"I—the dark side?! What is this? Star Wars?"
Xan rolls his eyes.
"Star Wars is ancient, darling."
I attempt to get up, and he quickly points a silver bladed dagger at me.
"Move another muscle and I'll slit your throat."
"This is harassment! This is assault! You'll let me go and give me back the damn necklace! Now!"
Xan smiles.
"I'll give it back to you tonight, love. Meet me in the city, will ya? You'll know who's me."
"Hold up—"
Before I can say something the door opens by itself, and he disappears into thin air.
Shit.
I stand up, looking around.
"Hello? Xan? Did you just leave?!"
I roll my eyes, exiting the place.
I'm now right in front of the gates to Bridora, and when I turn around it's gone.
No building, nothing.
Where the hell was I?!
I look at the city, before sneaking back into the school.
I'll keep your secret for now, Azurecide.
*********
I wake up to the alarm going off across the loud speakers, yawning.
Was that a dream?
I reach over on my nightstand, not feeling the cool chain of the necklace.
Nope. It wasn't a dream.
I really met a damn supervillain.
I mean...a hot supervillain...but we don't talk about that.
Heroes can't like villains! Heroes can't be seen with villains! Am I even a hero?
"Nova!"
"Huh?"
I snap my head around, and Archer gives me a look.
"You good? I've been calling your name."
"Sorry. I'm just a little out of it."
"Bad sleep?"
I turn my head to Holiday.
"I guess you could say that."
Hudson approaches our closet, turning to look at me.
"It happens."
Kiersten smiles.
"I hope we get to do power training today...I get to learn how to fly!"
Holiday elbows her playfully.
"I'm so jealous of you, K. I've always wanted to fly."
"Who hasn't?"
They all look at me, and Archer frowns.
"You don't like your power, do you?"
"No. Not at all actually. The thought of speed powers bothers me a lot. What am I supposed to do? Run away? What kind of hero is that?"
Hudson makes a face.
"I mean...The Flash had speed?"
I give her a bored look.
"The Flash is lame."
"True."
Holiday laughs, squeezing me in a hug.
"Ah. I love you, you know that, right? You'll be just fine. You can help save so many people with speed. Imagine. If a building is falling, you can speed over and save the citizens before it has the chance to crash! Boom! Hundreds of lives saved. Speed is a lucky power to possess, Nova. Sure, it isn't as powerful or perhaps cool as one of the elements, but it's something!"
I look up at her, my eyebrows furrowed.
"You think so?"
"Definitely! Now come on. We want to get to breakfast before everyone else takes the good stuff."
Holiday grins.
"I heard they have french toast today."
*********
After breakfast, it's time for training.
Today we have the day off from school to get used to using the powers I don't have.
All because Mister Xan decided to take the necklace that gave me them in the first place.
Guess I'll have to make up some lame excuse.
"Everyone! Line up!"
We all quickly line up, and Hunter narrows his eyes.
"Everyone! Hold out your necklaces so I see you have them ready!"
Everyone's hands shoot out with their necklaces in them, and I just kind of stand there awkwardly.
Hunter makes his way down the line, nodding at everyone who does have it.
I brace myself to get yelled at when he comes up to me, shrinking back.
"Nova Chanel Birch! Where is your necklace?!"
I flinch slightly, sighing.
"I...umm...I left it upstairs."
"Then what are you waiting for?! Go get it!"
"Sorry, sir!"
I run out of the room, and upstairs to the dorms.
I go into my room, shutting the door before holding my head in my hands.
What a mess!
What am I meant to do?! Tell him a villain took it?!
I jump when I hear a firm knock at the door, standing up and walking over before looking into the peephole.
Oh. It's just Lula.
I open the door, and Lula smiles at me.
"Hey...how are you doing?"
She frowns when she sees my face.
"Oh goodness! Did you get any sleep last night?"
"Barely. But I'm okay."
"Why aren't you in training?"
I sigh.
"I forgot my necklace."
"Did you get it? Why aren't you going back?"
I rub my forehead.
"That's the thing, Lula. I don't have it."
"Oh?"
I look up at her.
"Please don't be mad at me."
"I'm not, I'm not! Just find it by tomorrow okay? I'll have Hunter train you privately tomorrow to catch up."
Lula grins.
"I'll just tell him you aren't feeling too well. Enjoy the rest of your day, Nova."
"Oh uh...you too!"
I shut the door behind her, standing there dumbfounded.
I expected her to yell her ass off at me.
At least Xan is giving the darn thing back tonight.
Otherwise I'd be in deep shit.
Let's hope I don't die.
*********
Something that's been on my mind since 8:00 AM this morning.
What if Xan decides I know too much and kills me?!
I didn't even get to turn nineteen yet!
It's now 8:30. Thirty minutes until I go.
Or until I think I go.
He never actually gave me a specific time.
"...you just have to join me on the dark side, darling."
I shiver at his words.
Ugh! I don't want to be a corrupt hero!
This is awful! Awful!
I sit on my bed, staring blankly at the closet door.
"Hello?"
Kiersten waves her hand in front of my face, looking at Hudson, Archer, and Holiday.
"Guys? I think she's broken."
"What?!"
I snap my eyes on hers, and she jumps slightly.
"Jeez, Nova. What's with you today? You keep staring into space like you're seeing shit. Did you get new powers?! Can you now see and speak to ghosts?!"
"No! No. That's Robyn's power."
"Then what's up with you?"
Archer gives me a weird look and Hudson sighs.
"Is there something you're not telling us, Nova?"
"No. I tell you guys everything."
Holiday raises an eyebrow.
"Everything?"
"Everything! I swear to you! I just have a headache."
"Yeah, yeah. Alright, Nova."
