The night was still, save for the soft rustling of leaves outside Mira's window. The silence of the inner court felt too heavy, pressing against her skin like an unseen force. Sleep tugged at her, but her mind wouldn't settle. The energy within these walls was alive, humming beneath the surface like an untamed current.
Then—a sound.
Soft. Muffled. Like footsteps.
Mira's breath caught. She swung her legs over the bed, creeping to the window. Pushing aside the curtain, she froze.
Rhyshe and Celvia stood on the balcony, their figures bathed in silver moonlight. Their voices were low, urgent, words lost to the wind. Mira was about to call out to them when—
They jumped.
Her heart leaped into her throat as wings unfurled behind them, shimmering like woven light.
She watched, wide-eyed, as they soared through the garden, effortless, blending into the night. They didn't hesitate, didn't look back.
Mira's fingers tightened around the curtain. Where were they going? Why were they sneaking out?
She hesitated, a battle waging in her mind. She shouldn't follow them. Curfew was strict. No student was allowed outside at this hour. But the image of them disappearing into the sky burned in her thoughts.
I have to know.
Her gaze flickered to the books on her desk. Teleportation. If she could get past the barrier, she could follow them.
Mira hesitated as she traced the incantation from the teleportation book. The words felt heavy on her tongue, the symbols glowing faintly in the dim light of her room. Reinatels Servia.
Mira's hands shook as she flipped through the pages. Come on… come on… there!
Reinatels Servia. She says it again
The letters glowed faintly on the parchment, pulsing with an unseen energy. Taking a deep breath, she whispered the incantation, feeling the magic twist in the air around her.
The space before her rippled—then, in a blink, a glowing portal swirled into existence.
Mira stepped forward.
A rush of wind. A pull from all directions. Then—
She was outside.
—and then she was standing in the Inner Court gardens.
Mira barely had time to register her success before a strange sensation prickled at her skin. Something was off. The air here felt dense, almost like the academy itself was rejecting her presence.
A flicker of golden light caught her attention. She looked down and gasped. Her badge—the one the receptionist had given her—was glowing faintly, an intricate pattern of runes shifting across its surface.
So that's why it worked.
She pressed her fingers against it, realization dawning. The teleportation spell should have failed—no ordinary student could bypass the Inner Court's barriers. The only reason she had succeeded was because of this unique badge, marked with the insignia of the Seven Devils.
Mira exhaled sharply. If her badge held this much authority, what else could it unlock?
But before she could dwell on it, the sound of flapping wings made her look up. Rhyshe and Celvia were flying above the gardens. She had no time to waste.
The night air was crisp, electric, tinged with the scent of jasmine and rain. A thrill shot through her. It worked.
But she wasn't done yet.
She tilted her head up, searching the sky. They were too far ahead. She'd never catch them like this.
Mira clenched her fists, inhaling sharply. Then I'll fly.
She focused, steadying herself. Placium Tha Urnowill.
Magic surged through her body. The ground slipped away beneath her feet. She was rising.
Her heart pounded—this was incredible! The rush of wind against her skin, the feeling of weightlessness, the power coursing through her veins—she was flying!
Mira felt the magic slip from her grasp. The wind howled past her ears, tearing at her clothes as the world tilted violently. She was falling. Fast. Too fast.
Panic surged through her veins as she tumbled through the open night, the sky swallowing her whole. Her stomach lurched. The ground below rushed up to meet her, a blur of silver-lit trees and marble paths.
No, no, no—focus!
She tried to steady herself, to summon her magic, but the force of her descent made her vision blur. Gravity was merciless, yanking her down like a broken star plummeting from the heavens.
The grand fountain came into view, its shimmering waters reflecting the moonlight. And standing beside it—a boy.
Mira's heart clenched.
Oh no.
She wanted to scream for him to move, to dodge, to do something, but the words stuck in her throat. The wind stole her breath. She barely had time to brace herself before—
CRASH!
Cold water exploded around her as she hit the fountain with a resounding splash. The impact rattled through her bones, her limbs tangling as she struggled to surface.
When she finally broke through, gasping for air, she met his gaze—cool, unreadable, and filled with something that made her want to scream.
Then he smirked.
"Nice landing, sky princess."
A Clash in the Moonlight
Mira gasped for air, shoving her drenched hair from her face.
A slow, mocking clap greeted her.
She blinked up at the boy, his green eyes gleaming with amusement. "That," he said, voice smooth and lazy, "was spectacularly embarrassing."
Mira gritted her teeth, humiliation burning through her. "Shut up," she snapped, trying to claw her way out of the fountain with what little dignity she had left.
He smirked, crossing his arms. "I mean, was that supposed to be a grand entrance? Or were you just hoping to make a splash?"
She glared. "I didn't plan to fall, you idiot!"
The smirk deepened. "Clearly."
Mira shoved herself out of the water, dripping and furious. Why did it have to be him? Of all the people to witness her disaster—why him?
She squared her shoulders. "I was following my friends. Not that it's any of your business."
He raised an eyebrow. "Friends? You mean the ones who just left you behind?"
Mira stiffened. The words hit harder than she wanted to admit.
"They didn't leave me," she shot back. "I just—lost control."
He let out a mocking chuckle. "That much was obvious."
Mira's hands clenched into fists. Who did he think he was? "I don't need your commentary. Or your judgment."
"Oh, but it's entertaining," he said with a lazy shrug. "Watching you flail around? Best thing I've seen all night."
Mira wanted to punch him.
Wanted to wipe that smug expression off his face.
Instead, she stepped closer, chin lifted. "And what about you?" she challenged. "Standing here all alone? What's your excuse?"
His smirk faltered. For a fraction of a second.
Then it was back. "I enjoy quiet," he said smoothly. "And watching fools drop from the sky, apparently."
Mira was about to snap back—
Then the white house doors slammed open.
Akira. Rhyshe. Celvia.
They froze.
Eyes darting between Mira, the boy, and the fountain.
Rhyshe blinked. "Uh… are we interrupting something?"
Celvia folded her arms. "Mira, why are you—soaking wet?"
Before Mira could answer, the boy gestured dramatically. "She wanted to test gravity."
Akira pinched the bridge of her nose. "Oh gods."
Mira turned back to the boy, voice low with warning. "You're enjoying this way too much."
He grinned. "Immensely."
Rhyshe leaned closer to Celvia. "Who is he?"
Celvia sighed. "Ren."
Mira stilled.
Ren.
So that was his name.
It suited him. Arrogant. Overconfident. Smug.
And yet… she couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't the last time their paths would cross.