Chapter thirteen
“So let me get this straight,” Finnley utters, “you literally didn’t place in either but are part of both according to the headmistress.”
“A Liminal,” Mallory explains, echoing what I just told them.
“Yeah, I get that,” he replies, folding his arms, “but where exactly does she go from here? Where does she train? What quarters does she sleep in? Will her powers come into play, or will she manipulate shadows? Why don’t they execute her for not placing in one of the two categories?” he asks, kicking his feet up onto the small table.
I stare at him. He’s voicing everything I’ve already thought of.
“I’ve heard about this happening once before, a few centuries ago. My grandfather used to tell me stories of the old warriors, and I remember this one he spoke about had a Liminal in it,” Mayline chimes in, her feet tucked under her in the large armchair. She may have been assigned Noctryn, but she’s still hanging out with us. For now.
We all stare at her, waiting for her to continue.
She leans back. “I don’t know much just what was in the folklore he would recite to me. It’s obviously very rare and unpredictable for this to occur.” She drags a finger over her bottom lip, thinking. “I recall him explaining that each Liminal is unique in their abilities. They could have powers and shadows… or only one or the other. The last one documented was amazing at blood magic but couldn’t control the shadows. He was lethal at manipulating people’s emotions, though.”
We all sit in silence, letting her words sink in, each of us lost in our own reflection of thoughts. The study hall is quiet right now, so we were able to snag a few armchairs in the corner without being bothered by anyone.
I rub the healing scab on the inside of my wrist. “Did he know how it occurred? Becoming a Liminal?” I’m not sure if I’m going to like the answer, but I want it all the same.
She shakes her head, her hooded eyes softening in understanding. “No, he wouldn’t say anything more, and I couldn’t find anything in our history books. It felt a bit taboo from the way he was speaking, like perhaps they don’t want us to know much about the topic.”
Mallory’s mouth opens, then closes. She looks at me like she wants to ask something but isn’t sure if she should.
I wave her on to ask. It can’t get any worse at this point.
“Before you left, did she happen to mention what your curriculum is going to look like?”
Yes. The real kicker in this shit show.
I let out a sharp exhale through my nose. “She did. In very thorough details I might add.”
Finnley drops his feet from the table and leans in toward me, his elbows resting on his knees. Concern marks his furrowed brow as he waits for me to continue.
“Apparently, I’m going to be training with both. Veils and Noctryns. I’ve been instructed that my class schedule will host both courses as well as combat training techniques equally,” I groan, dragging a hand down my face.
Finnley runs his tongue along his teeth before speaking. “How exactly are you going to manage that kind of class load?” he asks.
I gather my hair in my hands, twisting it and securing it high on my head in a messy bun. “Reluctantly. That’s how,” I answer. “But because I actually did place, it just happened to be in both regiments, I get to live to see another day. So there’s a bright side in all of this, I guess.” I laugh hollowly.
By the time we leave the study hall, the sun has long since settled behind the mountains. Not that we were able to enjoy any of her warmth, but we knew she was there. Sometimes that’s all that matters in the end.
Knowing something is there, even if you can’t see it.
The thin chiffon drapes hanging in my room billow in the wind as I stare up at the vast indigo sky through my window. There are so many more stars in this region than back home. In Brylan, the streets are lined with orange flickering carriage lights, and the ports are full of structures and homes that block out any view of the stars worth seeing.
The only thing that could make the vibe more perfect is the sound of the waves crashing against the shore at night. It was my own personal lullaby.
One of the very few perks of being the daughter of a high-ranking Veil is the good housing with even better views. Other than that, the only thing you received was dinners eaten alone, holidays celebrated unaccompanied, and high expectations placed on your shoulders.
It would have been a lonely childhood without Ambrose.
My new room isn’t anything to complain about either. The view is pretty spectacular. Thousands of evergreen pine treescrest the tops of various mountain peaks, their needles still a deep bluish-green color despite the dropping temperatures. Low-lying clouds drift over their highest points, creating an enigmatic feeling that settles into my soul just right.
Student housing decided that there was more room in the Noctryn quarters and placed me here for the remainder of the year. Not only am I forced to study with them, but I also have to live with them.
Let’s not forget the fact that there’s also a communal bathroom that we all get to bond over.
I’m being forced into their vicinity whether I like it or not. And just to clarify, I do not. The only perk in the room situation is that anyone who survives the first week as a prospect is assigned their own room.
