I followed my family and Mr. Rosewall through a series of corridors packed with far more people than I had anticipated. From blue-colr workers, well-dressed businessmen, constables, and soldiers. Many of whom were not people from the construction site. Mother’s workshops and various other chambers that made up her tower seemed to be gutted and hastily converted into quarters for many of these refugees, many of whom did not fit in the rooms and took shelter directly in the hall. They y upon bedrolls and bnkets, their faces pcid and almost vacant of all expression, as if they couldn’t make themselves believe what’s been happening. Others who were alone rested against the wall, their knees close to their chest, while a few with friends or family comforted each other quietly.

  Those whose eyes would nd on us as we passed, those and somehow recognized me, brightened and got to their feet. My gut lurched as they began to gather around, fearing another scene like that in the central hall would happen again, and I sank behind my father. Yet before too many could approach and crowd us, Isa, who led with Mr. Rosewall, stopped them with a sharp gre. Murmurs of apologies and quiet thanks would catch my ear as we pushed past those, and I blushed faintly and clung closer to my father. He gnced down at me, and from behind, I could feel his hand resting on my back as we continued forward.

  It wasn’t long before we reached our destination. A rge double wooden door loomed before us, decorated with intricate engravings depicting symbols and shapes I had no recognition of. Judging by its size and prominence, I almost half expected this to be the door leading into my mother’s private chambers, for all I knew. Up ahead, I watched as Isa reached into her pocket and produced what looked to be a small crystal, perhaps a shard of magrite. Yet it didn’t glow the familiar, blue hue I’ve come to know. Instead, it cast a soft, yellow light. She then reached out with it toward a part of the door shielded by her body.

  It was then I heard a loud thunk, as if a heavy deadbolt had come undone, and the door creaked softly as it parted down the middle and opened. A bright, almost blinding light compared to the softly lit hallway poured out from the room, and I had to shield my eyes briefly, as did everyone else. Yet, as seconds passed, and my eyes adjusted, I noticed that the light from within was not like the light cast by the magrite mps we’ve passed in the hall, but instead sunlight.

  When my father began to follow everyone else into the room, I went with him, and I nearly gasped at what I saw. An expansive, long room stretched out before us. Its outer walls were lined with dozens of bookshelves stacked high, almost reaching the ceiling, and in the center of the room sat a rge king-sized bed with purple covers, set on a matching rug over the polished hardwood flooring. To the far end of the room was a long, glossy wooden dining table. Except for what I could see, it was covered with papers, books, and mugs, some of which were filled with pens. Yet the most astonishing part of all was that the vast panes of gss lined the outer wall, and beyond, a beautiful vista of rolling hills and a quaint vilge on the far-off horizon. Smoke barely visible wafted out from chimneys, and far off, flocks of birds danced among the clouds. A setting not too different from Oren.

  “Beautiful isn’t it?” Terry said excitedly. “When Madam Soza offered me this room, I about near had a heart attack. Even for me, such rooms would cost a fortune to stay in!”

  The door clicked shut behind me as the others began to disperse and exchange idle chatter as they got comfortable. Though my eyes never left the window. My gut twitched at the sight of the sleepy town. I knew this was one of my mother’s various illusions she had enchanted into this mystical tower, and yet I felt something in me I hadn’t expected when ying my eyes on it. Apprehension. Any second now, I half expected that… That thing known as Charity is to show up. Like the dream I had before waking, she had shown me something like this and offered to take me back. A vision meant to calm me and stir nostalgia was instead tainted.

  Damn her. My jaw set.

  “Do you… Do you think we’ll ever go home?” I blinked upon hearing the question and turned to see Varis standing beside me. His eyes were misty and glued to the vista before us.

  I opened my mouth for a second as my mind immediately defaulted to wanting to assure him, yet I didn’t. Instead, I paused, the words dying on my lips before they could even exit.

  Would we really ever go back? I thought.

  In our moments of flight, as the attack began, I saw the Veinrites y our town to waste. Memories of their missiles screeching down from the sky fshed before my eyes, and I grimaced and turned away, my lips firmly sealed shut.

  That was enough for him. Varis closed his eyes and took a deep breath, and in an uncharacteristically mature tone, he said, “It’s childish to think we ever will.” He opened his eyes, the mistiness cleared away, and he looked at me. “Home is probably just a burnt pile of wood anyways,” he said, ughing hollowly, and sounding very much like father.

