Orryx Enchanted

On my way home

Chapter Four

Selene’s POV

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come?” Nina presses, her big brown eyes locked onto mine like she’s searching for cracks in my resolve.

I sigh. “I’m sure. I just need to check in with my parents and my sisters—make sure everything’s okay at home.”

Her lips purse, but she nods. “Alright… but be careful on the train.” She reaches into her pink designer bag and pulls out something small, pressing it into my hand. I glance down to find a pocket knife.

“Nina—”

“Take it,” she insists, closing my fingers around it. “I would give you my piece,” she says, nodding toward the concealed weapon in her bag, “but my brother strongly advises against handing out a gun registered to the family name.”

I snort, trying to downplay the small warmth in my chest. “I’ll be fine.”

Nina arches a brow. “Yeah? And if some weirdo follows you onto the train?” She makes an exaggerated horror-movie face, her dark curls bouncing as she leans closer. “What kind of best friend would I be if I let you get murdered in some subway station?”

I laugh despite myself. Nina’s family may be infamous—the Vittori name is spoken in hushed tones around the city—but she’s fiercely protective, especially of the people she cares about.

As we pull up to the station, she hugs me tightly.

“Bye! I’ll see you later, alligator.”

“Bye!” she giggles, stepping back. “Tell the sisters I said hi, darlings!”

“I will!” I call back, waving as I head toward the entrance.

The moment I step inside, something feels off.

A strange pressure settles over my chest, subtle but persistent, like a whisper of danger I can’t quite hear. I shake it off and take a seat near the departure screens, waiting for my train to be called.

Then, without warning, my vision goes dark.

⸻

The Premonition

The world shifts. The air crackles with heat.

I see a tall man standing a few feet away, his face twisted in a mask of pure fury. His eyes—dark and burning—are locked onto me.

I try to move, to run, but I’m frozen. The man lifts his hand, and in an instant, a fireball ignites in his palm.

Before I can react, he hurls it straight at me.

Glass shatters. People scream. My heart pounds—

And just as the fireball reaches me, the vision snaps away.

⸻

(Reality)

I jerk upright, gasping.

The station is still intact. No fire. No shattered glass. Just the normal hum of people moving, conversations blending into background noise.

But my skin prickles. Because something’s wrong.

I feel it before I see him.

The man from my premonition is here.

I whip around, scanning the crowd. And then—there. A few yards away, weaving through the sea of people, is him.

His gaze is locked onto me. His face is the same one I saw in my vision—anger etched into every sharp line.

Move.

I don’t hesitate. I push to my feet, my pulse hammering, and head toward the nearest exit. But the moment I take a step, I hear a sharp whoosh—

The air heats behind me.

I spin just in time to see his hand raised, another fireball sparking to life in his palm.

Panic spikes through me.

Then, out of nowhere, someone steps between us.

A tall figure, dressed in dark clothes, his body angled protectively in front of me. He’s built like a fighter—strong, powerful—but his movements are fluid, effortless.

The fireball hisses through the air—

The stranger lifts his hand, summoning a fireball of his own.

The flames collide in a brilliant burst of orange and red, scattering embers across the tile floor. Gasps erupt from the surrounding crowd as people scramble away, fear rippling through the station.

But my rescuer doesn’t flinch.

He moves with the grace of someone who’s done this before, hurling another fireball—this time striking the attacker dead-on. The man stumbles back, engulfed in flames, before disappearing into thin air.

I sway, my vision tilting. The premonition, the fire, the magic—it’s too much, too fast.

Then, strong arms catch me.

“I’ve got you,” the stranger murmurs.

His voice is deep, steady, but there’s an urgency to it.

And that’s the last thing I hear before everything goes dark.

⸻

When I wake, I’m being carried.

The heat from his body is the first thing I register. Then the sound of footsteps—his, moving quickly, decisively.

I blink up at him, dazed. “Who—?”

“Jace,” he answers, his grip tightening slightly. “We need to get out of here.”

I barely have time to process what’s happening before he sets me down, ushering me onto the train. He leads me toward the back, where we slip into a private compartment.

The second the door slides shut, I let out a shaky breath.

“What was that?” I demand. “Who was that man?”

Jace watches me for a moment, then exhales. “You’re asking the wrong questions.”

I frown. “Excuse me?”

“The real question is: why was he after you?”

A chill runs down my spine. I don’t have an answer.

Before I can press him for more, a shimmering portal opens in the center of the compartment.

A figure steps through.

Layton.

His stormy gray eyes sweep over the room before landing on me.

“We have to go,” he says urgently. Then his gaze shifts to Jace, and something flickers across his face—confusion, then something deeper.

Layton can read auras. It’s one of his specialties.

And right now, he’s looking at Jace like he’s seeing something he’s never seen before.

“Who is he?” Layton asks, his tone even but edged with suspicion.

Before I can answer, Jace smirks slightly. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Layton’s eyes narrow, but I step between them before things escalate.

“He saved my life,” I say, meeting Layton’s gaze. “And he might have information on the guy who attacked me.”

Layton hesitates.

I take a deep breath. “We should at least hear him out.”

Layton exhales sharply, dragging a hand through his hair. “Fine. But if he tries anything—”

Jace raises his hands in mock surrender. “Relax, I’m not here to cause trouble.” His lips curl into a slow, teasing smirk. “Unless you make it necessary.”

Layton scowls. “Let’s go.”

He reaches for me, but this time, he extends his free hand toward Jace as well.

Jace hesitates for a fraction of a second before grasping Layton’s forearm.

A surge of white light engulfs us.

As we vanish from the train, Jace’s voice reaches me through the glowing energy surrounding us.

“Looks like I’m coming with you, bella.”

And for some reason, the way he says it makes my heart skip a beat.