Silent Melody

Chapter 7: Shadows and Feathers

The weight of the black feather on my shoulder felt heavier than I anticipated. I couldn’t quite place what it symbolized yet, but it pulsed with a strange energy an echo of something that had been locked away for centuries. I knew what it meant, of course. A Veyla. Chosen. But why me? Why now?

As the days went by, the whispers around the academy grew louder. I could hear their voices, feel their stares as they tried to decipher the mystery of the new girl who had somehow caught the eye of Vince Elioterio, heir to the throne of their world.

It was strange, the way people’s perceptions shifted. Before, I was just another nameless face, barely visible, hiding in plain sight. But now, I couldn’t walk through the halls without feeling the weight of their gazes. There were murmurs, questions hanging in the air, but I remained silent because silence was all I had ever known.

---

When I woke up that morning, I knew something had changed.

There was a difference in the air—heavy, charged with something I didn’t fully understand. My new dorm felt colder than before, though it wasn’t the temperature. It was the sense of isolation, of being on the outside looking in. I had been chosen, yes, but for what? To serve? To guard? Or was I simply a token, a piece of the Royals’ game?

I stood by the window, staring out at the courtyard below. Students milled about, going on with their lives, yet I felt disconnected from it all. A figure appeared in the distance, cutting through the crowd like a blade. Vince.

He was walking toward the entrance to the Royal dorm, his tall figure moving with that same elegance, the weight of his presence commanding the attention of everyone around him without a word.

It had been days since the selection ceremony, and Vince had hardly left my side. He made sure I was settling in, checked on me before training, and always seemed to be around. He was, to put it simply, considerate, and with a depth of understanding that made him seem beyond his years.

---

At breakfast that morning, I sat alone at the far end of the table, just out of view of most of the students. Tasha, as usual, sat across from me, her icy demeanor cold enough to chill the room. She didn’t speak to me, didn’t even look in my direction. She was different since the selection. Her eyes had that sharpness, that edge that seemed to warn anyone from getting too close.

Yet, there was something more in her gaze when it landed on Vince. I noticed it more now her jealousy. Her coldness, I realized, wasn’t just directed at me. It was at everyone who dared to get too close to Vince.

She didn’t like me.

I didn’t need her approval, though. I didn’t need anyone’s. But I couldn’t ignore the tension that existed between us, thick and palpable. Still, Vince was here, beside me, talking to me as if nothing had changed.

“You’re quiet today,” Vince noted, his voice warm yet gentle, as though he had already come to understand my moods. “Is something bothering you?”

I shook my head, unsure of how to explain the chaos brewing in my chest. How could I tell him that my world felt like it was falling apart? That I was a Veyla, a mere extension of his power, but no one had bothered to explain exactly what that meant?

“You don’t need to explain anything,” he said, as if reading my thoughts. “But if you ever do... I’ll be here.”

His words were simple, but there was an undeniable sincerity in his tone. I didn’t need him to try to fix things. I just needed to know that someone cared. That someone understood the weight of silence I carried.

---

After breakfast, the academy went into its usual rhythm. The training grounds were filled with students, but today was different. Today, Vince was with me, staying close by, almost as if he knew the weight of what being a Veyla meant for me.

We were led into the arena for the next training session an exercise in mastering elemental control, a test of skill for the most advanced students. I wasn’t sure where I fit into all of this. I had never trained before. Never needed to.

Vince, however, was a natural. He moved with precision, his commands over the air and shadows as effortless as breathing. But it was more than that. It was his care for the students around him, his patience, his understanding of each person’s strengths and weaknesses.

“You’ve got this,” he said softly to me as I stood on the edge of the field. “You don’t have to push yourself, just take it slow. Let your Sona flow naturally.”

I wanted to argue, to say that I didn’t belong here, but his presence, his unwavering belief in me, made it hard to voice my doubts.

I focused on my breath, letting the Sona rise within me. It felt like a whisper in my chest, a subtle hum, but when I opened my mouth and let a soft note escape, the wind responded. The air shifted, moving with my voice like a second skin. It wasn’t much. It wasn’t grand or flashy. But it was mine.

Vince watched, his eyes soft with approval. “That’s it,” he said, his voice a quiet encouragement. “You’re doing great.”

---

The days blurred into each other. I trained, though it was mostly about feeling the rhythm of the world around me, the pulse of energy that came from the Sona. I spent more time with Vince, though it was never uncomfortable. He didn’t crowd me or demand anything. He just... existed with me. And that, somehow, was enough.

And then there were the moments that spoke volumes. The way he cared for me, without words, when he saw me struggling with a particularly difficult element. He would step in, subtly, just to guide me, his fingers brushing mine as if it was a natural thing. His warmth never felt invasive, just... present.

---

At night, when everyone else was asleep, I would slip outside to the courtyard, away from the prying eyes of the Royals. I would sing softly, summoning petals from the wind, a small act of creation that calmed my restless thoughts.

But one night, when I finished my song, I sensed someone watching me. I turned quickly, finding Vince standing in the shadows. He didn’t say anything at first, just watched me, his eyes intense, thoughtful.

“You’re beautiful when you sing,” he finally said, his voice low.

I froze, unsure of how to respond. He wasn’t just talking about my appearance, but something deeper. He saw me for who I was in that moment, not just as the Veyla, not just as a student, but as a person.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

He took a step closer, his presence enveloping me. “Don’t forget, Lara. You don’t have to hide. Not from me. Not from anyone.”

For the first time since I’d arrived, I felt a weight lift from my shoulders. Vince wasn’t just protecting me as his Veyla; he was offering me a piece of himself. A piece I didn’t think I deserve!