  “I hope it isn’t,” I said, now finally finding the words. “A-and I don’t think it’s childish to hope that some day we can return,” I said, though once again, a part of me felt that wasn’t the case, a small, cynical voice—Fury’s.

  Varis gave me a soft, half smile and reached out to take my hand. He then, very much like our father would, took a deep breath and then suddenly fshed me a broad smile as if he had simply turned off the other emotions. “Do you know how Momma made a window like this?” He nodded to it.

  His sudden shift in demeanor caught me off guard, and I blinked, then gnced at the window. I pursed my lips for a moment and shrugged. “I dunno, honestly. Probably, uh, some kind of… enchantment or something.”

  “It’s acutally a programmed illusion,” A low feminine voice said from behind.

  Both Varis and I jolted upright and spun around to see a tall figure looming over us. She was tall, with broad shoulders; her suit was nicely tailored and rgely obscured by the dark grey cloak she wore. It took me a second to remember who this was; then it clicked —they were the magister from the day before, Lady Erianna—the one who seemed interested in making me her trainee.

  “Being so magically inclined as you are, I had thought you would recognize a basic dispy such as this,” The pompous mage said as she stepped beside Varis and me and stood off to our right, her white-gloved hands folding behind her back. Her sharp eyes narrowed on the illusory window like a teacher grading a test.

  “Luna is very smart!” Varis came to my defense. “Just because we didn’t go to some fancy school like you probably did, doesn’t mean we don’t know stuff.”

  I cringed internally and pced a hand on Varis’s shoulder to stop him. “I-It’s alright, Varis.”

  He frowned and looked at me. “What? She’s being mean!”

  Lady Erianna took a deep breath and dashed a hand nonchantly through the air. “Your sibling is, right… Luna, was it? Yes.” She nodded. “I was a bit crass in my statement, I apologize.” Her hand returned to being behind her. “I was trying to to state my surprise at how willingly you are able to dispy such power and raw talent, yet know little about its fundamentals.”

  I bit my lip and shifted nervously from foot to foot as I didn’t quite know how to respond to that. “Uh, well…” I blinked and cocked my head. “Wait a second. What do you know of my powers?”

  Erianna turned to me. “Plenty, from what I’ve observed yesterday it’s quite explosive and cks control. Yet, despite that, you seem to have some ability to direct it, emphasis on some.”

  Varis shared a look with me. “But…” My brother started. “Why didn’t you help us?” He asked exactly what was on my mind. His confusion turned to anger, and he scowled. “You’re a big wizard too, right? Like our Momma! Why didn’t you try and stop our aunt! You could’ve–” Erianna once again sliced the air with her hand and shook her head.

  “For reasons that aren’t of your concern, that is why.” She said dismissively, and I felt my blood suddenly boil.

  “Now that’s a load of krek–” I began, but bit my own tongue when the Archon arched her brow at me, yet it was in this moment that I remembered what Isa expined to me days prior. “The Arcane Codes of War?” I suggested, and Erianna’s brow lowered as she looked at me with a hint of surprise.

  Finally, she nodded. “Yes. You are correct. As an Archon, the codes forbid me from interfering in conflict unless a mage of equal measures is involved on the other side.”

  “That’s dumb!” Varis curled his fists. “Aunt Saria–or whoever that was controlling her was a powerful wizard! They hurt Papa, and me! And so many others!”

  “Varis,” I said, reaching out and pcing a hand on his shoulder. It hurt me to admit it, but it was true. “What’s done is done,” I said, “we… Won in the end, so it’s okay.” I didn’t believe that at all.

  “The beacon has been lit, Father has heard us… Hope comes to us once again.” Saria’s final words echoed in my mind. The fight may have been won, but whoever was controlling my aunt, the Prophet, as Bxen referred to them, they achieved their objective. Whatever that may be.

  I closed my eyes and shook my head. For now, there was no reason to dwell on it. My brother looked at me, his face filled with frustration, but finally, he took a deep breath and turned away from Erianna and me.

  “It’s still dumb!” he huffed and stormed off towards the table where the rest of the adults were at the other end of the room, leaving me alone with Erianna.

