AuthorSME

  A cold morning mist curled around the dormitories as Sora, Wendy, and Nilly stepped out into the crisp Avalon air. The Cat Mother was back in her feline form after dressing, sitting atop her brunette sister’s shoulder. The sun barely kissed the sky, casting long shadows against the towering architecture of the academy. The stone pathways hummed softly beneath their feet, ced with intricate fae enchantments that shimmered with every step.

  Most of the students seemed to be sleeping in but she spotted a few vulpes girls ahead of them, heading for the portal across the bridge. Their two tails swayed behind them as they gnced back, curious smiles lifting their mischievous faces. Magic swirled around one as they dampened their voices to whisper about them before disappearing into the gate.

  Right now, we’re just the interesting girls in the dorm, Sora internally sighed, but that could change fast. It’s…more like I’m Kari here, though. Everyone whispers about me behind my back, good or bad, and looks but don’t want to interact with me. Huh… Feels weird.

  “Alright,” Wendy muttered beside her, rubbing the string of her amulet, hoodie pulled up. “Tell me again why we need to go see Miss-Scary-and-Disapproving to go to your realm? I thought we were basically untouchable.”

  Sora rolled her shoulders, already regretting this decision while thinking about the entrance ceremony and Elder Abigail Rosewood’s introduction. “Because I need a few answers first. And you know, official channels and all that? I’d rather not cause problems where there doesn’t need to be.”

  “Official channels, my tail,” Wendy huffed. “This is about Ember, isn’t it? I just hope she doesn’t like, send us to detention for something Kari did. Seems like something the punishment officer would do after that speech she gave. You know, collective punishment military stuff.”

  Nilly let out an exaggerated meow from atop Wendy’s shoulder, her fluffy bck fur bristling slightly.

  “See? Even the mighty Cat Mother agrees,” Wendy muttered, tail flicking to the side as they passed the bridge. “Do we really need to see Ms. Rosewood or can we just go straight for… What’s her name? Grand Chancellor Elowen Moonfellow?”

  “Moonshadow,” Sora corrected, not entirely disagreeing. “And maybe we can… I don’t really want to go straight to Ms. Rosewood and ask her to her face if she messed with Ember’s mind. That’s…like Academic suicide, I feel.”

  “Uh, duh! You know that movie we watched when we were ten? Let’s not try to paint a bigger target on our backs when we can be, uh…more discreet about it or figure it out ourselves. I get the ‘ask for permission’ part with the realm thing since it’s a gray area, but Ember? Yeah, let’s work smarter, not dumber.”

  “Fair point… We’ll see what happens. I know Ms. Rosewood isn’t my biggest, ahem, ‘fan’ after I snubbed the Entrance Ceremony. Maybe we can fix things? Maybe Ember’s punishment wasn’t her fault and it was someone under her? You never know.”

  Wendy gave her a doubtful raised eyebrow that Nilly mirrored from her shoulder.

  “Hey, I’m just saying. A lot of weird stuff can happen here.”

  “Mhm…”

  Sora took a deep breath and let it go. Ember’s sudden personality shift gnawed at the back of her mind, and she needed to understand what had happened. Ember was supposed to be her guide to Avalon, personally introduced to her by High Queen Titania, but now she was totally MIA and practically ghosting them.

  Obviously, something isn’t right. There’s a lot of darker aspects about Avalon if you start looking past the surface magical gmor… Wait, High Queen Titania introduced her to me… No, don’t think stupid things! Just find out the facts.

  They reached the nearest warp gate, an elegant archway of woven silver branches, pulsating with raw magic. As they stepped through, stating where they wanted to go, reality folded inward for a heartbeat before expanding outward, transporting them across Avalon’s massive ndscape.

  The Administration Building loomed ahead, less of an office and more of a pace. Its marble walls gleamed under the morning light, adorned with cascading ivy that shimmered like liquid stardust. Faintly glowing runes lined the entrance, each one humming with yered enchantments—wards of power, authority, and unyielding governance.

  She’d seen a lot of extravagant pces in Avalon, but this felt like an iron pace: totally protected against any kind of manipution or magic. Did that mean she couldn’t? Maybe. Maybe not. She wasn’t going to test it.

  Wendy exhaled slowly. “Yep. This definitely screams ‘all-powerful Grand Chancellor who could erase us with a thought.’ So, what’s the py?”

  Sora gave her a side-eye. “You know, I’d rather not test that theory. And once again, this pce is a dead zone… No one here. I hope at least one staff member is working who can give me a clear answer.”

  “Mghm,” Wendy grunted, sniffing the air as if smelling a government meal. “It certainly would taste nice… But, it’s not as sharp as it used to be. I guess, Aunt Rose’s change is slowly taking hold. That’s progress.”

  Smiling, Sora lightly brushed tails with her. “It is. Excited?”

  “Uh, yeah. Why do you think I’m so antsy?” She looked up at the pace, ears drawing back. “I can already feel annoyed. I’m calling it now, Ms. Rosewood is going to say, ‘No way in hell. You stay here or else it’s a thousand tail pull-ups… Have you tried one?”

  “Pfft! No,” Sora chuckled. “Have you?”

  “Uh-huh. It’s tough! I bet I could do more than you.”

  “Bet!”

  “Meow!”

  They gave the Cat Mother a light gre, split tail weaving behind her. Wendy no doubt thought the same thing as her.

  How many tail pull-ups could she do? It probably changes by the minute.

  Giggling and putting the topic behind them, they walked forward. The grand doors, impossibly tall and made of polished obsidian ced with silver, creaked open before them, revealing the vast entrance hall of Avalon’s Administrative Wing.

  And, as if decreed by divine word, waiting inside was none other than Elder Abigail Rosewood. Great… Aiden, is this your fault? It probably is… Damn your causality!

