AuthorSME

  Sora stepped out of the transport gate, feeling the familiar, sticky pulse of Avalon’s magic pull at her senses. She blinked, her nose crinkling as the scent of burned earth and charred grass hit her. The field ahead of her was a mess—fttened patches of scorched turf, splintered wood from what looked like shattered targets, and the scattered remnants of what used to be pristine training equipment. The kind of destruction that suggested someone had really gone to town on it.

  Then, her eyes nded on Jin, sprawled out on a wn chair, her sungsses tilted back at an almost absurd angle, blocking the sun as if she were sunbathing on a beach instead of sitting in the middle of an active combat zone.

  Sora rolled her eyes, tail flicking in irritation. Only Jin could make the chaos of battle look so beneath her. If it wasn’t enough, she had wireless headphones in her ears, bobbing her head to some kind of music.

  Great investment on staff, Avalon, she internally sighed.

  Nearby, Jian was darting between three students—the only ones left from over a hundred she’d seen before—who looked like they might pass out at any second. A protective barrier encircled them from the White Tiger, but it only seemed to be stopping them from dying because the bruises on the two male and single female fae were quite the sight.

  Jian delivered swift, calcuted strikes, sending them stumbling backward with every blow, his face as impassive as ever. The students—sweating, bleeding, and struggling to hold up—didn’t stand a chance. Jian’s control over the fight was so precise that it looked like he was teaching them how to die slowly and painfully.

  Sora sighed. Okay, Jin. Seriously?

  She walked through the wreckage, walking over to where the dragon was lounging, her legs crossed and her arms behind her head as she yawned. She had no shame about looking like she belonged in a poolside resort, not a combat field, teaching students how to survive combat.

  “You look comfortable in this lecture, Professor. Okay, what happened to everyone that was here before?” Sora asked, crossing her arms and looking around at the devastation. “Where did Eyia go?”

  Jin flicked a zy gnce her way, shifting just enough to let her sungsses slide down her nose. “Eyia got frustrated with me making fun of her and stormed off to consult her dad or something. Whatever. The others?” She snorted, a grin creeping onto her lips. “They ran screaming when Jian started the combat sessions. Pretty standard reaction, I’d say. The guy’s not bad for a low dimensional normie.”

  Sora raised an eyebrow, wondering if she should feel bad for them or just ugh while taking a seat next to her, probably meant for Jian by the size.

  “Right.” She sank into the empty wn chair beside Jin, gncing over at the fight again, where Jian was still weaving between the students with predatory precision, his movements a blur. “They seem to be trying hard, at least. Do they have promise?”

  “Pfft. None at all.” Jin’s grin spread wider as she dropped her sungsses and leaned back in her chair, letting out a rexed sigh. “It’s a wonder any of them managed to close a Shadow Pit but I guess their resilience is adequate for the wimpy stuff. Anyway, so, how’d the css go with the former Unseelie queen?” she asked, her tone almost mocking.

  Sora straightened, shifting slightly in her seat as she stretched her legs out. “It went pretty well, actually,” she mumbled with a small smile, feeling a surge of confidence. “Se…well, she taught me a lot about controlling things in ways I didn’t know I could. More about the Shadow Pits and spiritual stuff. I mean, I’m not exactly a magic expert, but yeah, I’d say it was a success if I’m learning.”

  Jin’s golden eyes flicked toward her, her mouth twitching into something between a smile and a smirk. “Interesting thing you did, fixing her. As simple as it was. I wouldn’t have wasted a gnce on such weaklings. Why do you think Jian is teaching them? If I ran them through a drill, they’d die.”

  Sora’s ears twitched, and her tail flicked once at the sharpness in Jin’s voice. She knew what Jin was capable of—the kind of power that could decimate someone like Eric, when enhanced by Aiden’s causality powers. Someone capable of going toe-to-toe with a serious Eyia. She didn’t need to be reminded that in Jin’s True Dragon eyes, everyone here, including herself, were nothing but ants under her boot. Well, sort of. Her mom and Nilly got her respect.

