INICIAR SESIÓNKylanI walked beside Nate as we left for our final class of the day. Combat training.The halls were busy as students rushed past us, desperate to get to their next class. It should’ve been a normal afternoon, but for some reason it didn’t feel like it. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.“Kaelis sent me this message last night.” Nate pushed his phone in my face, and I turned the other way. It had to be at least the tenth time he’d brought her up today. “She said she’s counting down the days, and I told her so are we.”“Are we?”Nate looked at me as if I had just asked him the strangest question. “Yes!” he stated. He kept talking, and I forced myself to listen. Or tried to.But my sister coming here wasn’t something I was looking forward to. It didn’t matter that we had made up or that things were much better between us. She was still Kaelis, and Kaelis was a problem. Chaotic.So was Nate. They didn’t mean to be, but they just were. That was the worst part.Together? I didn’t even
VioletI tried to focus on the black apple in front of me. Everyone had received one after Jason’s demonstration, and now the room was filled with students attempting to replicate what he had done.Everyone was failing. Including me.“This is going to take months to master,” Trinity muttered beside me. Her hands hovered over her own apple. “There’s no way we’re getting this in one class.”Trinity never bragged much, but she had exceptional talent in healing. Yet even she was struggling.No matter how much I thought about it, it didn’t make sense. I knew I wasn’t using my eyes, but I had seen what I could do with my hands before. Experienced it. And if a child of blood couldn’t do this, then what could I do?I tried again. My palms hovered above the apple, trying to pull the darkness out. The action only seemed to be draining the energy out of me.Either I wasn’t trying hard enough, or I was too focused on Jason. Every few seconds, my eyes would drift toward him as he moved through the
VioletTrinity grabbed my arm. “Tell me I’m not imagining this.”“You’re not,” I breathed, still trying to process what I was seeing. I could only stare as the guy I recognized too well made his way to the front of the class.It really was him.Unmistakably.And when he smiled at Professor Jill, I finally understood why everyone had been losing their minds.“When did he get so…” Trinity whispered, her voice trailing off. “So…”“I know,” I breathed. He had grown a lot since I had last seen him, and was basically a giant now. Lean, well-built, and still as confident. His brown skin, as warm as the color of his eyes, caught the light, and his dark curly hair was cut short and neat.He wore a fitted black button-up shirt, paired with dark trousers and polished shoes. Simple, but it worked on him. Everything about him seemed effortless.No, Violet…That’s not important right now.The real question was what he was doing here?Around us, the reactions were still going strong. Everyone was ba
VioletI had gotten used to the dream by now, and this was nothing new.The Veil, the darkness, the voices…and then I fell. Only, this time I didn’t wake up. It went further.When the white faded, I found myself standing somewhere new. It was a field covered in soil, the clouds dark and ashy. I scanned my surroundings, but I was all alone.“Mom?” I called out, my voice shaking.“He’s coming, Violet.”My heart stopped. I had called out to Adelaide, but this wasn’t her voice. It was still Mom…my other mom.Claire…But how?“Mom?” I whispered, spinning around. “Where are you?”I was met with nothing. Just the wind brushing against my skin. “Mom, please talk to me!” I asked, my voice breaking. “Who is coming?”There was a heavy silence, but then I heard her voice again. It was strong and clear.“Kian.”Suddenly, a massive shadow appeared from the darkness. I recognized it all too well. Horns twisted from its head, and its eyes were a deep, horrifying red. I squinted to take a better look
VioletKylan looked down at our hands for a moment.“Barely,” he said. “It’s really just me. My thoughts, feelings, body.” He tugged my hand. “It’s all me. Valerius keeps it contained.”I nodded slowly, processing. “So if we…you know,” I blinked. “It’s not like your eyes will suddenly turn red and you’ll start saying ‘Child of Blood,’” I said, my voice dropping.Kylan burst out laughing. As the sound filled the room, I realized how much I had missed it, and it hadn’t even been that long. I just loved the way that genuine laugh would make his whole face light up. It was hard to get that out of him, but not for me.He reached out and softly flicked my forehead.“Maybe we do need to go to Aelius,” he said, still chuckling. “Because you’re being weird again.”“I am serious!” I laughed, rubbing my forehead. Our laughter faded as we stared into each other’s eyes. His hand traveled to my cheek, and he stroked it gently. Then we both leaned in, and he rested his forehead against mine.“Weird
VioletKylan’s eyes lit up. Which was strange, considering I had just told him I was disappointed in him. He almost seemed relieved.“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked. “About your disappointment?”I suppose talking about it gave him a bit more hope. He had been pushing for this conversation.My eyes scanned the busy diner. Students were walking past, laughing, eating, and these seats were a bit too light for a conversation that heavy. This wasn’t the place.I nodded my head. “I want to try,” I said. “But it’s probably best in your room. I don’t know how intense it might get, and my eyes…”“Intense?” Kylan repeated. “What do you think might happen?”There was this confused look in his eyes.“Like I said,” I told him, “I’m afraid we might never agree on this. No matter what you tell me.” I went on. “But I’d like for you to make me understand because I really want to.”He bobbed his head. “Yes, then we’ll do that,” he agreed. “Whatever you want.”~That’s how we ended up in his ro
Violet“Good,” Lady Mona went on. “I’m begging… no, I am telling you that if you did something to him, you have to undo it right now,” she said. “Or I swear to the Moon Goddess, I’ll—““You’ll what?” Kylan growled. “Run to the mountains and beg them to heal him?”Lady Mona licked her lips uncomfort
VioletWhat do I do?The question raced in my head over and over. I looked down at my palms, then back up at the shadow beast running toward us.I got my eyes to glow, great, but what now?The last time these hands had done anything useful, they’d stopped Chrystal, and I still had no clue how.Thin
KylanI never thought I would be back in this room, but here I was. In Kayden’s room.I closed the door softly behind me and stood still for a moment, watching the morning light slip through the tall windows. My eyes followed the light all the way from the floor until it finally reached Lady Mona.
KylanTears still streamed down the queen’s cheeks, and an uncomfortable ache settled in my chest. Even after everything, I could not stand seeing her like this.“I don’t know why I’m crying,” she huffed. “I regret the years we lost, but I suppose I brought this upon myself, didn’t I?”I lowered my







