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Chapter 18 - Whispers in the Wind

Jack slapped the back of Leo's head and shouted, "Race you there!" Before Leo could respond, Jack leapt onto an elevator disk. Leo grinned, mounting his own. "Oh, it's on!" he called, the wind whipping their robes as they soared into the cool morning air. The disks, one of the academy's finest inventions, gave a sense of freedom, as if they were flying. Both boys lived for this thrill, and they weren't alone—students often vied for a chance to ride the elevator disks, which were always in short supply.

As they zoomed past, some students hurled insults, especially the first-years who clung to their disks in terror. Jack laughed so hard he nearly lost his balance, giving Leo the perfect chance to zip ahead.

"Oi, no fair!" Jack yelled.

"Says the guy with the head start!" Leo shot back, his voice carried away by the wind.

As they neared their destination, the disks' safety walls rose around them. Leo glanced over his shoulder and flashed a mischievous grin at Jack. Ping! A portal shimmered ahead, and with a cheeky wave, Leo dove into it. "Bye!" he called just as Jack slowed down.

"Damn it," Jack muttered, watching Leo disappear. Leo had won—again. With a groan, Jack picked up the pace, weaving through the crowd of students before finally arriving at their classroom. To his relief, the professor wasn't there yet. The room buzzed with chatter, and Jack immediately spotted Leo, laughing with a group at the back.

Jack slumped into the seat next to him and muttered, "You cheating bastard."

Leo gave him a wide-eyed look before bursting into laughter. Maeve, seated nearby, caught on instantly and joined in. "Let me guess—you lost another race," she teased. "You always start them and always lose."

Jack ignored her, but before he could defend himself, Maeve leaned in, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Did you guys hear about Gaddiel?"

"The girl from the Mehlyn family?" Jack interrupted, eyebrows raised.

Maeve shot him a look of mock disdain. "No, the girl from the boondocks." She rolled her eyes. "Yes, the Mehlyn family. Anyway, rumor has it she was sent home because her hand... well, it's rotting."

"Rotting?" Jack asked, incredulous. He was about to press for more details when Olympia, who had been quietly listening, spoke up.

"That's horrible," she said, her voice full of concern.

"They say it happened right after some first-year broke the Heir table and got punished by Mordred." Maeve's voice dropped even lower, clearly hinting at something sinister.

"You think someone cursed her? As revenge?" Leo asked, his curiosity piqued.

Maeve nodded. "That's the theory."

Olympia shook her head. "Ridiculous. If it happened after the academy reopened, most third years and a chunk of second years wouldn't have even returned yet. A spell like that isn't child's play. Only a very skilled second-year spellweaver or an overachieving third year could pull it off. And which commoner would dare challenge not one, but *two* powerhouse families—the houses of Cahlyx and Mehlyn?"

"That makes sense," Jack admitted. "But then... who did it?"

Before anyone could speculate further, Leo glanced around the room, looking for his sister. She had mentioned her migraines earlier, and it wasn't like her to miss class. 

"Shhh," Leo hushed as the door creaked open. Professor Oliver strode in, a tall, thin man with salt-and-pepper hair and a mischievous glint in his eye. He carried a brown book emblazoned with the academy crest. Leo groaned.

"Not the book!" he muttered. "He's going to make us recite it, isn't he?"

As if on cue, Professor Oliver chuckled. "Alright, class! You know the drill—recite the first ten verses of the Code of Honor."

Groans echoed around the room. One by one, the students droned through the verses, their voices a mix of boredom and exhaustion.

After what felt like an eternity, class ended, and the group filed out into the blazing afternoon sun. Nox high rang through the air, signaling lunch. Mama, stomach growling, groaned dramatically. "I'm starving. Let's go eat before I collapse."

With Leon's coaxing, they convinced him to open a portal to the cafeteria. After eating and resting, they made their way to the training room. It was filled with various equipment and supervised by stern instructors who made sure no one slacked off.

Just as they were about to begin, Professor Gus barged in, his usually calm face tense. He exchanged hurried words with a supervisor before beckoning Jack and Leo to follow him outside.

The boys exchanged nervous glances as they followed Gus into the courtyard. The professor wasted no time. "I won't beat around the bush. Your sister's migraines—" he hesitated, searching for the right words. "They weren't just migraines. Her spirit animal was dying inside her. If she hadn't come to the infirmary this morning, it could have been much worse."

Both boys froze, the weight of the news hitting them like a brick.

"We were able to extract it in time, but..." Gus hesitated again. "She slipped into a coma."

Jack's heart sank, and Leo felt a knot form in his stomach.

"She'll wake up soon," Gus added quickly, seeing the worry etched on their faces. "But for now, there's nothing you can do but wait."

Back inside, the boys asked for permission to leave. They would tell Maeve and Olympia later—right now, they needed to see Layla, no matter what.