  But that didn’t stop Sora from biting back. “Was it really that easy?” she asked, crossing her arms. “Because it didn’t feel that way when I did it. In fact, High Queen Titania had to step in to help me. So, maybe these ‘lower dimensional’ beings aren’t so bad.”

  Jin tilted her head, a look of amusement fshing across her face as she pushed her sungsses back up her nose. “Exactly.”

  “You’re going to have to expin how you reached that answer, Professor,” Sora grumbled, stifling a yawn herself as Jian brought the exercise to a stop to evaluate the three advanced fae, quaking and falling to their backs. “I can see why Eyia wanted to sp you and stormed off.”

  “Eyia would never do that,” Jin chuckled, throwing up her arms. Her voice was light, almost teasing, but there was no mistaking the sharpness underneath. “She didn’t want to fight Jian. It’s the only way she knows how to blow off steam, and she’s angry at herself for that. She wants to connect and feel a part of something bigger than her lonesome, pathetic life. Get with the program, Tails.”

  “Ouch.” Sora’s brow furrowed, trying not to let the dragon’s bluntness ruffle her fur. “I know you were holding back against Eric—hard—and you’re a real badass, but would it kill you to be a little less…”

  “Me?” Jin grinned, shades reflecting the sor fruit hanging from the tree as she gnced her way. “No. I’m a dragon, sweetheart. I don’t do tact. I have no reason to. Here’s a private lesson that should flick you between the eyes. Imagine this:

  “A sixteen-year-old girl—who didn’t even know she was a fox a month ago and who knows nothing about what she’s doing—managed to pull off what the most powerful people in an entire mythical realm thought was impossible. Which means…”

  Sora’s ears went up and then pulled back, not willing to say it. Jin was gracious enough to do it for her.

  “Meaning, pretty easy stuff, fox girl.” She looked up at the giant Realm Tree overhead, overshadowing everything. “It’s actually ughable how shocked everyone is by you. Like, sure, you’ve got a few points that lift my eyebrow but nothing that huge. But then again, that’s the life of lesser creatures at this lower dimensional, insignificant scale, isn’t it?”

  Sora froze, the weight of Jin’s words sinking in while also delivering a punch to her gut. She doesn’t have to y it out so…discriminatory. It’s like nothing on this level or these people matter at all. Which…I suppose, to her, they kind of don’t. All of this is a joke to her.

  Her life, all the horrible things that made her feel numb inside, the joys with her father and best friend, among so many other precious memories rose to the surface in defiance. It doesn’t mean I have to take that perspective, though…or else Wendy would mean nothing.

  “A difference in opinion,” Sora returned, her voice low as she tried to rex more and accept Jin for who she was, edges and all; she had her own issues with her family that skewed her outlook on everything. “I don’t expect to change your mind. I’m obviously worth you sticking around for—or, Eyia is…”

  “Nice save,” Jin ughed. “You’re a bonus interest that can curb my boredom. Plus… Well, we don’t have to go there.”

  The redirect caught Sora a tad off-guard. Something Jin doesn’t want to talk about?! If that’s the case then it’s dealing with her mother. I guess she wouldn’t like her hanging out with vulpes… I’ll crack your unfriendly shell eventually, Jin! Just you wait.

  “Right… It’s getting close to curfew anyway.”

  “Don’t bullshit me.” Jin pushed up her gsses and shifted her head to give her a more serious expression than before; the other students were now taking notice of them as Jian wrapped things up. “You’re scared to death of me. The only reason you’re here is to help the sad wolf girl you’ve pulled under your umbrel. Ask me straight.”

  Sora leveled a light gre her way. “Don’t bullshit me. You were the one who told me to come and talk before doing what I’m doing with Kari. Give off the ‘I don’t care’ vibes all you want, but I think you’re too scared to admit you are a bit interested in these ‘lesser creatures,’ Jin.”