  The moment Sora stepped inside, the air tightened. The elder stood at the center of the hall, speaking with a few faculty members, her expression sharp and unreadable.

  She was tall and poised, dressed in elegant crimson and gold robes that spoke of old power—it probably had been in her wardrobe for ages. Her auburn hair was twisted into an eborate braid, streaks of silver threading through like veins of age-old wisdom.

  Her piercing emerald gaze flicked to them the moment they entered, and the warmth in the room dropped a few degrees.

  “Ah,” Abigail smoothly addressed them, her voice rich but devoid of warmth and sparking the other faculty to follow her gaze. “And what do we owe the honor of your presence, Miss Sora, Miss Wendy, and…a cat?”

  “Nilly, Ma’am!” Sora jumped with her sister as the Cat Mother, now a grinning teen stood behind them, vanished off Wendy’s shoulder. “Consider me a pet of the family.”

  “Mhm…”

  Sora resisted the urge to fidget under that gaze. “I, uh, sorry, Elder Abigail.”

  “For?” the woman’s eyebrow lifted, her homely appearance taking on a more sinister sight as she stared down at them. The other faculty stepped back, gncing at one another as the Dean of Magical Disciplines stode over to leer down at them. “Is there something you wish to confess? Punishment can be lightened for owning up to one’s…misdemeanors.”

  Ears pulling back, Wendy and Nilly’s doing the same beside her, Sora couldn’t help but feel the air being frozen in her lungs. She doesn’t know about Kari and my adventure yesterday, does she? Does she think I suspect her of doing something to Ember? No! Don’t be paranoid.

  “Ahem, I, umm,” she tried to regain her bance but her voice came out scratchy. “I was just hoping to meet with, umm, ahem, the Grand Chancellor?”

  Abigail lifted a single, judging brow. “Oh… Is that all?”

  She drew in her bottom lip, nodding and hiding her arm behind her back to not show the goosebumps running along it. Her tongue felt too numb to respond.

  “I see.” Her frosty gaze drifted between them, even the faculty holding their breath from the chilly atmosphere that swept the area. “So…privileged. You presume an abrupt and unscheduled audience with the Grand Chancellor because…”

  Well. This is going exactly how Wendy thought it would… She hates me.

  Sora straightened her shoulders, trying to rebuild her confidence. “It’s important.”

  Silence.

  Gravity intensifying.

  Then, Abigail exhaled slowly, gncing at Wendy and Nilly again, who both were trying to shrug off the tension. Nilly was back to her timid sixteen-year-old school girl state, tail as stiff as theirs. A few more drawn out seconds went by before the old fae looked at Sora again.

  “I see,” Abigail said coolly. “And does this ‘importance’ rete to another special exception you expect to be made for you…such as making a joke and being above the Entrance Ceremony? Ah. It does.”

  Sora clenched her jaw. There it was.

  Before she could formute a response, Wendy forced a ugh, gncing away and mumbling, “Wow, that’s crazy. Didn’t know wanting to talk to the Grand Chancellor was such a crime. Aren’t we special entry students? Thought it came with the territory.”

  Wendy! I mean, nice! But you didn’t have to take out the dagger.

  Sora flicked a warning look at her, but Wendy just fshed a sharp grin, her tail curling behind her.

  Abigail’s gaze darkened ever so slightly. “…Indeed, you do have certain…privileges. Yet, humility seems to be…wanting. You and your sister have quite the sharp tongues and troublesome behavioral habits.”

  “Actually, this is kind of new for me,” Wendy replied without missing a beat. “I was kind of the ordinary quiet girl before, well…my whole world fell apart. So, can we, uh, go and knock on the principal dy’s door? Sorry, old human habits,” she added with an innocent grin.

  Sora quickly stepped in. “Right. I…wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t important.”

  Abigail maintained her sister’s reflected green eyed stare for a long, uncomfortable moment before her lips barely curved into something that might have once been a smirk.

  “If you say so. Then I hope the Grand Chancellor is as accommodating as you expect her to be,” she said, voice ced with something unreadable. “You have wasted enough of my time.”

  And with that, she turned and dismissed them, moving back to the faculty.

  “We will move to the next phase of the integrity checks for the northeastern coordinates.”

  Sora exhaled slowly, feeling tension unwind from her shoulders as Abigail moved past them on some sort of mission.

  Wendy watched her go with narrowed eyes before muttering under her breath, “I don’t know what her deal is, but I’m adding her to my list of ‘People Who Probably Have A Dark Secret.’ Seriously, she gives off the ‘I’m Evil’ vibes. What’s her deal?”

  Nilly forced a smile. “Wouldn’t that typically mean she’s less likely to be the vilin?”

  “Depends on the story,” Wendy mumbled suspiciously. “The cssic double twist. You think she’s good because she’s a total bitch and then she turns out to be a real bitch.”

  “C’mon, Wendy. I kind of made a bad first impression, don’t you think? I totally ditched the meeting to see what was bothering Kari, eh—”

  She internally kicked herself for mentioning the wolf, seeing her sister’s side gre. “I’m just saying she has a reason to be pissed at me. I get it! But wait, you have a list?”

  “You should too,” Wendy muttered. “It’s getting long. Kari’s not even at the top anymore. Imagine that. She’s moving down in the world,” she added with a small smirk that made Sora giggle. “See, I’m totally unhinged now. Just wait ‘till I unlock more of my mom’s side.”

  Sora opened her mouth to respond—

  Then a voice echoed from above.

  “You three are quite the troublemakers. I do hope I’m not interrupting your fun.”

  The air shifted.

  Sora turned just as who must be Grand Chancellor Elowen Moonshadow began descending the staircase, her presence as effortless as moonlight spilling across a midnight ke.

  Her silver-blue hair cascaded like liquid silk, adorned with delicate strands of enchanted ivy that curled like living veins through her locks. Opalescent fae wings shimmered faintly at her back, and her robes—lined with embroidery—seemed to move like woven stardust.