  “In time, he will grow to understand,” Erianna sighed softly, “There was a period once when I was like him, yet, such rules are there for a reason.” Erianna looked at me. “I hope you understand, Luna. Believe me, when I say that I wish I could’ve helped, and I am sorry for what has happened to your family.”

  I bit my tongue and winced. Every part of me wanted to retort, but I held myself back as best I could. Instead, I took a deep breath and nodded. “Thank you,” I said gruffly, then side-eyed her. “Now, what is it that you want? Or did you simply come here to point out your observations?”

  Erianna smirked and crossed her arms over her chest. “Straight to the point, are we? I like that.” She nodded.

  “More observations…” I sighed.

  Erianna chuckled. “A quirk of mine, I guess. But, yes. I came to in regards to your talents. I was not lying when I said you showed raw power, yet little control. With some proper training and skill, Luna, you could become a marvel–”

  It was my turn to dismiss her with a hand wave. “Step in line, Lady,” I said bluntly. “You’re like the fourth person who wants to take me under their wing.”

  Erianna’s eyes widened with surprise, and for a moment, she seemed speechless. “Excuse me?” That was all she said.

  “Well,” I started listing names off on my fingers. “First, there’s my own Mother. Second is Alexander, third is Mr. Lorzio Bxen who asked me earlier today, and now there’s you.” I met her gaze.

  Erianna leaned back. “Alexander? Do you mean Master Mihaljevi?, one of the st Elders?”

  I nodded. “Yeah, I think I recall him saying he’s super old or something. I met him back at the frontline, he gave me a brief tutoring session, and then this fancy ring.” I held out my hand with the ring protection wrapped around my ring finger. “Supposedly, it’s meant to protect me, but… I don’t think it works.”

  Now that I think about it, ever since I got the ring, I’ve nearly died multiple times, and I don’t even think it protected me once.

  Unless, Rational murmured, each of those prior life or death experiences was meant to have killed you outright, but the ring prevented them.

  Erianna’s brow arched, and she leaned over to peer at the ring. “Interesting, may I see that? Just for a second, dear, I’ll give it back.”

  I gnced at the ring again, then back up at her and shrugged. “Sure, I don’t see the harm.” I slipped the ring off my finger with a free hand and held it out to her.

  Erianna took the ring and began to examine it, turning to face the illusory window. Thoroughly, she held it up to the light and squinted. Then, her gaze fshed an ethereal blue and began to glow ever so faintly as mists of arcane light drifted off her eyes. After a few seconds of this, she closed them and clutched her fist around the ring and sighed.

  “Well, I know why this ring doesn’t work as you cim.” She turned to me and held her fist out with the ring.

  I frowned and held my hand out and let her drop the ring into my palm. “Wh-why?” I asked hesitantly.

  “Because this isn’t a ring of protection. It’s a finder,” She said, “The ring was never meant to protect you, but instead track you.”

  I blinked and shook my head. “Wh-what? Wait… No…” I frowned. “Why?”

  Erianna sighed. “Isn’t it obvious, child?” She asked me. “You said it yourself that Alexander showed interest in you. With an object like this, he could easily follow you, or even transport himself to you in an instant if he may choose to.”

  My heart twitched at her words, and I gulped. “But why? Why lie about it?”

  Erianna shrugged. “That, I’m afraid I do not know. The Elders of old are ones that cannot be easily trusted, especially those outside the Concillium. I would suggest, if I may, that you dispose of this. In fact, I can do away with it right now for you–”

  “Don’t,” I said quickly, “If what you say is true, disposing of it will alert them.”

  Erianna paused for a second, then smiled. “You are correct. Once again, I was getting ahead of myself. Thank you. In that case, I would suggest hiding it away. That is, if you don’t want them tracking you.”

  I gazed down at the ring in my palm. Why would he lie to me? I thought to myself and clenched my fingers around the ring. He said he was trying to keep me safe, instead… he was spying on me?

  Isn’t it obvious? The rational spoke. It’s the very same reason Erianna wants to teach you. The warning that Isa gave you all those months ago. You’re unprecedented—a prodigy in the arcane arts.

  I understood that, yet, even then. It didn’t help ease the betrayal I felt.

  “Luna,” My father called to me, and I perked up to see everyone else taking seats around the table at the far end. He was standing at the opposite head from Terry and waved me over, then gestured to the vacant seat beside my brother. “Come take a seat, it’s time we get you caught up.”

  ImmortanJoJo