  The dragon lifted an eyebrow, her smirk returning. “That was certainly straight and the backbone of a Founder. Wrong. But said with your chest. Bravo for that.” She reseated her gsses and id back with a rexing sigh. “But just so we’re clear, I’m not here to babysit. I’ll help you out, here and there, but I’m not holding your hand through it.”

  Sora’s tail twitched again, reevaluating her position, but she didn’t flinch. “I get it. Maybe that was a bit too far. You’re only helping me because Eyia would want you to… I’m not asking for hand-holding. I know I’m not the most prepared. What did you want to warn me about? Se already gave us the breakdown on Shadow Pits.”

  Jin’s smirk deepened, and she stretched, crossing her arms behind her head. “You’re here to learn, so it’s about time you acted like it. Look, I’ll tell you what no one will. You suck and you spread your energy too thin. It’s crazy what you do for a friend. Consolidate. Don’t apologize. And show the backbone you did when marching out to confront me.”

  Tail stilling, Sora sucked in her bottom lip for a moment before mumbling, “Is…that it?”

  The dragon shrugged, settling in as the fruit above began to rapidly dim and a horn rumbled through Avalon, signaling for the end of csses and curfew. “Depends on how deeply you let it sink in. You’re a Founder. Be real,” she growled, dropping her gsses a tad to stare at her with penetrating, illuminated golden eyes. “Nothing at this level should matter to you. Think about it.”

  What is she suggesting? Sora met her gaze, the hair on the back of her neck rising. Is…she telling me not to help Kari…or the Shadow Wolf isn’t worth our time investigating?

  Jin broke the tense atmosphere with a chuckle and pushed her gsses back up. “I’m going to get some sleep. Have fun hiding inside.”

  Sora couldn’t help the small, rebellious grin that slowly tugged at the corner of her mouth. “I see… I can handle that.”

  Jin’s face showed a hint of amused doubt, and she started her music again with a tap of a finger against the item in her ear. “We’ll see. Focus on what’s in front of you, and you might be surprised what you can do. Not everyone needs saving, Sora. It’s about intervening when you can but knowing when they need the support.”

  Sora nodded, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. She’d come to Avalon for answers, for training, for everything. Maybe I have been a bit too focused on saving everyone…because I felt like they didn’t have anyone else to rely on. Maybe I’ve been too much of a crutch, though. And, I’m a Founder.

  Rising to her feet, Sora felt butterflies swimming in her stomach, freedom flowing into her spirit by just seeing the zy dragon prepare to sleep right through The Darkness.

  Nothing matters… Meaning, I should have the power to do anything I want. Existence itself bends to my will… It’s not about the rules others make for me. It’s about doing what I think is right… Carve my own path.

  “Got it,” Sora returned, finding her elbow behind her back, heart feeling steady. “And I’ll be back for lessons, Jin! Just, maybe not this week,” she finished with a strained ugh while watching the three fae help one another limp to the teleportation gate, looking thrashed, but unbroken. “Hey! Yeah, you three—let me heal you real fast. I need practice anyway.”

  Jin snorted and settled in. “The most non-vulpes Founder in history… So ridiculous.”

  But you love it more than you’d like to admit, Sora internally snickered, jogging off to help the quaking fae, who were trying not to cry at the small offer of kindness. I am a Founder, Jin. And I’ll do what I want… Just like you.

  The air was heavy with the smell of earth and magic as Sora walked away from the training field, her thoughts whirling. Jian was fixing the field and the three Blossom students she’d helped earlier stayed behind to help, thanking her. Apparently, they weren’t the best 3rd Ranks…which was why they were here and trying so hard.

  They were a rank above Aiden, and yet, they had barely sted a few minutes each round against the white tiger. Sora’s stomach churned slightly as she reevaluated Jian’s strength.