  Immediately, Sora thought’s returned to Se’s trial, where she’d seen a handsome fae man who resembled this woman. Possibly her retive.

  Of course, the Grand Chancellor would be connected to one of the royal kingdoms in Avalon. Or…I’m just reading too much into it.

  She wasn’t alone.

  Beside her, stood a visibly ageless woman with long, raven-bck hair. Cd in ink-stained robes, she held a measured stance behind the Elowen. A golden tome hovered nearby, its pages turning of their own accord, a quill skating across its surface.

  Is she a Leannán Sidhe? An Irish fairy muse of knowledge? Dad used to read stories about them…

  A soft chime of power resonated as they reached the final step.

  “Are…you Grand Chancellor Elowen Moonshadow?” Wendy muttered, voice barely above a breath.

  Elowen smiled as she regarded them with calm curiosity. “I am. And I heard through the stones that you are requesting my presence, Miss Sora.”

  Sora cleared her throat, suddenly feeling small in comparison to the sheer elegance before her. It was like being in front of the High King and High Queen again.

  “Yes,” she said quickly. “If it’s not too much trouble.”

  The Grand Chancellor turned to the dark-haired fae standing beside her and said, “Muireann, please clear my schedule for the next hour.”

  The fae creature bowed slightly, the quill striking out pces as pages flipped around.

  Elowen turned her attention back to them.

  “In fact, I am delighted to speak with you. Your mother was… Mmm. The words escape me,” she ughed. “Phenomenal is one that comes to mind. Ethereal, like a beautiful, eternal fme.” The woman gestured lightly toward the staircase. “Muireann can entertain your sister and Nilly with a few fun areas you girls might want to visit… Shall we?”

  Sora hesitantly walked forward, gncing back at Wendy and Nilly, who shrugged.

  “We’ll be here, I guess. Please don’t take an hour, though,” Wendy said with a strained smile. “We have limited daylight.”

  “Seriously,” Nilly jumped in, head bobbing. “Do you think we could, umm, get some breakfast before doing the…you know…”

  She smiled, happy to have friends again. “Sure thing, Nilly. Be back soon.”

  Sora followed the Grand Chancellor up the spiraling staircase, her shoes soundless against the cool stone steps. Yet, after only two turns, they emerged at the top of the vast pace, standing before a pair of beautifully adorned wooden doors with swirling gold and silver inys that pulsed like living veins.

  Her brows furrowed. Wait. That was…way too fast.

  Elowen gave her an amused gnce, her opalescent wings shifting with an effortless grace. “Avalon operates on a different level, wouldn’t you agree? The mystery of magic can surprise even those of us who grew up in its embrace.”

  Sora let out a small chuckle, shaking her head. “Yeah, that’s an understatement. Everything here is like…a puzzle that solves itself before you even ask how. Almost…like my desire magic, in a way.”

  “That is by design,” Elowen mused, lifting her hand as the doors softly swung open. “Our three fae deities structured it after your mother’s powers to respond to intention. I suspect you sense the Founder’s touch woven through our very realm. We only ever arrive where we need to be…or that is how it is supposed to work.”

  “Maybe?” She scratched her left ear while taking in the cryptic door. “Overall, everything is just…kind of super complicated. Normal magic and…whatever this is. I’m still learning.”

  “Indeed.”

  Sora wasn’t sure if that was comforting or mildly terrifying. Regardless, she stepped inside as the way opened in response to Elowen’s presence, her gaze sweeping the space.

  The Grand Chancellor’s office was breathtaking. High arched windows framed shifting ndscapes—one depicted a moonlit ke under an eternal eclipse, another a garden where crystal butterflies flitted among towering, violet flowers. Enchanted bookshelves lined the walls, the tomes rearranging themselves in an unseen rhythm. A sleek, wooden desk sat at the center of the room, its surface inscribed with intricate fae runes that pulsed with slow, calming energy.

  Sora hesitated at the threshold as something else hit her. Something familiar now. Her focus was drawn to the book shelf, but not it itself…but something thumping beyond it.

  Fae Founder magic?

  Elowen studied her for a moment, a small curve lifting the edge of her lips while following her gaze. “Ah, interesting that you would immediately be taken by something that should be totally sealed. I suppose there are magic waves even I am not capable of identifying.”

  She gestured toward a chair upholstered in deep green velvet. “Sit, Sora. You needn’t be shy. As to what I am safekeeping, I suppose I can be like your typical stories and be dark and mysterious. Perhaps you will find out what it is by the end of your stay in Avalon.”

  She gulped and did as she was told, watching as the Grand Chancellor took her own across from her, folding her hands delicately atop the desk. “I feel like I’m trapped in a game already.”

  “Of course you are trapped in a game,” the woman whispered, giving her a rather kind smile. “We are all caught in a game beyond our understanding. The difference is if the pyers are aware of us, oblivious, or care at all. Still, our choices ripple across all that is and will be.”

  She gestured toward the bookcase that hid the Fae Founder magic, item…or person. “In this world, I hold great power and have lived a very long life. Yet, on the grand scale of things, I know I am insignificant. We all have our pce in this grand design that is Existence. You py a much rger role than I ever will…and it is freeing to reconcile with that fact and banish the pride that stirs within me.”

  The woman leaned forward, moving to bridge her fingers and look directly into her soul, or, at least, it felt like it. “You bring great turmoil to Avalon, Sora, by your very being here. Yet, with that trouble comes new hope in powers that shape reality to their will…and with that knowledge, there will be no shortage of people attempting to tch onto your tail as you ascend step by step… Go on. I can sense you’re troubled.”

  Sora swallowed, caught off guard by the immediate dive into heavy territory. “I—”

  Elowen’s eyes softened. “Perhaps I came on too strongly. Let’s start simply. How has your first week been? From what I hear from Professors Kurosaki and Queen Se, you’ve been quite attentive and making great progress.”

