I dreamed of blood and stardust. The skin on my hands was raw; soap and constant washing made them drier than a desert, caked, and painful. Ani sat pristinely on my bed each night, waiting and watching as I furiously attempted to wash the invisible blood from my hands, desperate to feel clean.
The weekend days I spent looking for a chain for my registration and key, studying the website Cove had sent me, working my way through the maps, the online lessons, descriptions of resources, and reading every magical book they'd uploaded. My first class was scheduled for Monday evening, a general overview of the different types of magic and their uses.
Sunday afternoon, I finally found a decent and plain gold-plated chain to wear around my neck. It was strong but thin and long, allowing me to hide the registration tag and key from any potential mugger.
By the time Monday rolled around, deep bags had made a home under my eyes, my skin was pale, and my hair was untameable. Anxiety, excitement, and something else churned in my gut, making food taste like ash in my mouth. Ani sat in my lap, his paw above his head and patting the table, trying to catch my eggs. Blankly, I let him snatch the remaining eggs off my plate, watching as he picked the scrambled eggs up with his claws, eating them almost like a monkey.
He enjoyed them far more than I had been, and I wouldn't have eaten them anyway. Once he finished, I mechanically placed my plate in the dishwasher and finished readying myself for work. Work on Monday was painfully, exhaustingly slow, and I spent most of the day looking at the clock or with my eyes drifting shut, not looking at anything at all. By the time Ani showed up, I'd only gotten a line done or maybe two. I couldn't remember where I'd started.
"Please leave," I begged Ani upon seeing him. His ears flicked in my direction, but he kept himself out of arms reach. "Or just don't let him catch you?" Ani gave me that smug cat look I was quickly becoming familiar with. I sagged back in my chair in defeat, slamming my neck on the back of the chair with a groan. My spine tingled.
My boss walked in only seconds later. I didn't have to look to know he was fuming, the heat of his anger noticeable in how he moved. He slammed the door shut behind him.
"I told you not to come back until you'd gotten your cat situation figured out!" He scolded, face purple. His glasses slipped down on his nose, and he shoved them back up aggressively.
Knowing it wouldn't help, I said, "I tried everything. I couldn't stop him from following me again."
"Your production has been dropping since that thing started showing up in your office. If your scores continue…" he trailed off, but the threat was clear. Honestly, I was surprised it took this long for him to threaten me. He'd been looking for an excuse to fire me since day one. He sniffed, his allergies already working their way. "Now, get that cat home."
"Yes, sir."
He slammed the door shut behind him, and I leveled Ani with the sternest look I could muster. Ani cleaned himself, unaffected.
With nothing better to do that evening, Ani and I made our way to the portal closest to my work. The outside air was slightly chilly, the breeze making it feel far colder out than it ought to. Still, the sun was pleasantly warm on my face as I carried Ani through the streets and up the steps to the simple-looking wooden door. I tugged on the chain dropping down from my neck, pulling the key and registration out from where it rested on my chest. The chain was long enough that I simply had to bend over slightly to insert the key, which easily slid into the lock. The door unlocked and opened with the barest of touches; the layout was identical to the other portal room I'd seen.
Stepping onto the blue, glowing magic circle, I pulled at my magic and tugged along the watery threads of the portal network, trying to remember the feel of the portal I'd exited Ventosus through. Finding it, I dragged Ani and me along, reality falling away, the circle shifting from an ocean blue to a fiery red beneath my feet. The red light flared, my magic spread along the thread, and reality fell back in around us.
The light dimmed, and I watched the flames die down along the engraved lines, replaced by the gentle blue glow of their original state. Curious, I prodded at the ocean of magic beneath my feet. Waves surged at my prod, sending a tingle up my spine. My hand jerked, nearly dislodging Ani from his place. Ani dug his claws into my skin, irritated. Hastily, I let him leap down and exited the building, opening up into the city of Ventosus.
The city was just as marvelous the second time as it had been the first. I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with the sweet fresh air, letting it settle within my chest before letting it out. With renewed vigor, Ani and I headed to the library, following the map on the website. There were still a few hours until my class started, and I wanted to learn as much of this strange new world as possible.
The library's interior was one of the most beautiful things I'd ever seen. The entryway opened up into a room with two spiraling stone staircases, one on either side. A domed ceiling rose above my head, with three shelf-filled stories above me, guarded by elaborately carved stone railings. Skylights filtered in light from above and through the floors, casting the library in natural lighting. Plants in eternal spring were placed carefully through the interior, bringing color and casting relaxing colored reflections across the stone.
Setting an alarm for later, I cast myself into the maze of rooms, shelves, and books, delighted. Rooms dedicated to reading were available on each floor, each with comfortable chairs and beanbags, and were dedicated to a specific theme. One room cast you into the middle of a sunny and lively rainforest, with animal sounds on repeat. Another sat you at the bottom of a rainbow-inducing waterfall, complete with the smell of petrichor, though the mist of the waterfall itself was understandably fake. Yet another sat you on a beach, the waves of the ocean cresting and crashing pleasantly in the background. There were gardens, lakes, and forests galore, each unique and relaxing in its own way.
The library was sorted by subject, and its massive stone shelves held rows upon rows of books, scrolls, and tablets bearing ancient and modern knowledge. One section, I discovered, was filled with magical texts from the Library of Alexandria, and I ran my fingers over the edges of the ancient wonders, wondering at their immeasurable value.
My exploring wasn't quite finished when my alarm went off, but I wasn't disappointed. Rather, I was excited by the prospect of so many new books and subjects that hours of wandering couldn't showcase them all.