  Somehow, Diane managed to get Fen and him under her thumb… The Foundation really is a shady bunch. I doubt they’re done with us, but Dad’s looking into it and Mom’s got a pn. Well…maybe her pn is for me to deal with it.

  Her tail flicked behind her in frustration as she absently wondered how the hell Fen and Jian even separated when they seemed so…master-servant. I know squat about so many things… Maybe Jin’s right. I should focus on what’s ahead of me. It would be nice to know a bit more about them, though, if Fen is teaching at the main lecture hall I go to.

  No! Focus, Sora. You’ve got other things to figure out.

  She let the thoughts fade as she continued her walk once through the transport gate, passing by groups of fae and magical creatures heading toward their dorms. The lights of Avalon’s bright heaves flickered above, the gentle hum of magic like a background track to the academy’s pulse. But when she reached her dorm, she felt a noticeable shift in the pulse beneath her feet. Pausing, she gnced down, a shiver running up her tail to her ears.

  Something…old is creeping up. It’s stopping…but somewhat…familiar? Founder magic? Oh, Kari…

  Her mind was snapped back to attention as the smell reached her nose, and she gnced at the corner of the courtyard. There, lying across a bench, was Kari. Her legs were crossed zily, one arm slung over her eyes, and the other tapping rhythmically against her thigh.

  At first, Sora just stood there, watching her tail sway left and right—she looked annoyed. Please, don’t bark at me…

  Kari didn’t even flinch when Sora approached, not until she sat down beside her, the sound of their tails swishing in unison.

  “So. Busy day?” Sora started, her voice light.

  The wolf rolled over slightly to look at her, giving a half-shrug and nonchant tilt of her head.

  Sora tilted her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. “And the typical Kari answer,” she sighed, leaning back and watching quite a few various monsters exit the teleportation gate to reach their dorms. They didn’t even get a gnce. “I assume you got my message?”

  “Do we really need to make smalltalk,” Kari muttered, tapping her fingers against the bench, her gaze drifting to the fading lights above. “It’s all high school here. Just like I expected…just without the sports as a bonus and a lot more backbiting.”

  Sora sighed, her tail flicking once, then again, as she settled back against the bench; Kari was taking up the majority of it, including her tail that flicked dangerously close to her arm. “I hope that’s not meant for me. I’m not trying to ditch you. I’m not talking behind your back. I’ve been trying to…”

  “Not what I was talking about,” Kari grunted, dully amber eyes drifting her way. “I did the high school thing, Sora. I’m not here to do it again is all I’m saying. Geez, you’re acting like I think you’re the preppy rich girl talking about how trash everyone is. Get over yourself.”

  Unable to help a light chuckle, she saw a twitch come to the corner of Kari’s mouth. Nice to see she’s getting well enough to joke a bit. Repeating my words to her. Not bad.

  “You wanna talk about the Shadow Pit, right?”

  Kari stiffened, then shifted to sit up. “So you weren’t flirting with every boy you saw like Wendy made it sound like when she came back.”

  Sora’s ears parted, lying as ft as her expression. “I’ll twist her tail when I get upstairs. No. One guy that is going to help us with the forest spirit and she’s making up fanfiction. I swear, she’s out of control.”

  “Not how she made it sound when talking with Eyia,” the wolf mumbled with a stifled yawn. “I think she’s a little intimidated by me with all her gnashing teeth.”

  A lightning bolt of realization stuck Sora as she cast her gaze toward one of the open windows. Their window. You’re going to get me in trouble, Kari! She’s just worried about me… About us. Wendy’s figuring her own stuff out.

  “She has a right to be concerned,” Sora redirected, straining a ugh. “I have been a bit…too open tely. Maybe I can take a lesson from you. So…want to hear what Se told us about the Shadow Pits?”

  Kari’s lips curled downward, but she didn’t argue, which was an improvement as the wolf pushed herself up. “I’m listening.”