  The mention of her instructors made Sora’s tail flick slightly. She supposed it wasn’t surprising that Elowen kept track of some students personally.

  “It’s…been a lot,” she admitted, exhaling. “I’ve been learning so much—about Avalon, about magic, about myself. And I won’t lie, it’s overwhelming, but also…”

  “Thrilling?”

  “Yeah,” Sora smiled faintly. “That too.”

  Elowen nodded approvingly, gncing to her left where a shimmering mirror materialized, showing her sister and Nilly. “What about Wendy? I understand she’s not progressing as swiftly as you are and there is some concern. Queen Se has made a point of worrying about her growing anxiety.”

  That caught Sora off guard. “You’re keeping track of Wendy, too?”

  Se said that… She really is changing. I wonder if there’s a way to save her kingdom from The Darkness, and purify her subjects…that survived. Unless, did Mom resurrect them, too? Wow. There’s so much I’m blind to… I need to do better.

  The Grand Chancellor’s lips curved slightly. “I can see guilt forming within you… multifaceted, tangled with shifting hues. A responsibility that weighs, yet you refuse to cast it aside.” Her gaze lingered, assessing. “Of course. You are both exceptional cases, and Queen Titania personally ensured your pcements. Your well-being, both of you, and those you brought, are of interest to me.”

  Sora gnced away, absorbing the weight of that statement. Something tells me she knows about Kari and my journey into the forest. Why wouldn’t she? I doubt I could hide from High Queen Titania and this dy gives off the same vibes.

  Elowen gestured subtly, and a crystal goblet of shimmering silver liquid materialized on the desk before her. “Would you like something to drink, Sora?”

  Sora blinked, ears twitching in immediate suspicion.

  Wendy’s voice rang in her head from st week in her relentless hounding of her safety: Never accept food or drink from the fae unless you’re ready to debate contract loopholes with someone who’s had centuries to practice. You know your dad’s stories when we were little girls!

  She cleared her throat, forcing a polite smile. “Oh, uh, no thanks. I’m trying to cut back on…potential lifelong ensnarement.”

  Elowen chuckled, swirling the liquid in her own gss. “Wise. Though I must say, the stories are exaggerated. Our refreshments do not always bind one to eternal service.”

  Sora’s tail flicked. “Yeah, but, with all due respect, ‘not always’ doesn’t exactly inspire confidence, Grand Chancellor.”

  The woman tilted her head, a twinkle pying in her eyes. “Fair enough.” The goblet dissolved into mist, vanishing as quickly as it had appeared. “That prudence will serve you well and has served you. I’ve counted at least twelve fae and vulpes interactions attempting to py pranks on you that you’ve managed to sidestep.”

  Gut twisted, she quickly shook her head, the truth already smacking her in the face. “Not me! Probably Aiden’s powers at work… No wonder he’s been flirting with a bunch of girls, I think?” she mumbled suspiciously, gncing to the mirror as her sister questioned the raven-haired assistant downstairs.

  “I suspected he had some pull on causality,” Elowen whispered, a thoughtful hum in her throat as she followed Sora’s focus. “Your mother hinted at quite the conclusion to your stay here. How I interpreted her will certainly be intriguing and enlightening to see py out.”

  Sora exhaled, relieved she wouldn’t have to navigate a fae contract or hold her tongue much with this woman, like the punishment officer.

  “…Umm. As for Wendy, she’s figuring it out,” she honestly stated, tone lighter as she shifted back to the topic at hand. “In fact, I think you’ll be surprised. Her power is…complicated. But she’s getting there and will definitely show off this week.”

  “Oh? I’m gd to hear that. Jin is…quite a character.”

  “Yes… Yes, she is,” Sora returned with a strained ugh.

  Bringing her tail around, she bit her lip and stroked it for a moment. There was no easy way to bring up what had been gnawing at her. She hesitated. Then—

  “Chancellor…has anyone mentioned anything strange about Ember?”

  Elowen’s expression barely shifted, but there was a pause. “Ember? The Fire Fairy that the High Queen assigned to you? I will admit to having peeked in on you from time to time. I would not dream of depriving you of your autonomy and growth. However, now that you mention it, I have not seen her with you and that new, adorably shy siren, Nerida. Hmm. Strange in what way?”

  So, she isn’t looking at me all the time…or is she just telling me that?

  Sora studied her spiritual aura.

  It wasn’t impenetrable, like Kari.

  It wasn’t totally open, like Aiden.

  It wasn’t guarded with deception, like Se.

  It was utter chaos.

  Impossible to tell what she was looking at.

  I guess that’s to be expected. No use in even trying at this point since it will only give me a headache. Just be honest!

  “She’s…different. After, umm—and I’m not bming her, per se—but after Elder Abigail disciplined her, she wasn’t the same Ember I, eh, I met before. I know that sounds weird. Ember was excitable, kinda clumsy. You know? Now, she acts…” Sora exhaled, struggling for the right word while running her fingers through her hair. “Regal. Controlled. Like she’s pying a queenly role… She kind of ditched me and said her duty was complete.”

  Elowen’s frown deepened. “That is…not something I have heard. Hmm. I am quite aware of Ember and her antics. She is the oldest Fire Fairy of her rank, being unable to pass the trial. That shift in personality does reek of manipution.”

  Sora’s stomach tensed. “You’re sure? I mean, I know discipline means different things here, but I didn’t think it involved altering someone’s personality… Is that something that is done?”

  “It doesn’t. No,” Elowen firmly confirmed. “The disciplinary courses, particurly under Elder Abigail, are designed to be instructional, not reformative. They focus on community service, structured magical refinement—not psychological shifts. It may have taken pce after she left the disciplinary courses.”

