Page 68 of Angel Lost

My mouth hangs open a few seconds before the dean taps my chin with a finger and I shut it.

“Manners, aether.”

“Sorry. I-I’m just not used to having so much say.”

She smiles, flashing super-white teeth.

“I’m catching up slowly. But I’ve noticed some things here I don’t understand.”

Dean Davina stiffens, nodding her head for me to continue.

“I’ve learned to see the ley lines, manipulate them a bit. But I keep seeing these red thready things. Most of the students have these tangled red balls of energy around them. And—” I narrow my eyes. “—the threads all seem to lead to you.”

“Oh, my dear, you are coming along so quickly.” Dean Davina places a cool hand over mine. “But how your growth was stunted before. Tragic. It will take some time for you to understand everything.”

I finger the knife at my belt until she slaps my hand away.

“No fidgeting. Ladies don’t fidget.” She frowns. “Aether Lorelei, we shall have to increase your etiquette classes, I fear.”

I force what I hope passes for an agreeable smile. “As you wish, Dean. The threads…”

She watches me for a few long moments before staring out over the lake. “The threads show ties between people. As a guide to all these students, I develop a connection to them.”

“But we don’t have a red connection…?”

“Don’t be too disappointed. You’ve barely started here, dear. Don’t beat yourself up. We’ll develop a connection.” She sends me a sly smile. “You don’t really trust me yet, do you? I don’t know what Kai’s been telling you, but that might be a teeny tiny barrier.” I start to protest but she interjects. “I expected it. Just remember—if you look through someone else’s lens, the view is always distorted.”

I nod, chewing my lip. I trust Kai. I do. But maybe his view of his stepmom is colored by his childhood.

Dean Davina clicks her fingers and the lights in the room dim. A cello quartet plays softly in the background. “Aether Lorelei, when big events happen our bonds pull us together. You’re seeing the threads now, not just because your skill is growing, but also because while you were gone there was a rip, right here on the grounds.”

I sit bolt upright in my chair, staring at her, recalling the strained faces, the crying in the corridors.

“We dealt with it, but another strong supe, however untrained, would have helped. We might not have lost Aether Melanie.”

I clap my hand over my mouth, registering the black band tied around the dean’s arm for the first time.

“I-I’m sorry.”

“You had your own battle to fight.” The dean smiles wanly. “Some of the students might not see it like that though. Give them time.”

The meditation class is dimly lit, with soft lighting casting a warm glow over the sleek marble floors. As I slip in, late again, the glowing runes on the walls pulse gently. All eyes snap to me as I pad barefoot toward the circle. The air is heavy with lavender and chamomile, and the atmosphere heavier. I sit cross-legged on the last of the plush velvet cushions, and the professor coughs. The students half close their eyes again, hands resting on their knees. An ethereal melody drifts through the room, guiding our breathing and focus.

The professor moves to the center of the circle, his robes billowing as if caught by a breeze. His presence exudes calm. Slowly, the sideways glares lessen. The prof raises his hands, the flickering candles brightening, dancing in sync with his movements. His voice is soothing as he leads us in an ancient meditative chant—a chant for the dead, for life, for letting go.

I’m grateful for the session. Some of the guilt inside me for Lottie eases. The guilt for the dead student, the need to have been here, to have helped, it releases slightly. The other students feel it too. There’s only one problem…it’s a small group. The rest of the school still blames me. And I get it, I really do. One extra pair of hands in a fight can tip the balance, especially from a strong supe. Even if they think I’m only a second aether, that’s stronger than most here.

I hurry from my last class of the day. I didn’t know Aether Melanie. I have no right to feel this grief. My thoughts turn to Naeve. To losing her. And I mourn them both.

The dinner queue is bad. Really bad. With all the glares and muttered barbs, you’d almost believe I killed Aether Melanie. Hecate, by the time I’ve stood in line and collected my food I almost believe it. There’s no point in hanging around, I’m clearly not wanted. I plod back to my room with my cooling plate. Somehow the roast veggies don’t look so appetizing once I’m holed up. Alone.

Chapter Twenty-two: Lorelei

Eyes closed, I tune out the background noise of university life, ignore the doors slamming, the rushing feet, the occasional sob. I focus inwards, searching out the ley lines, the rivers of magic that call to me. I breathe gently in and out, sinking deeper, dropping into the flow. The increasingly familiar hum of energy courses through my veins. It’s like diving into a current, a luminous web connecting the whole world. The magic surges—bright, irresistible—and the lines tug insistently at me. This power, it’s intoxicating, magnetic. Blues, greens, and reds twist and spark like lightning. The reds beckon to me.

The world tilts as my footsteps mirror the ley lines beneath me. The pull is strong. With each step, the physical world dims. Corridors blur into streaks of light, and buildings stretch and twist, becoming mere silhouettes.

Around me, the energy surges. It’s fast, chaotic, pulling me into the unknown. My gut clenches, my instincts flare, but before I can react, the magic crashes over me, wild and untamed.

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