We all pause when the loud speaker turns on.
"Lights out, everyone! We'll see you in the morning! Lula out!"
The speaker turns off, as does the lights.
I sigh.
"Well. Night guys."
Archer smiles.
"Goodnight! See y'all in the morning!"
It goes silent after around ten minutes and I slide out of bed, quietly opening the closet door.
I grab my jacket and a pair of boots, shoving them both on before exiting the room.
I release a breath, feeling my heart thump against my chest.
Why am I so nervous?
"Perhaps because you're going to meet a villain, Nova Birch?"
I let out a small gasp, turning around to see Rogue and Robyn, the creepiest twins you'll probably ever meet.
"What the—what're you doing?!"
"Smoking."
Rogue says, his white eyes focused on mine in the dark.
Robyn leans nonchalantly on his arm.
"Looking for ghosts. I see you forgot that my dear brother's power is mind reading, Nova?"
I back away slightly, freaked out.
"Yeah, I did...you're not gonna tell anyone, right?"
Rogue and Robyn smile at me.
"Of course not, Birch. Only if you tell us who it is. Who are you going out to meet, Nova?"
I bite my lip, before responding.
"Azurecide."
Their eyes widen.
Rogue looks at me.
"The Azurecide? That guy's a legend."
"But—you guys are supposed to not like him? Heroes, remember?"
"We want to be villains. This was our parents idea."
Robyn says, and I sigh.
"Okay...?"
Her and Rogue grin.
"Tell us about it at breakfast tomorrow. We'll be waiting at the south wing table for you, princess."
They seem to fade away into the shadows as I walk away, and I exit the building quietly.
I quickly run across the courtyard, hopping the fence before running over to the city which is already fixed up.
I expect nothing less...it's 2098, not 1784.
I sneak onto the sidewalk, before walking normally in the nice bright lights.
It's nice...living freely.
I've been stuck in that damn school for almost a decade.
Not a good look.
I continue to walk along the streets when I realize I have no fucking idea where I'm meant to go.
He didn't tell me anything.
"Excuse me?"
I turn around, coming face to face with an attractive guy.
Oh shit. He's cute.
"Umm...hi?"
"Hi...are you by any chance Nova Birch?"
I nod my head silently.
"Yeah. This is she."
He laughs, smiling.
"I'm Damien. I was told to come get you."
"Really? By who?"
"Now that's confidential, sweetheart."
He brings me in the opposite direction towards a small tavern that goes by The Steel Dahlia Inn.
"He's waiting for you inside."
"Oh...umm...thank you?"
"No problem, bella. We will meet again soon."
His eyes spark red before he disappears into thin air, and I adjust my jacket, getting a weird feeling before entering the tavern.
I look around, and a waitress approaches me, smiling.
"Hello! Nova Birch?"
"Oh! Yes."
"Great. Come with me, ma'am."
Why does everyone know my name?!
I follow her towards the back, where there's a table with a shadowed figure sitting at it.
"Over there, ma'am. Have fun."
She winks before hurrying off, and I awkwardly approach the person, sitting down across from them.
I get a whiff of cologne and cigarette smoke, coughing.
"Smoking can cause lung disease!"
I hear a deep laugh, then I see a hand.
An attractive hand.
Who knew hands could be attractive?
Lots of rings, a tattoo on one finger.
They're holding four cards.
"Pick a card, Nova."
"Who even are you?"
"Pick a card, Nova."
"Fine!"
I take the middle card, and the person draws their hand back.
"I'll tell you this. I had four cards. Clubs, hearts, diamonds, and spades. If you got spades, you can ask me whatever you want. If you got hearts, I can ask you whatever I want. If you got diamonds, you have to do something for me. The opposite is for clubs. Understand?"
"Uhh, yeah?"
"Good. Let me guess...you have spades?"
I drop my hands in my lap, my eye twitching.
"What?! How the hell did you know that?!"
Another snicker, this time my eyes catch on a chain necklace.
With multiple colored gems.
Hold up.
"Xan?"
"Shhh..."
He leans forward on the table, coming out from the shadows.
This time though, he has black hair and light blue eyes.
"Did you just—"
"A disguise, darling. You know no one can see this necklace, right? I just look like a normal human."
I clench my fists, narrowing my eyes.
"Give me the damn necklace. Now."
"Alright, alright."
He drops the silver chain necklace on the table in front of me.
I reach out to grab it, when Xan snatches it again.
"Nope! Not for you."
I pinch the bridge of my nose, before grabbing the collar of his shirt from across the table.
"Drop it."
He looks me up and down with a smirk.
"You talk to me as if I'm a dog. I find it funny."
I narrow my eyes into slits, pursing my lips.
"I find it a dick move for you to do that, Xan. Give it back. I don't want to fight you over this."
"And you won't, Nova. I don't fight women."
I release his shirt again, sitting down with a sigh.
"Sorry. I don't know what's going on with me."
"I understand your pain, Nova."
"What pain?"
He grins.
"The pain of being left alone. Abandoned. Your parents, yeah? Left you at the school and never came to visit even once."
My lips dip down in a frown and I sigh.
"They didn't."
"Aren't you angry about that? Devastated? I've felt that same pain, Nova. And I know how to get rid of it."
"Really?"
"Really."
Xan holds out his hand and I reach out, watching as he places the necklace into mine.
"How? How do I get rid of it?"
"Come with me, Nova. Friday night. I'll show you how to get rid of it. Until then..."
He stands up, placing a spades card next to me.
"Remember that."
He disappears into thin air, and I'm left sitting there, dumbfounded once again.
I stand up, tucking the ace of spades and the necklace into my pocket, before exiting the tavern.
Azurecide, why are you messing up my life?