  “Okay, so, Se said they’re like imprints of things that got sucked into The Darkness… Not just the dead, or trapped souls, but objects, ideas, fragments of time. And that’s where this Shadow Wolf comes in… I don’t think it’s…alive. That one, anyway.”

  “...” Bck tail flicking against her leg, Sora jumped as Kari’s fingers cracked the bench wood, biting her lip and drawing blood. “Are you…saying we shouldn’t check it out?”

  “What? No.” Shifting her posture, she met Kari’s sudden intensity with a confused frown. “But something’s telling me this is a lot more personal than you were letting on. Umm. I’m just saying the Shadow Pit isn’t a living thing. It’s…an impression of The Darkness. But it’s not what we thought. It’s a memory…. The heavy type, that leaves scars.”

  Kari looked at her with that sharp gaze of hers, something calcuting behind her bright, amber eyes. The blood ran down her chin and dripped onto her thigh. “So what you’re saying is, the wolf…is actually in The Darkness? And this is just an imprint? She didn’t feel like that, Sora.”

  “I…don’t know what to tell you,” Sora mumbled, tone lowering as she cast a sound barrier around them and made a show of it so Kari would know. Turning to face her, she frowned as the wolf’s arms drew in defensively but decided to take a page out of Jin’s book. “Kari…”

  “What?” She kicked her legs out with a heavy exhale, then stood, brushing off the dirt from her pants before turning to leave. “Okay, fine. I get it. Saturday, then? We’ll see what this forest spirit has to say.”

  “Wait, don’t go,” she pleaded, standing to block her way, despite having to look up at the much taller girl; the smell of her blood made her crinkle her nose. “Can I say something at least?”

  Kari’s lip was already healed, yet she looked away with a huff, clearly waiting for her to speak so she could stonewall her and keep going. Sora caught a few of the female students that just teleported in stop to watch, probably wondering if there was going to be a fight. She also knew she’d made huge headway with Kari in the friend department, and Kari was the type to appreciate bluntness… She just had a hard time responding with it due to her brother’s conditioning.

  “Kari,” she whispered, softening her tone and seeing the flick of her ears and twitch of her tail. “I get this means a lot to you… A lot. You aren’t willing to share. That’s okay.”

  Bck tail lowering, confusion swirled in Kari’s amber eyes as they darted to her, uncertainty evident since she’d been more than pushy in the past. Mary had helped with that, though. “What do you mean, that’s okay? You obviously want me to talk and do the whole spill my guts thing.”

  Fshing her teeth, Sora showed as bright of a smile as she could. “I’m your friend, Kari, not Mary. I want to help you where you need it. If that means not digging into whatever passed between Ylva and you and this whole Shadow Wolf business. Then I’m fine with that. If you want me to come support you, whatever it is. I trust you. Saturday, you and me. Well,” she scratched her left ear with a forced grin, “and the hot fae guy I met that is going to connect us with the forest dy.”

  Kari’s face softened with a ‘really’ look before she puffed out her anxiety with a much needed chuckle. “You’re ridiculous… Okay. I’m going to be off doing my own investigation then. Cool?” When Sora creased a suspicious eye, she scratched her neck and growled, “Not in the forest. I’ve got something else I want to look into.”

  Smile returning, Sora held up a pinky, one Kari looked at as if she was a child.

  “Seriously?”

  “Mmm!”

  Sora put on a pyful pout and held it up further, hearing the fae girls mumbling to one another, wondering if they were making some magical seal pact or a decration of challenge in ‘their culture’ whatever that meant. It only took another few patient seconds of the staring contest before the wolf relented.

  “You’re acting like my mom…” Kari grumbled, linking pinkies.

  She shook it up and down. “Oh, don’t start with me! This is probably the first pinky promise you’ve ever made. Ahh, I knew it!” she snickered at her shifting eyes. “It’s a promise. I’ve got your tail. Eh… In a good way!”

  “You’re a real piece of work, Sora.”

