t need to compete for attention. That’s probably it.

She climbed on.

The inside was already filling up, voices overlapping from seat to seat. Isla moved through them, scanning for somewhere to sit—not too close, not too far. Just somewhere she could exist without being pulled into anything. She slid into a window seat and leaned her head lightly against the glass. Outside still looked normal. That helped.

“Is this seat taken?”

Isla looked up. A girl stood beside her, already halfway committed to sitting. She had a naturally bright presence—open, easy, the kind of face that made conversation feel simple whether you wanted it or not.

“No,” Isla said.

“Great,” the girl replied, slipping in beside her. “I’m Kaia.”

“Isla.”

“First year?”

“Yeah.”

“Same.” Kaia leaned back, glancing around. “This is… a lot. I might regret talking to you in five minutes, but I’m committing now.”

Isla glanced at her. She talks like she’s known me for years.

“That’s one way to do it.”

“You look calm though.”

“I’m not.”

“Good. I thought I was the only one pretending.” Kaia smiled. “I talk when I’m nervous.”

“That explains a lot.”

Kaia laughed. “You’re quiet when you’re nervous?”

“I’m not nervous.”

Kaia raised a brow.

“…Right,” Isla added.

Behind them, a loud thud broke through the chatter. “I’m telling you, Jax, if the food is bad, I’m starting a rebellion,” a guy said, leaning over the aisle as he tried to force a bag into the overhead compartment. “I don’t even know against who yet, but I’ll figure it out.”

“You’ve been talking about food for the last forty minutes,” the boy beside him replied without looking up from a small notebook. “Sit down.”

“I’m a growing boy. I need sustenance.”

The first guy dropped into the seat across from them, completely unbothered. He caught Kaia’s eye and grinned. “First years?”

“Is it that obvious?” Kaia asked.

“You’ve got the ‘I hope I don’t die’ look. Don’t worry, he has it too but he just hides it better.”

“I don’t have a look,” the other boy muttered, finally glancing up. His eyes flicked briefly to Isla before returning to his notebook.

“I’m Leo,” the first one said. “That’s Jax. He’s the brains, I’m the personality.”

“Debatable,” Jax muttered.

Leo ignored him. “So, do either of you actually know what happens during orientation? I’ve heard like six different rumors and none of them involve sleep.”

“I heard we just get schedules,” Kaia said. “And try not to get lost.”

“Boring,” Leo sighed. “If I’m leaving home for this, it better be worth the bus ride.”

Isla looked at him. “Maybe if you stopped talking, the ride would feel shorter.”

Leo blinked, then grinned. “A critic. I like her.”

He’s loud. Noted.

The bus started moving, the shift smooth enough that it took a moment to notice. The station faded behind them, replaced gradually by open roads and quieter surroundings. “Okay,” Kaia said, leaning toward the window. “This is already nicer than where I came from.”

“It’s quiet,” Isla said.

“In a good way,” Kaia added quickly. “Not empty. Just calm.”

Isla nodded. They rode like that for a while, conversation fading in and out.

“So what do you think it’s really going to be like?” Kaia asked after a bit.

“Structured,” Isla said. “Probably strict.”

“Yeah… I feel like everyone there already knows what they’re doing and we’re just—new.”

“We are new.”

“That doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

Isla almost smiled. “You’ll be fine.”

“That sounded fake.”

“It was.”

Kaia laughed softly just as the bus slowed. “Wait, are we there?”

Isla straightened slightly.

The gates came into view first—tall, iron, and solid without trying too hard. The bus passed through them easily, and then the campus opened up.

Kaia let out a quiet breath. “Oh.”

Isla didn’t say anything at first. The space stretched wide, buildings set apart instead of crowded together, stone structures, tall windows catching the light, pathways curving through open grounds that looked carefully maintained without feeling forced. Students moved around outside like they belonged there.

“That’s big,” Kaia said.

“It is,” Isla replied.

The bus rolled further in before coming to a smooth stop. For a second, no one moved. Then Kaia sat up, adjusting her bag. “Well… this is it.”

Isla picked up her own, the weight of the books inside grounding her. It didn’t feel avoidable anymore.

It felt… decided.

“Yeah,” she said quietly. “This is it.”