Page 99 of Trivium

“I will sedate both of you if you keep getting on my nerves,” Serena muttered, and Ren cracked a charming smile.

“You can’t tell anyone. Not yet,” Serena said, ignoring the men and turning her attention back to the women. “Not about your magic and not about your relation to each other.”

“Why?” Loveleena asked. Zeina could feel the resistance radiating off her. Even without magic, it was clear Loveleena hated being told what to do.

“Professor Barrow is working for Ash and targeting Ahmina. If he finds out the other two Veloria triplets are here, he will do everything in his power to drain you of your magic,” Lennox explained.

“Barrow has no idea you’re the other two. And we would like to keep it that way,” Serena interjected.

When Zeina’s parents—at least who she thought were her parents—died and she was left with nothing, she was forced to live on the streets at only eight years old. She vaguely remembered using their last name, but after reading Zeina Veloria on her birth certificate, she went by Veloria and didn’t look back. She brought it to Anastasia to try and gain entry and while the rejection stung, she never thought much about it otherwise. Now, as she pieced it all together, it started to make sense.

“That’s why I was rejected from Anastasia.” The realization tumbled out of her. “They knew who Ahmina was and they didn’t want both of us in the same place.”

Ahmina’s eyes were glassy as she studied Zeina’s face. “Oh, Zeina. I’m so sorry.”

“I know it wasn’t an easy life, Zeina, but you were safer as a…” Lennox’s voice trailed off, hesitating.

“You can say it,” Zeina pushed, betrayal slicing her heart. “As a nobody.”

Lennox furrowed his brows. “It’s the fact that you are somebody… an important somebody, a Veloria, that you even needed to be hidden Zeina. So no, I’m not going to say it because it’s not true.”

“You’ve known about all of this? About us?” Ahmina said to Lennox, failing to hide her accusatory tone.

“I knew who you were when I met you at the library. But I didn’t know about Zeina and Loveleena until they showed up here.”

“We weren’t expecting all three of you—just Ahmina,” Serena reasoned. “But triplets are known to have a rather mysterious connection.”

“Why would Barrow target Ahmina though?” Loveleena asked. “She’s known as an Ori, not a Veloria.”

“Barrow discovered Ahmina’s alias and expected her to attend the Academy this year,” Lennox explained. “In Jarrah, there’s a lot in place to protect her. We have allies. But when she started at Academy Prep, Barrow wormed his way in as a professor here in preparation. He knew she would be attending this year, and we knew he would target her. Triplet magic is… quite desirable. But we couldn’t interfere. If we did, it would have jeopardized Ahmina’s magic awakening.”

“How?” Ahmina frowned.

“For most, magic is awakened at birth. But if the magic is supressed, it forces itself out around the age of twenty-five. The awakening period is a sensitive time. One in which magic and the body are working against each other. If they don’t come into alignment during the awakening, the magic can… overtake its host. Interference increases the chances of that happening.” Lennox stepped closer to Ahmina. “I’m so sorry I had to let things play out with that dirtbag, but I knew you were strong enough to get through it. To protect yourself. To fight for yourself.”

“Except you did interfere,” Ren said annoyed.

“Only a little. And I couldn’t help it.” His eyes darkened. “I’ve been dying to rip that man’s head off.”

“You put her magic at risk,” Ren argued.

“I knew the line.” Lennox’s voice was tight as he held Ren’s gaze.

A thundering sound bellowed in the distance, and their heads whipped toward the noise. To Zeina, it sounded like a thousand hooves, and she wondered if creatures were near. Ren, Lennox, and Serena all looked at each other, an unspoken conversation happening between them before Ren ordered them to leave. And with that, all three of them were on their feet.

They moved swiftly through the forest, Zeina trailing at the back. “About Barrow,” Zeina whispered to Lennox, stealing a quick glance at Ahmina. “I don’t think he will be a problem for a while.”

“Oh yeah?” Lennox lifted an eyebrow. “And why is that?”

“I topped up the healing salve from the Alchemists with a blistering potion.”

Ahmina and Lennox smiled from ear to ear, and Zeina couldn’t help but grin back.

67

AHMINA

“This whole thing is absurd!” Loveleena said to the room, as if she were arguing with herself more than them.