Evaline:
Mallory linked her arm through mine as we stepped out of the last lecture hall of the day, the late afternoon sun stretching long golden lines across the academy courtyard.
"I still can’t believe you got five reward points for disappearing," she muttered, nudging with her shoulder. "Unfair."
I laughed. "I didn’t disappear. I was working."
The excuse was out of my mouth before I could stop myself, and I regretted it almost instantly.
"Yes," she deadpanned. "Working."
The way she stretched that word had heat creeping up my neck. "You are impossible," I told her.
"And you," she shot back, grinning wickedly, "are glowing."
"I am not glowing."
"You are. It’s sickening. Radiant. Suspiciously satisfied."
I swatted her arm, but I couldn’t stop smiling.
It had been over a week.
A life-changing, bond-deepening, breath-stealing week.
And now I was back in the middle of academy life as if nothing monuntal had shifted beneath my skin.
Except everything had.
We reached the path where our ways split - one leading toward the dormitories, the other toward the library tower.
Mallory squeezed my hand. "Will you join us directly for dinner?" She asked, confirming the plan.
"Right."
She nodded and released . "Bye, mate-bonded nace." She muttered the words so low that even I would have missed them if not for the fact I was standing right there.
I groaned as she walked away toward the dorms, waving once over her shoulder.
Shaking my head, I adjusted the strap of my bag and headed toward the library instead where Charles was waiting.
And after being gone for an entire week, I owed him more than just a quick catch-up.
The library was quieter than usual when I stepped inside. The tall windows cast warm light over rows of polished tables and towering shelves.
I didn’t even need to search.
Our usual spot was on the first floor - third table from the farthest window, tucked between the Herbology and Alchemical Studies sections.
And just as expected, Charles was already there.
He sat perfectly straight, a stack of books neatly aligned in front of him, notes organized with color-coded tabs. His hair fell slightly into his eyes as he leaned over his notebook.
He looked up the mont I approached.
And the way his face lit up-
"Sister Eva!"
My heart lted instantly.
Ever since we began these study hours together in the library about two weeks ago, he had started calling ’sister’ instead of ’senior’. And every ti I heard him call that, it ward my heart,
I set my bag down with a smile. "Hello to you too."
He stood up quickly, almost knocking his chair back in the process before catching it awkwardly.
"I-I thought maybe you wouldn’t co today since you just got back yesterday."
"I promised, didn’t I?"
His shoulders relaxed slightly.
"Yes."
I sat down across from him, imdiately pulling his notes toward . "Let’s see what you have been up to."
The next hour passed faster than I expected.
Charles really was a bright student. He had carefully rewritten Kieran’s lecture notes from the classes this week - detailed explanations about the properties of Emberroot, the stabilizing effects of powdered Moon Thistle, and the proper brewing temperatures for volatile binding potions.
I skimd through his assignnt draft, nodding approvingly.
"This is good," I told him. "Your structure is clear. But here-" I tapped one section. "You need to explain why the catalyst reacts differently under lunar influence. You ntioned it briefly, but Professor Kieran would like further explanation."
He leaned forward imdiately, listening intently.
"Because of the elixir saturation levels?" he asked cautiously.
"Exactly. Expand on that."
He scribbled it down quickly.
For soone who had once barely spoken above a whisper, Charles had co a long way in these past few weeks.
At first, he had called "Senior" in that stiff, distant way.
But ever since I started helping him regularly, sothing had shifted.
Now it was "Sister."
And sohow, that single word made these study hours with him worth it.
We went over his questions about the dual-binding formula Kieran had covered in class earlier today. I explained the balance between opposing reagents, the importance of steady moonlight flow, and how even the slightest emotional instability could disrupt the brew.
Charles listened with wide, focused eyes.
At one point, he hesitated.
"Sister?"
"Yes?"
He fidgeted slightly with the edge of his notebook.
"Can I ask where were you?"
Ah.
I had been waiting for that question.
"I was assisting Alpha Grey," I replied smoothly. "He needed help with one of his ongoing council projects."
Charles blinked, then said, "That must have been important."
"It was," I said.
He nodded slowly, accepting the explanation without suspicion.
Unlike my friends.
Mallory and the others had not let breathe since yesterday without throwing teasing glances or exaggerated sighs about "mate bonding leave."
Charles, however, simply said, "I’m glad you are back."
The sincerity in his voice ward .
"I’m glad too."
When the hour ended, he carefully stacked his books and stood.
"Thank you, Sister," he said, bowing his head slightly.
"You are welco. Keep reviewing the stabilization formulas. I’ll test you on them next ti."
His eyes widened slightly at that, but he nodded determinedly.
"I will."
And then he left.
I stayed behind.
There were still two hours before dinner. Plenty of ti to finish my own assignnts.
I pulled out my laptop and textbooks, diving into Runes theory first. My mind worked steadily - reviewing glyph structures, spells, and alignnt sequences for my upcoming project.
Forty-eight minutes later, I finally closed my laptop with a satisfied exhale.
Howork done.
Mostly.
Stretching my arms over my head, I glanced at the clock.
I still had ti, so I headed up to the third floor.
If I could find a few good guidebooks on advanced rune layering, it would make the assignnt much easier.
The third floor was quieter.
Long aisles of tall shelves created narrow corridors of shadow and light.
I wandered toward the far end, scanning titles with mild interest.
That was when I heard it.
My na.
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