  Laughing as she walked past her to enter the dorm and likely go upstairs to sleep, Sora watched her go. It’s okay, Kari… Open up in your own time.

  Sora made her way after the wolf, feeling the day’s tension settle into her bones. She moved through the hall quietly, taking in the soft glow from the magic mps and the occasional murmur of voices in the distance. She pushed the door open, stepping into the shared room she now called home, at least for the next six weeks.

  The scent of fresh undry and faint herbs greeted her, a strange comfort after the chaos of the day. Wendy was sitting on her bed, her brows furrowed, scribbling something in her notebook with a bunch of her clothes folded around her for some reason. There was a restlessness in the air around her—Sora could tell.

  She had been on edge ever since they arrived. The usual lighthearted energy Wendy carried seemed strained tely, repced by frustration that was becoming harder to hide. Something is eating you up inside, Wendy… I guess I’ll just have to wait until you open up, too. Maybe I’m the cause…or that nine-tailed Kumiho.

  Hand still on the door knob as Wendy suspiciously gave a start, trying to hide whatever she was writing. Sora purposefully gnced away, looking at the door across the hall, where Selene and Kari’s room. Please, be nice to her Kari. She seems like a nice girl.

  Returning to the room, she shut the door, spotting Eyia on her bed, eyes closed. Floating, which was totally normal, the Valkyrie was in some meditative state. Her legs crossed, her aura swirling with very unusual patterns. Hopefully, she’d find some answers from her father, however that worked. She had gotten used to Eyia’s strange ways but there was still so much she wanted to learn about the Asgardian Primordial. She seemed…lost.

  Wendy poked fun at Eyia in a light-hearted manner when she finally opened her eyes, throwing a few pillows her way. Eyia’s retaliation was legendary, turning them into shrieking, giggling maniacs as it turned into a full out war. There was a somewhat flimsy serenity to her after her meditation session. Still, opening up would come in Eyia’s time.

  Just as the pillow fight was winding down, Sora spotted her move. Tail turned, guard dropped, and taking inspiration from Eyia’s constant advice, Sora made her move for the comments her brunette sister made so brazenly!

  Without a word, she bounced on her puffy tail, unching herself onto Wendy’s bed with a pyful grin. The tanuki barely had time to react before Sora applied the new wrestling lock she’d perfected—in theory—an impromptu move that had her ughing and gasping. Her sister tried to squirm away, but Sora held firm, grinning triumphantly atop her.

  “What the hell, Sora! I’m pinned! I’m pinned! Uncle!”

  “Haha! I think you owe me an apology! I’m a floozy fox who’s winking at every guy I pass, hmm?” Sora ughed.

  “I never said floozy! Kari’s a liar! I only said you were talking to a bunch of guys!”

  “Ho-ho!” Sora roared, squeezing the base of her tail and making her sister quiver and go stiff as a board, totally paralyzed. “So you did snder my good tail, madam!”

  “Fine, fine,” Wendy cried, but the pyful light in her eyes was undeniable. “I give. But I totally didn’t call you floozy!”

  Crawling off her, Sora snickered. “And neither did she.”

  Eyia’s head tilted to the side, long blonde locks draping onto the bed. “I am not in the understanding. Sora called herself the floozy? Does she enjoy the dances of exotic poles, as Jin once told me?”

  Sora’s mouth sckened as Wendy began gasping for air and doubling over. “Jin said what about me and exotic pole dancing?!”

  Wendy, wiping tears of ughter from her eyes, sat up, tail continuing to beat her bed with mirth. “It’s a ritual she does for the room, Eyia! It’s very necessary. She should demonstrate and conjure up a pole.”

  “Wendy!”

  Eyia’s eyes went wide with understanding. “I see. It is a room welcoming ritual. Should I join? For the sanctification of this shared room?”

  The absurdity of it all broke through Sora’s gasp of ughter, and she grinned widely, meeting Eyia’s gaze. “Okay, if all of us want to show off how terrible at dancing we are, but I’m not doing this alone, Wendy! Get your tail up!”