  Sora’s nails lightly dug into her palms. “I…didn’t even think about that. Then something’s not right. What do we do? I didn’t really feel any magic used to control her or anything, but…I wasn’t that skilled—still not that skilled.”

  Elowen studied her for a long moment before inclining her head. “…I will look into it. Would it be acceptable if I get back to you by next Sunday?”

  Sora wanted to protest, but the rational part of her knew this was probably the best she could get. This is the Grand Chancellor of Avalon. She probably had a lot on her pte.

  “…Yeah. That’s fair,” she conceded. “Do…you know where she is? I thought she’d show up again but she hasn’t.”

  Elowen gave her a reassuring smile, though a flicker of something unreadable crossed her features. “I am not aware of where she currently is, though I can find out. Don’t worry. I will look into it, Sora. Now,” she continued, “was there anything else? There seems to be something else making your tail bob with anxious jitters.”

  Sora hesitated, her cheeks coloring slightly while staring at her puffy fur. “…Have there been any reports of a shadowy wolf in Avalon?”

  This time, the shift in Elowen’s expression was immediate.

  Her gaze sharpened, fingers cing together. “Shadow Wolf? There are many kinds of wolves in Avalon, as you might imagine. Many mystical creatures. But I sense you are referring to something beyond an ordinary magical beast.”

  Sora nodded.

  The Grand Chancellor exhaled, taking a moment to look at the bookcase with its ever-shifting volumes. A few seconds passed. She unlocked her hands and tapped a single finger against her desk.

  “If you are speaking of your friend, the Founder fenris wolf, Kari, then no—I have not received any such reports about a shadowy wolf that fits that description.”

  Sora tried to suppress her disappointment. “You’re sure?”

  Elowen’s gaze didn’t waver. “That does not mean a report does not exist. Avalon is vast, Sora. There are hidden realms, pocket dimensions, entire sectors governed by independent councils. For example, the Vulpes District you’ve become familiar with is primarily overseen by the Vulpes Council, not my direct administration.”

  “…So you don’t track everything?”

  “I delegate to those I trust,” Elowen corrected smoothly. “Just as the High King and High Queen oversee all of Avalon and delegate the governance to the Royals, such as my elder brother, I cannot know of every action that takes pce within my domain. But, I will inquire about this…wolf.”

  Sora exhaled, nodding. “Thank you.”

  Elowen regarded her with something close to amusement, her serious contemption vanishing as if never there. “You are quite the inquisitive one. This meeting has been illuminating and given me much to think about regarding your mother.”

  “Well,” Sora muttered, rubbing the back of her neck, “there’s a lot I don’t know. And my mom? Yeah… I kind of have wanted to tug her tails a few times this week. Maybe I will…”

  A small chuckle. “Then I expect you’ll continue to ask the right questions. There’s one more, I sense.”

  Sora hesitated, then shifted in her seat. “You caught me.”

  Elowen chuckled and sat back, folding her hands in her p.

  “Go on.”

  “Umm. Right, so…can I go to my realm?”

  This time, Elowen looked genuinely thoughtful, the mischievous undertones vanishing like smoke. “That is an excellent question. Queen Titania and I have discussed this matter, in fact. You have been granted a great deal of leniency. However, Avalon Academy is meant to be an immersive experience.”

  Sora braced herself.

  So that’s a no.

  “The choice is yours.”

  Sora blinked. “Wait… What?”

  “You have been given discretion,” Elowen continued without pause. “Many of those around you are also special cases, but rules exist for a reason. It is better to ask why a rule exists rather than permission to break it,” she winked. “If one knows the purpose, one knows when it is acceptable to bend or skirt. Ponder that reason. Still, Titania left this decision in your hands.”

  A sudden pressure settled on Sora’s chest.

  So it’s…up to me. Nice. Everyone always throws it back in my face!

  She swallowed. “Right. That’s…good to know.”

  Elowen smiled faintly. “You hesitate.”

  Sora shifted. “…It just means I have to decide what’s best, I guess.”

  The Grand Chancellor’s expression softened, and then she leaned slightly forward. “How about a little guidance before you go?” she murmured, wings shimmering a little with her sweet eyes. “Would you accept one question from me for payment in annoying the many meetings I skipped for you?”

  Sora straightened slightly, anxiety now fluttering in her chest. “I mean…I guess that’s fair. Ahem. What is it?”

  Elowen’s eyes twinkled like moonlight reflecting off water.

  “Simple questions can raise deep questions to the surface… What do you want from Avalon Academy?”

  Silence.

  Sora opened her mouth—then closed it. Her first instinct was to say to get stronger.

  But that wasn’t entirely true, was it?

  I want answers… I want to learn more about myself. About my friends. About this world. I want to protect what I care about. But…all of that seems a part of some bigger word.

  Her throat tightened as it finally slipped out.

  “…To grow.”

  Elowen’s expression warmed as if she’d heard that answer from someone else. “Then I shall support you in that endeavor.”

  Sora exhaled.

  As she stood to leave, the weight of her decision settled in her chest. Avalon was not like Earth. It was built on self-discovery, not rigid academia. This pce would push her. It already was.

  She turned, pausing at the door.

  “…Thank you, Chancellor. See you Sunday.”

  Elowen merely smiled. “Think carefully about where you pce your efforts, Sora. Your actions cascade across not only Avalon, but your mother’s entire territory and off into infinity.”

  Sora nodded. Then, with a final gnce, she stepped out, returning to Wendy and Nilly—who were already deep in a conspiracy debate about Elder Abigail.

  And now, she had a lot to think about.

  Sora descended the staircase with a swirl of thoughts still bouncing in her head, trying to process everything the Grand Chancellor had told her. The moment she stepped into the main hall, Wendy and Nilly were already deep in their own whispered conversation, Elowen’s aide nowhere to be seen.

