Page 5 of Fated for Flames

When my stomach rumbled, I realized I had lost track of time and only had an apple to eat. I needed food to keep my strength. Especially now that I was planning to attend physical classes.

Glancing at my new schedule one last time, I rushed out of my bedroom and walked to the cafeteria. The loud sounds of laughter told me that classes were over for some and that the cafeteria should be packed with students eager to eat so theycould use the rest of their free time scrolling their phones and gossiping.

But to me, going to the cafeteria meant that I would have to face Lia and this time I couldn’t pretend not to see her. After all, lunchtime was when we spent time together and she talked about everything that was going on in her life.

* * *

As expected, lunching at the cafeteria had me close to a heart attack. Still, as I waited in line to be served, I focused on the bustling dining hall, with its long wooden tables and the clamor of voices.

Although I had always known there was a subtle division among us, it wasn’t until today that I fully grasped the extent of the segregation between species. Each group maintained its distance, evident in their minimal interactions and the physical spaces they occupied. They sat distinctly apart from one another, with rows of empty tables between, creating a clear boundary that no one was to cross over.

Within our own kind, the segregation was just as pronounced. Other covens steered clear of ours, a fact that I knew all too well. We had claimed four tables exclusively for ourselves. Of course, Lia and her entourage commanded their exclusive table, one that remained unoccupied by others even when no other seats were available.

Why didn’t I ever notice the extent of our division before?

Was it because I had been too content in my bubble?

As I navigated through the crowd, tray in hand, I spotted Lia at our usual table.

Even if I didn’t know where she was, she would be hard to miss, her blonde hair catching the light in a way that made herseem almost ethereal. Her big gray eyes sparkled with laughter as she entertained her group of adoring listeners with a story. Lia’s beauty was undeniable, her skin glowed with a luminosity that seemed to draw people to her, much like moths to a flame. It was this magnetism that made her the center of attention, surrounded by a flock of fellow witches who hung on her every word.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the interaction.

The plan was simple: act as if nothing had changed, as if I was still the best friend she had always known. It was a role I knew well, yet now it felt like stepping into a costume that no longer fit.

My approach caught her eye, and her face lit up with a smile that once would have warmed my heart.

“Evelyn!” she exclaimed, her voice cutting through the ambient noise of the hall. “Why didn’t you wait for me? We could have returned to the academy together.”

“I woke up early,” I replied, my voice steady despite my inner turmoil. “Didn’t want to wake you. Thought I’d get a head start on the day.” The lie tasted bitter on my tongue, but it slid into our conversation as smoothly as if it were the truth.

As I looked into her eyes, searching for the shadows of betrayal, I found none. Only Lia as I remembered her before, without a trace of cruelty or malice.

Was she just good at playing the part or had she not turned against me yet?

As I sat beside her, trying to match her ease, I couldn’t help but observe her in this new light. The friend I had loved and trusted was now a stranger, her every gesture and word a potential clue to the betrayal that awaited me. It was a surreal experience, watching her laugh and interact as if our world hadn’t irrevocably changed.

Maybe there was still time to salvage this. Maybe I could find answers as to why she had turned on me in the cruelest way imaginable and prevent that from happening this time.

For now, all I could do was watch and wait. Keep a vigilant eye on Lia and those around her. Stay alert for any signs of treachery or impending danger.

The thought of facing the same fate as last time sent a wave of nausea coursing through me. The memory of being bound and helpless as flames licked at my skin…

No, I wouldn’t let that happen again. I wouldn’t let myself be a victim. Not this time.

I pushed my plate away, appetite lost.

“Oh, before I forget,” Lia suddenly said, her voice pulling me from my tumultuous thoughts as she rummaged through her backpack. She produced an elixir, a familiar shimmering vial, and extended it toward me. “Mom mentioned you’d forgotten to pick up your refill.”

The elixir, a constant in my life since I had moved into the coven when I was eight years old, had been a lifeline after the tragic loss of my parents and my subsequent integration into the coven’s estate. The seizures that once ravaged my body were tamed by this concoction, a testament to Morgana’s attentiveness. As my appointed guardian, she insisted on providing the best care possible, always reassuring me with warmth that she would spare no expense for my well-being. Despite its exorbitant cost, she treated me as if I were her own, ensuring I felt secure and cared for within the new walls of the coven estate.

Taking the bottle from Lia, I offered a quiet thank-you, feeling the elixir’s weight in my palm as a flicker of suspicion ignited within me.

What was the true nature of this elixir?

Until this moment, I had never questioned the purpose behind it or the origins of what I’d been told were my seizures. Had I been too trusting of the explanations provided by my elders, accepting their words without a doubt? But as I pocketed the elixir, a surge of excitement washed over me; this could be the first clue in unraveling the truth.

I couldn’t help but silently thank the moon for the end of what had undoubtedly felt like the longest lunch of my existence.

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