  Wendy rolled her eyes, though she couldn’t suppress the smile on her lips. “Yeah, sure, just don’t make it weird, okay? And what are you talking about making a fool? We both know Eyia’s a freaking monster at dancing the st time we went to the club with her.”

  “The only time,” Eyia corrected with a bright smile, her blue eyes sparkling. “I can show you the jiggly shuffle the women were doing. I have memorized their strange ways of movement.”

  With that, the ughter gradually died down with the absurdity of their antics, but it felt good, like they were finally finding a rhythm in their new space. A sense of family, even if it wasn’t perfect yet. They all crawled into bed at the close of the night, and drifted off to bed.

  The week passed in a blur of learning and growing, each day feeling like a step toward something bigger. Sora spent hours working with her magic, learning to feel and understand spiritual forces in a deeper way. She didn’t meet Aelion even once during the rest of the week, but she smelled him in Se’s lecture hall every other day, seemingly attending her more advanced lectures.

  Ember was still a mystery. It was starting to really concern her.

  As for Jian and Fen, the woman appeared infatuated with her boss, which Sora didn’t know how to feel. On one hand, he was fascinating to listen to and learn about the functions of magic. On the other, she felt like…something was wrong. Not magically. It just felt a little…off? Maybe the power dynamic between them but at the same time, they were hundreds of years old. Retionship stuff was weirder in this world and she didn’t know how to feel about it yet.

  Se had taught her how to read auras more efficiently, how to sense the magic in everything, and how to filter out distractions when trying to communicate with someone’s spirits.

  Sora had become more attuned to the subtle pulse of energy that flowed through Avalon, able to discern faint traces of magic in the air around her and the people she interacted with. But the deeper mysteries of the Shadow Pits and their connection to The Darkness still gnawed at her, especially with Kari’s enigmatic silence on the matter. She was full on MIA for most days until curfew just sounded.

  On Friday night, after a long week of practice, Sora found herself lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling. She gnced over at Wendy, whose frustration was now more visible than ever. Her sister’s magical progress seemed to stall, her agitation spilling out when she tried to practice with her. It wasn’t just the ck of results; it was the constant feeling of the Null-Void calling to her.

  Sora turned over and looked at her brown-haired sister, sleeping on her side. Maybe Sunday I can dedicate some time to do some Null-Void training with her. Obviously, she wants to try it out just to feel like she’s doing something… Auntie Rose seems to be encouraging her. At least…that’s what Wendy says her coiling vines mean.

  Her lips pulled into a line. I’m starting to think you’re not being honest with me, Sis… What’s going on with you?

  Flipping to her back, she left out a soft sigh. In any case, tomorrow is about Kari. We finally get to see what’s happening with this Shadow Wolf business. If only Kari was as easy to read as Wendy but she’s so…tucked into her turtle shell. Maybe that will change tomorrow.

  Turning back toward the edge of the bed, she smiled slightly as she thought of Nilly. The cat had been totally absent during the fun they’d had some days and a nervous wreck others. It was hard to tell what they’d get out of the Mother of Cats. Currently, she was curled up between Wendy’s legs, purring like there was no tomorrow and likely dreaming about a sardine armada.

  Maybe this is Nilly’s attempt to call out for help… In time. I’m just gd we’re on the up.

  Then, as the st thought of the night floated through her mind, she closed her eyes, thinking briefly of her mother. It was odd. She’d never felt so strongly connected to her in this pce, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that her mother’s influence was somewhere in all of this—especially in that Shadow Wolf.

  Whatever you’ve got pnned for me, Mom. I know you’re probably right…while simultaneously causing Noelia to pull her tail fur out and burning down the hotel trying to cook breakfast. You really are a total screw-up in the family, huh? I wonder how my other aunts were…

  With that final thought, Sora let herself drift into sleep, knowing that the answers she was looking for would come. In time.

  AuthorSME