  At her approach, Wendy leaned against one of the polished marble pilrs with a knowing smirk. “That took forever,” she exaggerated, tail flicking. “What, did she take your soul as payment for the meeting? I told you to be careful!”

  Nilly crossed her arms with a nodded. “I had five different theories on what happened. So far, the leading one is that she trapped you in an eborate fae riddle that you only escaped because of sheer stubbornness…or cooking her a fish with fox fire…and you burned three of them.”

  Sora let out a small snort, shaking her head. “Why three? But no soul-binding contracts. Just…a lot to think about.”

  Wendy’s brows lifted. “So? Spill.”

  “Later,” she sighed. “Let’s get moving first. We’re burning daylight. Remember?”

  “Food first!” Nilly cried, holding her belly. “I’m begging!”

  “Okay! Okay! Wendy?”

  “Starving!”

  The trio exited the Administration Building, making their way back toward the warp gates. They took it to some random cafeteria that only offered vegetarian food, which…none of them were really happy with but they made due.

  The conversation with Elowen had left Sora with a lot of information to chew on, and she wasn’t sure she had the energy to unpack it all right now. Her biggest takeaway? She was responsible for her own choices. There was no higher authority barring her from seeing her mother—only herself.

  As they stepped through the warp gate to the southern edge of Avalon Academy, Sora let out a slow breath. I think that’s what I should do…

  “So,” Wendy piped up once they were back in the dormitory district. “We’re going to your realm so we can train, right?”

  Sora gave her a sideways gnce. “Our realm.”

  Wendy blinked, then gave a small, lopsided grin. “Okay, Lil’ Sis. Our realm.”

  Nilly cpped her hands together. “Good! I was wondering when we’d go back there. The whole ‘created by your mom’ thing means there’s gotta be something useful waiting for us. I bet you anything, thinking back to lil’ Amy.”

  Lil’ Amy? Grandmother…

  Wendy gave the cat a confused stare but Sora let it go. She wanted to know more about her grandmother. However, she had enough to think about right now and it didn’t seem like the teen Cat Mother was leaving any time soon.

  Sora stretched her arms above her head, tail swaying behind her. “Yeah, we’re not going there to lounge around, though. If we’re doing this, we’re going to take Avalon’s rules seriously. That means we treat my realm like we would any of the training grounds here. There’s probably stuff Mom put in there that’s important. Sure. But I consider that like sending it through the post office.”

  Wendy exhaled, rolling her shoulders. “Yeah, yeah. No sleeping in and skipping lessons. Got it. I just want to sink my teeth into my mom’s abilities! Tanuki are like, super masters at… Nope. I’m bnking.”

  A flicker of uncertainty crossed Wendy’s expression, but she quickly masked it. Sora had a feeling she knew what was going through her head—this would’ve been a great time for Wendy to see her own mother. But she wasn’t bringing it up. They could figure it out together.

  Instead, Wendy ran a hand over the pendant around her neck, fingers brushing the familiar texture. “Guess I’ll just have to figure out more of my powers on my own,” she muttered. Then, she smirked. “And show Mom ter. Yeah, that sounds magical.”

  That made Sora smile. “Exactly.”

  Not a soul lingered near the entrance port as Sora, Wendy, and Nilly approached the many shimmering portals. Without hesitation, they stepped into the one that led to her mother’s realm, and reality folded in on itself before expanding outward into a breathtaking ndscape.

  A vast, celestial expanse stretched before them, its sky painted in hues of deep turquoise, violet, and indigo, a never-ending twilight where cosmic wonders shimmered like distant dreams. Moons of various sizes and colors hovered in the heavens, casting a soft, otherworldly glow upon the nd.

  Rolling fields of lush, emerald-green grass swayed gently in an unseen breeze, stretching as far as the eye could see, dotted with fuchsia-leaved trees. Their thick trunks twisted with age, their massive branches arching outward like protective sentinels in the distance.

  A slow-moving river wove through the heart of the realm, reflecting the heavens in its still, mirror-like surface. Waterfalls cascaded from floating isnds, their falls vanishing into the mist below, only to reappear in an endless cycle of motion.

  Tiny orbs of light flitted about like fireflies, trailing wisps of energy in their wake, while spectral birds—mere illusions crafted from magic—sang in a chorus that harmonized with the ambient hum of the realm itself.

  It was peaceful. Timeless. A sanctuary woven from her mother’s magic, meant to be a haven where she could grow without fear of disrupting the delicate bance of the world outside.

  Sora exhaled, feeling the weight of Avalon lift from her shoulders, just a little. “This magic feels so much more…natural and fresh than the complex mess of Avalon.”

  “Still blows my mind,” Wendy murmured beside her, hood falling back as she tilted her head to take in the sheer vastness of it all. “Still tastes like vanil.”

  Nilly stretched, fur fring slightly before she danced ahead. “Hmm. It has grown since the st time. Hasn’t it?”

  Sora wasn’t sure how she felt about that. This realm was an extension of her mother’s desire for her and she still pnned on training here with Kari soon.

  “Come on,” she said, shaking the thought away. “We’ve got training to do for this week.”

  With that, they ventured deeper into the dreamlike ndscape, along the road leading toward the elevator, camp site, and Stephanie’s temporary house.

  Well, the house was gone but there was something else waiting for them at the campsite, where she’d met Ember.

  Parked beside it was her sleek, jet-bck car.

  “…Okay,” Sora blinked. “What?”

  Wendy squinted. “Did…your dad mispce your Bently in the middle of an alternate dimension or did he park it here for you?”

  Nilly hopped up and down. “We’ve got wheels!”

  “I guess he thought I might want to use it,” Sora muttered, walking with Wendy and Nilly to expect it. It was unlocked. “But how did he get it through the elevator?”

