Veaer tapped her fingers along the leather strap of her satchel and her teeth played with her lip. Her gaze darted from side to side with each classroom she passed, remaining cautious in case someone from Elise’s court was just waiting to jump out at her and take her away. But by the time she arrived at her classroom—nothing.

  She stood in front of the door, staring through the tiny window for any semblance of change that she caused, but it seemed what she did really stayed behind closed doors.

  A certain voice piqued her attention and she spun to her right to see Elise walking down the hall. Only a few other senti and caemi kept by her side, though not a word was exchanged between them. It didn’t take Veaer long to notice that Tychon wasn’t with them, who usually was chattering away about his latest reading or something to do with tarot. Other students in the senior year also seemed to notice, turning to each other and pointing towards Elise.

  A waving hand appeared in her vision and she quickly shifted out of the way for her classmates to enter the room, her gaze still stuck on the princess. Why isn’t she looking at me? Have I not done enough for her to be more interested?

  And it wasn’t like her attention was divided among others. This was a young woman keeping to herself and continuing to exhibit as such. The princess didn’t garner nearly as much attention as her brother, who by happenstance appeared not far behind her—and had the crowd to show for it.

  But even then, Elise did not acknowledge the pushing bodies that rushed towards her brother, or the student who found themself brave enough to approach Elise and ask her where Tychon was.

  She continued walking and then disappeared into her classroom across from Veaer’s, the hall becoming empty as Izot also took his leave.

  “Everyone keeps asking about Galacia,” Haiwrin Boudreau noted as he balanced his chair on its back legs, propping his feet up on the table as the last stretch of homeroom class was ticking by. “People skip class all the time, what’s another one?”

  Veaer nodded, mostly as a means to contribute what she had the capacity to, which wasn’t verbally until her thoughts processed. She did find it strange that Tychon was absent as well, not because he never skipped, but because if he was away, then there had to be something wrong. His precognition brought him to unknown places only for him to turn up again all smiley and well the next day. He didn’t do it often at all, so there was merit to the buzz, but Haiwrin may have been right in a way too.

  “I know he has his habits, but I’m still a little concerned,” Adair added to her brother’s words, tapping the lead end of her pencil against the table leaving small dark marks. Veaer reached out and softly placed her hand on top of Adair’s. “I haven’t spoken to him recently… I mean, he just hasn’t been around to get a chance to speak with him, even if I wanted to get a reading or something. Never saw him on Friday while I was pacing the halls.”

  Veaer exchanged a knowing look with the orange cat caemi, and Adair gave her a wry smile. She wondered if anyone had seen Tychon that day, because while Adair couldn’t be the entirety of Miriam Manor’s surveillance system, she did spend quite a bit of time on the same floor as where Tychon’s dorm room.

  “Hey, Ve?” Haiwrin’s voice cut her thoughts off and she straightened in her chair and blinked at her friend.

  “Yes?” She wiped her hands on her skirt and didn’t fail to notice that the classroom was almost empty now except for Haiwrin who moved to the seat next to her, his blue and black hair teasing the corner of her eye. “Oh… did I miss the bell?”

  Haiwrin chuckled light-heartedly and touched her shoulder—a grounding touch. “Your mind palace is like your second home. Just remember to spend some time in this reality too.” He winked and patted her back a few times before heading out. “I’m going to catch-up with Addie, but I’ll see you?”

  “You’ll see me.” Veaer smiled. She must have gotten lost in the map that was Tychon’s absence but somehow she couldn’t recall exactly what that consisted of.

  She looped her satchel across her chest and took some time to tidy up the room to further ground herself. In the span of silence, some frantic rummaging came from the other side of the hallway, pulling her away from arranging a shelf of books.

  The classroom across from her also had its door open but she couldn’t see much happening from where she was. Then, the tiniest evidence of Elise’s distinct dark locks came into view, the princess focusing on a desk near the front of the room as she ran a nervous hand through her hair.

  Murmured swears emitted from her being and she forced a desk open, letting crumpled papers fly out and a small box hit the floor. This was the most Veaer had ever seen Elise so riled up and she couldn’t tell if this was passion or randomly placed rage.

  After several moments of searching with no apparent direction, the princess crouched down to pick everything up and stuff it back into the desk, but not before her head whipped to the side and she fixed her gaze on something under the table. The paper she pulled out was white and crisp in her grip, and then a sudden air of conviction arose and she was storming out of the classroom, the opposite way from the cafeteria.

  Veaer paused, her breath stuck in her throat.

  And not a moment later, she was running the same way.

  If the universe was out to spite Veaer, then it was currently making a circus out of her.

  Elise’s chase led her to the doorstep of Adraredon Cathedral, her very favourite building on the grounds and her main witness to her climb and break-in last week.

  Unlike most other buildings on campus which were grey or brown, with exposed bricks or dark concrete, this one was a beautiful cream that remained clean through all weather, disasters and time. Perhaps she could credit the maintenance to caemi magic, but she also theorised that a house of the divine simply received such treatment from high above. The building was also like a small fortress, rather square in composition but with incredible depth and five wonderful spires, one on each corner tower with the centre one towering above all. The front was decorated with tall stained-glass windows, and the towers were layered with carved statues of dragons, feather winged beings and depictions of nature personified that some religions venerated. A place of worship for many across Syriphian and Kyross cultures.

