Page 29 of Midnight Reign
He gives me a small smile, but I can see the worry in his white eyes. “Visions are tricky things. They don’t always mean what we think they do.”
I nod slowly. “Did you see?”
“Some.”
“Is that normal?”
“Nope.”
“So it was me? My power?” This can no longer be called anability. I think Blackthorn downplayed that a lot. This is apower. I know it now. I can not only amplify others’ powers, I can take them and use them. It’s how I created fire with Ignatius, and it’s how I did whatever the fuck that was before.
The bell tolls, and I look at the clock as Orby zooms out from under my pillow, scaring me half to death.
“Five past nine,” Corvus murmurs, “Time to get to class.”
“Ready for this?” Zephyr asks, a hint of concern in his voice.
I take a deep breath, squaring my shoulders. “Always. Give me five minutes to get ready.”
It’s only when I get up, naked and a bit chilly, that I remember I need to hit the laundrette up pretty badly. Guess I’m going commando.
“What’s your first class?” Ignatius asks as I pull on some black leggings, a white bra, and a black tee.
“Ancient Runes and Symbols, I think.”
“Same as me,” Zephyr murmurs.
We exchange a smile, but it’s forced. There is something he isn’t telling me, and of course, I’m hiding stuff from him, them. But I need to try to figure this shit out on my own first, before I can explain it to anyone. Right now, it’s a jumble of words, memories that aren’t mine, a flash of a future or a past even. I can’t tell.
Minutes later, as Zaiah snatches Orby and clutches him tightly, we make our way down the winding stairs of the tower, the familiar route now tinged with a new awareness. Every shadow seems deeper, every flicker of magick more pronounced. It’s like I’m seeing MistHallow for the first time all over again.
“I’ll work on the orb,” Zaiah murmurs. “There is definitely more to his story.”
As we step out into the courtyard, the night air is cool against my skin, I nod, noticing the changes around us. The damage from the Strix attack has been mostly repaired, but there’s a tension in the air, a wariness in the eyes of the students we pass.Everyone knows something big happened, even if they don’t know the details.
Zaiah and Ignatius drift off as Corvus walks in the same direction as Zephyr and me.
We reach the lecture hall, which is a circular room with tiered seating surrounding a central lectern. Ancient symbols and runes cover every available surface - the walls, the floor, even the ceiling. The air thrums with latent magick, making my skin tingle.
“I’ll see you later,” Corvus murmurs and kisses the top of my head.
I smile up at him but feel eyes on me. I look around and see Lyra glaring at us, but she shifts her face into a more neutral expression when she sees me notice her. She waves, and I wave back, determined to keep her on the right side. She is the Troy House Captain, so going against her would be a decidedly bad idea.
“What is Lyra?” I whisper to Zephyr.
“Hmm?” He looks up distractedly. “Shifter.”
“What kind?”
“General.”
“What does that mean?”
“She can shift into anything. It’s not as grand as it sounds. She is relatively low level in the bigger picture.”
Yet she still became House Captain. So maybe not so low-level.
As Zephyr and I take our seats, I notice the wary, even angry glances from our classmates. News of who I am has clearly spread, along with who knows what other rumours. I do my best to ignore them, focusing instead on the Professor who has swept into the room, her silver hair flowing behind her like a comet’s tail. Despite her ethereal appearance, there’s a sharpness to her gaze that commands respect.