  Sora slid into the driver’s seat, the familiar leather cool beneath her fingers as she picked up the letter. The lingering scent of her parents and Noelia clung to the parchment, a faint mix of twilight roses and stardust magic woven between the lines of ink. Wendy, already grinning, leaned over her shoulder, tail swaying in anticipation.

  “Let me guess. My mom shrunk it down to a Hot Wheel?”

  Sora snorted, flicking an ear. “Probably. Not like anyone else could’ve done it—Steph’s basically powerless now. I wonder how Ron and the baby are doing.”

  Carefully unfolding the letter, her gaze tracing the neat, elegant script of Noelia’s handwriting. It carried a faint shimmer of magic, the scent of moonlit gardens and aged parchment rising from the ink that told of its origin—her magical senses were getting better.

  She cleared her throat and read aloud:

  “We thought you might need transportation. Adjusted for convenience. Runs on magic now. Enjoy.

  “P.S. – Don’t drive it into any dragons, please.

  “P.P.S. – Stephanie is recovering well, though still adjusting. The baby, however…well, he’s proving to be quite the anomaly. Not unexpected, but fascinating nonetheless. I’ll keep you updated. Also, please return a letter for us and tell your mother to let me heal her ridiculous bruises before she starts a movement about ‘remembering past mistakes.’ I refuse to be complicit in her nonsense.”

  Wendy snickered, already smirking before Sora finished reading the next part in her mind. “My mom definitely added that st part. She was always super attentive toward us growing up and now it looks like she’s babying your mom.”

  Sora sighed as Nilly poked her head in to scan it before cracking up. “Yeah, well, Mom is kind of dealing with a…personal crisis right now.”

  Wendy arched a brow. “Do I even wanna know? Another fire? Another ptop murdered in the name of tech genocide?”

  Sora cringed, the mental image already pying out in her mind. “She, uh-ahem, got her tails caught in the revolving doors downstairs yesterday,” she muttered, shaking her head. “Dad said it was a full-blown fiasco. She refuses healing magic so she ‘remembers to keep them close.’ She’s trying to act tough but your mom says there are some hairline fractures.”

  Silence.

  Then—

  Wendy howled with ughter, doubling over in the seat. “Are you serious?! Oh my—I know I shouldn’t be ughing. I know I shouldn’t! But your perfect goddess of a mother that can see everything just fractured her tails! I can see it! Your mom, big-eyed, sniffling like the saddest goddess in the universe, cradling her tails like they’re wounded warriors, while your dad’s all, ‘There, there, dear, the door didn’t mean it. Please don’t murder all its revolving door children,’ as she cries into his arms.”

  Sora groaned. “It’s exactly that! And your mom is probably sitting a ways off, gring at daggers, being like, ‘you’re eating this up way too much. Just let me heal you.’ And my mom’s like, ‘No! Then I don’t get attention!’ Yeah, my mom is attention starved.”

  “Can you bme her?” Nilly snickered. “She’s totally the problem, but she’s millions of years old and has been deprived of your dad’s touch for like…sixteen years! So close but so far away… Wait, shouldn’t that mean she has better patience?”

  “You’d think!” Wendy mused, “but when you have something strong like that, I’m guessing it’s even harder to go without. She probably feels lonely just minutes apart from him. It’s a freaking drama! I’m going to have to ask my mom to tape it for us.”

  Sora jabbed a finger at her as if she were a genius. “That! Yes, that! For, ahem, posterity. Oh, on another note, Steph apparently walked in during the middle of it, looked at her, looked at Dad, and just walked back out, dragging Ron… Poor Mom. She must feel like the biggest loser…”

  Wendy wiped at a tear, gasping. “Best mental image ever. This is why we need constant surveilnce of your mom—comedy gold. She’s so different from the perfection that she was when she talked to us on the moon.”

  Sora rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t suppress her smile. “Anyway—before we turn this into The Tails of Mia’s Misfortune—let’s just be grateful we have a ride and a pce to train.”

  “True, true,” Wendy agreed, still giggling. “Now, let’s fire this baby up and see how she runs on magic. We can practice near the portal.”

  Sora exhaled, shaking her head as she folded the letter and tucked it safely into the glove compartment. There was a piece of paper and pen on the inside. Heart warming, she took it out and used her magic to write a return message:

  Thanks for all the updates and taking care of my hopeless mom. Yes, I’m looking at you, Mom! Let her heal you! I don’t want to hear a fuss. You’ve got old tail bones as it is.

  She snickered with the others as she continued.

  I love you all so much. Take care of yourself, Mom. I’ve got a lot of questions for you but I’m figuring things out. And, Dad, thank you for everything you do. I know there is a lot going on… Trust that me and Wendy are working things out with Aunt Rose. You’ll see when we get back. I know all the women in your life are nothing but trouble. You’re a saint. Love you. Don’t let the hotel burn down!

  Again, for posterity. With a flick of her wrist, the engine purred to life—not with the usual low growl of a combustion engine, but a soft, almost purring hum of refined magical energy.

  She grinned, running a hand through her hair and letting out a breathless ugh before gripping the wheel. “Alright, so what you’re saying is…I own the first magic-powered Bentley. Let’s take him for a spin.”

  Wendy grinned. “Hit the magic!”

  Driving to another location, she found the car far more responsive and powerful, making them squeal as they were smmed into the seat.

  After a bit of fun, they spent the next few hours training, testing the limits of their abilities within the realm. The specifics were unspoken—pns were formed, battle strategies were discussed, new techniques honed. It was all leading toward the tournament.

  But they agreed to keep it all under wraps. Nilly had her own clever moves she came up with that was…quite literally insane! But that was the Cat Mother.

  As dusk neared, they climbed into the Bentley, watching the clock tick over to Avalon’s timekeeping system—a gift from Noelia that told them when curfew would be.

  A smooth turn of the key, and the Bentley glided effortlessly through the swirling portal.

  The moment they emerged—they weren’t at the Academy’s main entrance.