  Beyond these doors was a space of comfort in trying times, housing her dragon saint’s chapel, on the left at the very end of the hall, and a calming atmosphere. She would sit in one of the pews, other students and faculty members coming in and out to pay their respects to the mighty dragons or to light candles in memory of their loved ones. She knew she wasn’t the most consistent devotee, only coming by when she found she could make time, or when she really needed to clear her mind, but somehow every time the words flowed smoothly from her mouth and she would open herself to the statue staring at her, with its expansive wings and strong jaw. Zhu Long, Dragon of Time and Season—saint of the red caemi. What was it like to control day and night, summer and winter?

  In this moment, while everyone else was studying or having lunch, she felt a proper lack of control, placing her hand upon the engraved door but feeling as if she’d be intruding on something by entering. Maybe the prospect of the saints and deities being so close and watching her caused the unnerve that sparked at her fingertips.

  But then she heard something shatter, and her curiosity propelled her to slightly nudge the door open, leaving any creaks within the grains as she slipped through to the lobby.

  The circular foyer room was empty except for its bowls of holy water and pamphlets of information. The select paintings in this room depicting scriptures and creation tales would normally keep Veaer in here for several more moments, but one of the doors leading to the main hall was left ajar and, in the distance, past rows and rows of wooden pews, filtering between large columns, was one short figure by the altar and another carefully creeping down the aisle, remaining unnoticed. It was nothing but suspicious, and Veaer took a different door to the upstairs balcony.

  Fighting balance between speed and stealth, she finally made it close to the opposite end of the cathedral and ducked down to watch what was happening through the bannisters. The culprit for the shattering was a wine glass that’s pieces spread on the altar platform.

  But what made her more curious was the chalk circle drawn in front of the altar platform, and the hooded figure who was frantically bringing the glass pieces together and hissing quietly to themselves. The chalk circle had a range of geometric and symmetrical shapes and if that didn’t hint anything, a few candles were placed around the edge along with other items: a wooden stick, a ritual knife, another cup that could’ve been a replacement to the broken one and a pile of coins. In the middle of the circle was a book, sheets of paper, a box like the one she saw with the crumpled papers earlier, and a bunch of feathers. This had to be some sort of ritual… in the middle of the day, in Adraredon Academy, but with who and why?

  Then the figure in the aisle came into light and Veaer perked up at the return of her target after losing her at the doorsteps. She couldn’t see a lot from where she was, but Elise’s fists closed by her side and she seemed to be making an effort to remain quiet as well albeit in a more obvious position.

  The hooded person still didn’t notice and after leaving the pieces of glass on the altar cloth, they dug into their pocket and pulled out a stone as they stepped right before the edge of their circle. Their eyes kept to the floor as they mumbled, and the familiarity of the voice tipped Veaer off that this must have been a student… the youth of the tone and how she would know if it were one of the teachers. But the way they spoke was also different than anything she’s heard, like an incantation of tongues. With the stone, they traced an arch in the air, just bigger than themself, and stepped through into the circle, before they looked up and dropped the stone.

  “Elise?” the figure said, surprised, and with confirmation that they expected to be alone.

  The wicked noise that came from Elise caused Veaer to stumble back and clutch the collar of her shirt. It was beauty and terror.

  “Now, now… what is going on here, Tychon Alastor Galacia?”

  CHAPTER 4

  TYCHON ALASTOR GALACIA

  Veaer couldn’t help but feel she was about to witness something not meant for her eyes.

  “Elise…” Tychon repeated, and he lifted his hands to his hood to lower it, perhaps in courtesy to his best friend. “You aren’t meant to be here.” He brought his hands to his short hair and pulled at the strands.

  “That reveals nothing of what you’re doing.” Elise stepped forward and Tychon suddenly dropped to his knees and grabbed the stone.

  “Wait—no, no, stop, wait. I need to… give me a moment.” The words came in a whirlwind as he stood up again and smoothed out the front of his cloak. His hand shook as he walked to the other edge of the circle where Elise was and lifted it to trace another arch. He started mumbling the incantation again, his arm becoming still and his voice a droning yet intriguing thing, until Elise sighed and returned to the pews, idly running her hands along the wood as she paced.

  “Will we really continue doing this? You running off somewhere and then I have to go find you?” Elise lowered her hands in front of her and folded them, turning straight on towards the boy.

  As the incantation came to an end, Tychon seemed to snap back into reality, his limbs and movements growing softer. He allowed himself to step out of the chalk markings, but not without a nervous look at the collection of items and then at Elise.

  “I’m not asking you to find me, you don’t have to.”

  “It’s not about wanting to, it’s the fact that you still can’t be open with me and if I don’t push then you’re left—” She waved her hand vaguely towards him, her fingers riddled with shakes. “You’re left on your own, doing this.”

