Lily

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  ?It had only been three weeks since Micheal and Angelica had gone their separate ways, but it felt like an eternity. Lily had chosen to be a healer, and she’d known this moment would come—the moment she’d be apart from her friends for four years. She had prepared herself for it, convinced herself it wouldn’t be that bad.

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  ?So why did she feel so empty? Why did it feel like a piece of her heart had gone missing?

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  ?“Hey… Lily? You okay?”

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  ?Lily forced a small smile at her—no, not her friend, just her classmate. Katie seemed nice enough, genuinely kind, but she wasn’t Micheal. She wasn’t Angelica.

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  ?“I’m fine, Katie. Just didn’t sleep much last night.” Lily tried to keep her tone casual, but Katie didn’t look convinced. Still, she didn’t push.

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  ?Lily missed them. The easy banter, the playful jabs, the way conversations flowed without effort. Here, it wasn’t the same. Conversations felt forced, the air always filled with hesitation. She could feel the eyes on her, sense the way the other students glanced her way before quickly looking down at their notebooks. No one dared to meet her gaze for too long.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

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  ?She knew why. They didn’t see her as Lily, the way Micheal and Angelica had. To them, she was a princess, a member of the royal family—not just another student.

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  ?She had thought about writing to Micheal, more than once. But something always held her back. Maybe she wanted to prove she could make friends on her own. Or maybe… maybe she was just waiting for him to write first. As for Angelica? Lily didn’t even bother. She already knew the girl wouldn’t reply.

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  ?“Lily—” Katie tried again, her voice laced with concern, but Lily barely heard her. Her pencil moved absently over the page, doodling mindlessly as her thoughts spiraled.

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  ?She had imagined these four years would be interesting. Yet so far, she had done nothing but history and theory. It was boring. Was this because she had chosen to be a healer? Maybe Micheal had been right. The least you could do is master nature.

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  ?Maybe she should have. Maybe she should have helped Micheal choose his path, asked Angelica what she wanted. Maybe she should have been less stubborn. Maybe—

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  ?“Lily?” Katie’s voice cut through her thoughts.

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  ?Lily barely registered it.

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  ?“Lily?” A hand shook her shoulder this time.

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  ?Lily snapped. “Oh my god, what is it?!”

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  ?She hadn’t meant to sound so harsh, but the words were out before she could stop them. She saw the flicker of hurt on Katie’s face, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. The silence, the stares, the weight of it all—it was getting to her.

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  ?Katie’s expression hardened. “Nothing. You’ve got a letter.”

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  ?She held out an envelope.

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  ?Lily’s heart skipped a beat the moment she saw the seal. Axel.

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  ?Without another word, she took the letter and walked out of the classroom, her pulse quickening. Whatever doubts or regrets she had moments ago vanished, her mind singularly focused on the envelope in her hands.

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  ?But as her eyes scanned the words inside, her breath hitched.

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  ?Her heart plummeted.

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  ?No. This couldn’t be real.

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