  Instead, they were in a stable.

  Blinking, Sora gnced left and right. A massive, sprawling stable, lined with dozens of intricate stalls—each one seemingly designed for otherworldly mounts and magical vehicles.

  Avalon really does act a bit like desire magic…or did the Grand Chancellor do something to unlock this sort of feature? That would be sneaky… I can see it because it didn’t do this before.

  The car’s presence seemed to startle the environment. The stable stall they arrived in was enormous at first, but the moment the Bentley settled, the walls shrank down, adjusting to their size.

  “…What just happened?” Wendy murmured, eyes darting around the stable. “Did that thing just adjust for the car?”

  Sora exhaled, stepping out and gncing at the various contraptions around them. Some looked like enchanted chariots, others resembled creatures harnessed to woven carriages of ivy and light. Fae mounts, skyborn steeds, even strange aquatic transporters filled the surrounding stalls.

  “This pce is wild,” Nilly whispered, peering around with wide golden eyes. “I love it! I think we’re close to our dorms. We didn’t even have to go through multiple portals! Huh. I wonder why it was different this time. There was a weird magical glitch, I thought I felt. You guys?”

  “I didn’t sense it,” Sora mumbled. “But, yeah…we’ll try it again next time and see if it is repeatable.”

  Wendy jabbed her thumb at her. “Experiments! I like it.”

  The three of them stepped out of the stable, walking past an unusually rge, birdlike creature curled up in a nearby stall before making their way toward the dormitory. They were on the outer left side of the building, it seemed. Due to the teleportation, they were at least thirty minutes early.

  The familiar, welcoming warmth of the dorms enveloped them as they stepped inside.

  Eyia and Nerida were already chatting at the common area table, several vulpes girls around them, asking for tips and anxious about tomorrow. Jin’s reputation was spreading fast and people appeared to be getting nervous. The siren’s aquamarine hair was still damp from what must have been another brutal training session.

  “Back already?” Eyia observed, tilting her head. “You still had time to train. Nerida colpsed and needed to be brought to the medicine man.”

  Nerida gnced up, giving them a shy, embarrassed nod. “Uhm… Next time, can someone please come with me. I can’t say no to her. Did, uh, you guys…figure things out?”

  “Oh, I’m sure you’ll do fine tomorrow with Eyia whipping you into shape,” Wendy quipped, fshing a sharp grin. “And I totally got some magic now. You’ll see!”

  Sora exchanged a gnce with Wendy, then smiled and gave her a high-five. “We’ve got some new moves. Oh…do I hear Kari upstairs,” she asked, ears flicking up.

  Eyia nodded, the other nervous vulpes girls looking at the blonde as if she were their savior, tails beating and waiting for further help. “Indeed, Sister. She returned just before we did. Come here, Wendy. I do feel something…different about you. Might I inspect your body?”

  Wendy snorted. “What a phrase! Don’t change, Eyia. Sure, tell me what you can tell! Because what you can, I’m sure Jin can.”

  Leaving the joking, freaking out, and giggling girls downstairs, Sora went up and knocked on the open door to Kari and Nerida’s room. “Room service.”

  Kari was lounging on her bed, tail zily swaying between her legs, a book in her hands. She gnced up when Sora approached. “You don’t have enough meat on your bones. Pass.”

  “Pfft! Nice. What are you reading?” Sora asked, noting the way Kari’s brows furrowed slightly. “Pretty good?”

  Kari flipped the book shut and tossed it onto her bed. “Jin made this for me.”

  Sora opened her mouth, paused and had to repeat it in her mind. “Jin? Jin wrote a book?”

  “More like transcribed a bunch of dragon lineage memories.” Kari’s expression was unreadable but being somewhat conversional at least, which was a plus. “It’s…enlightening. But dragons have a very different perspective than my mother did.”

  Sora frowned. “What do you mean?”

  Kari exhaled, stretching out on the floor. “It’s annoying to expin. So I won’t.”

  “Awesome talk.”

  The wolf gave her a dry look. “Don’t get cocky. Jin already made a tournament bracket. And you’re signed up. She’s no joke. I hope you weren’t messing around today.”

  Sora groaned. “Naturally. We should talk about—”

  “Naa. I’m good,” she waved off. Sora paused at what she could only describe as a trusting smile lifted her lips, making the wolf actually glow in a new light. “I’m good. We’re good. Also, you missed Mary’s appointment but she said she’d come back tomorrow.”

  “Oh, dammit!” Sora cried, scratching her left ear as it twitched. “I really wanted to see her. I somehow totally forgot!”

  “Don’t sweat it. Like I said, she’s coming tomorrow. She actually wanted to talk to us both. Anyway, better bring your A-game. Jin’s riled up. The fights won’t be pretty.”

  Sora gulped, but felt new hope shining out from the depths of her heart; Kari seemed…good. Not depressed. Not self-hating. But…normal. Whatever Jin did, it appeared to be enough to shift her into a positive mind state.

  “Okay? Define not pretty.”

  Kari smirked. “Magic prevents death. But losing a limb? Entirely possible. Of course, that’s not a problem for me.”

  Sora’s stomach twisted. “Yeah, well I’m not a super wolf with ultra regeneration, so excuse me. I need to go throw up!”

  “Don’t be a puss! Nilly’s already got that covered.”

  “Hey! Don’t be a meanie!” the cat called out from down the hall. “I’m the biggest pussy in the—uh. Forget what I said…”

  She was already out of the door as ughter erupted throughout the whole dorm. She was busy running toward her room window, though. Anxiety was actually bubbling up.

  Not many people had felt what an angry Jin was like.

  Kari didn’t know it.

  But she remembered the Hell Amphitheater and when she’d ghosted Eyia… When Jin had literally come over to rip her heart out.

  This tournament was going to be brutal.

  And it started tomorrow.

  AuthorSME