  “But I tell you what matters, I tell you the things that I care about you knowing. You were there when I doubted my practice, you were there when I was hearing things I shouldn’t have been… patrons above Elise, you were there for my transition, when I needed support the most and I went to you and you still held my face and looked me in the eyes and told me I was a man despite it all.”

  Elise’s chest heaved and her breaths were deep yet strained. She remained silent and her eyes became shiny as tears welled up. Only the cathedral’s ambience of crackling fire and running water sounded, and they were like a frozen image for a few seconds longer.

  “And you are, and I still believe that.” Elise broke the silence slowly, as if picking her words. “But why must you be the one to decide what matters? Why can’t I care about knowing more about you too? You’re drifting away, you’re leaving me. How ironic is this? Just another man who—”

  “Don’t.” Tychon stepped forward and held up a hand. “You know I don’t like it when you say those things.”

  Elise let out that laugh again, that irksome and vexatious laugh. “There it is again! You’re telling me what matters, what should be cared about, what I should say. Where is my autonomy in this? And why does every choice I make get met with something? Like you always have an answer, but you don’t. You don’t have all the answers.”

  “And I’m not saying I do!” His voice boomed towards the ceiling as he snapped, throwing the stone to the ground, and letting it fling off to under the pews. But he didn’t move, didn’t inch away from his stare at Elise, who stood her ground and was even leaning in, like she was looking for a fight. “You keep acting like I’m trying to be like those people in your life. But I’m not. And you’re bringing my gender into this when it’s something entirely different. I want to be treated as a man because I am one, but not if it comes with all this. Not if you’re only going to compare me to Izot.”

  “I don’t even want to hear his name!” Elise shrieked, departing from the pews, and pushing past Tychon. “I’m going to—”

  “You won’t.”

  “Stop interrupting me! You’re so impossible when things aren’t the way you want them to be. You thought I wasn’t going to find you today? You know I always will.” Elise stood frighteningly close to the chalk, like she was tempting it, taunting it. For something to happen if she just—

  She stamped on the chalk outline and Tychon’s gasp was deep and audible.

  He lunged for her, grabbing her arms and tackling her to the floor. She thrashed around and screamed, attempting to get out of his grasp and… run away? Keep going? They became a pile of limbs fighting each other, tangling and twisting, clouds of white dust and feathers rising around them. She scattered the artifacts—the wand, knife and coins reaching the edge of the broken circle. And it was a miracle that the lit candles remained upright, until Elise tossed Tychon off for a moment long enough to start blowing them out and subsequently kicking them over.

  “Stop it, Elise, stop!” Tychon fumbled as he tried to get steady on his knees, for some sort of foundation as opposed to a boneless mess in a cloak. “Please stop, stop, stop, stop.” Over and over, he cried until he left himself kneeling in the ruined ritual circle and just held his hands out in a disarming fashion, waiting for mercy.

  Elise was an amalgamation of sobs and cries and no’s and grunts. She kicked the second chalice over and it fell into pieces easily and hopelessly. And then she stood up, her back turned to Tychon as she looked at the wall behind the altar, staring into the eyes of their patron deities: Ter, god of innovation, birth and knowledge. Mian, goddess of tradition, transitions, and magic. Quiet blanketed the expanse of the hall.

  Something stirred in her expression and in the way her fingers twitched by her side. The peace of the cathedral hardly returned, a whine in the air coming from Tychon who was doubling over enough to place their forehead to the ground.

  “Please help me understand, Ty.” Elise’s voice was level, too level. “How can we have been by each other’s side for so long, for you to have read my cards and for me to read your palms. For us to share an upbringing, an education and even a bed in the past, but you can’t let me into this. I keep you with me, when I don’t keep others, but I feel like I can never understand.”

  Tychon blubbered for a few moments longer until he found his voice, muffled against the floor. “But… but I think that’s just it, that you won’t be able to understand. This is for me and—”

  “And who?” Elise cried out and whipped around, swinging her arms before wrapping herself in them. “Everyone keeps everything from me. I’m told I need to work these things out myself, that it’s only fair to do so. And now that I’m standing here, having worked out where you’ve been skipping class to go to, I’m being told… I’m told…” Her voice cracked into a million pieces as a sob wretched from her lips. “I’m told I wouldn’t understand. You’re just like all of them!”

  “My darling, please.” Tychon lifted his head, his expression stricken from the noises Elise made as she crumpled. He paused, and then began shuffling closer to the young woman. He tried to pry her arms open but failed to do so, then settled for leaving his outstretched as an invitation. “It’s just a not now, not right now, I can tell you everything, but you must trust me.”

  Elise wiped her tears against her blazer sleeve and took a heavy breath in, allowing herself to become swallowed by Tychon’s arms.

  “How about some of it?” Elise asked, and when Tychon pulled away and did only that, she continued, “Explain parts of what you’re doing. I need to know my best friend is safe. To prove my worries wrong, and to know whether I should expect you in last period. I have a wonderful new project to show you.”

  Silence followed for a few beats until Tychon gave in, sinking back into an embrace with Elise. “You do have a way of convincing, don’t you?”