I didn't want to go.
That was my first thought when I woke up. My second thought was that I might actually throw up.
School. Today. In this place.
I lay in bed staring at the ceiling. It was doing that thing again—the silver lines shifting and moving like they were breathing. Everything here did that. Moved. Glowed. Breathed. Nothing stayed still.
Back home, ceilings were just ceilings. Here, even the walls had a heartbeat.
My stomach churned. The dream from last night wouldn't leave me alone. That voice. That cold, dead laughter. Don't get close to people. He's watching.
But I had to go to school today. Which meant people. Lots of people.
My wrists tingled under the bandages.
"No," I whispered. "Please. Not today."
A knock made me flinch so hard I nearly fell off the bed.
"Gwen? You up?" Lilly's voice was too bright. Too awake.
I pulled the blanket over my head. Maybe if I stayed here forever, this whole day would just disappear.
The door opened anyway.
"Come on," Lilly said. I heard her footsteps. "First day. We need to get you ready."
I made a noise into my pillow that might've been words.
"I know," she said, closer now. "But you can't hide. Trust me, I've tried."
I peeked out. Lilly stood there holding clothes—not the training stuff. Real clothes. A dark shirt, black pants, and a jacket that looked like it cost more than everything I'd ever owned.
"These are for you," she said, putting them on the chair. "And before you ask—yes, the jacket's required. Everyone wears them."
"Why?" My voice came out rough.
"Protection, mostly. The fabric has these threads woven through it. Special ones. They help contain things." She said it like it was normal. Like jackets here just did that.
I stared at her.
"Magic threads," she explained. "They keep your power from leaking out when you're emotional. Not completely, but enough that you won't accidentally set something on fire when you're nervous."
Oh. Great. That wasn't terrifying at all.
Lilly sat on the edge of my bed. The mattress dipped and made a soft humming sound. Everything here made sounds.
"How are you feeling?" she asked.
"Scared." There was no point lying. My hands were shaking against the blanket where she could see them.
"What if something goes wrong?" The words tumbled out. "What if I lose control? What if everyone sees—"
"You won't," Lilly said. Her voice softened. "And if you feel like you might, find one of us. We'll be there."
"Even Felix?"
She paused. Just for a second. "Even Felix. Though he probably won't act like he knows you."
That hurt more than it should've.
"It's not about you," Lilly added quickly. "He does that with all of us. At school, we kind of pretend we're not related. It's safer."
I nodded, but I didn't get it. Not really.
Lilly stood. "Get dressed. Breakfast in twenty minutes." She stopped at the door. "And Gwen? Don't think too much. It'll make it worse."
Then she left.
I sat there for a minute, staring at the clothes. The jacket was dark—almost black—but when the light hit it, I could see patterns. Symbols. They moved across the fabric like water, never staying in one place.
Magic threads. Right.
Getting dressed took forever because my hands wouldn't stop shaking.
The clothes fit like they'd been made for me. The jacket felt weird—heavy but not heavy. Like it was pressing gently against my skin, reminding me it was there. When I moved, the symbols on it shifted, flowed. It made my skin crawl and feel safe at the same time.
I looked in the mirror.
The girl staring back looked almost normal. Almost like she belonged here.
But my eyes gave it away. Too wide. Too scared.
I rewrapped the bandages on my wrists, making sure every bit of the golden marks was covered. Heath's words kept repeating in my head. Don't let anyone see.
My stomach twisted again.
You can do this. Just keep quiet. Don't talk to anyone. Don't use your power. Don't mess up.
The mirror-girl looked like she was about to pass out. Yeah. Same.
I took a breath. The room smelled different this morning—sweeter, like something was blooming outside. Through the window, the pink sky was lighter than usual. The trees glowed brighter. Everything felt more awake. More alive. Like the world knew something was about to happen.
I pressed my hand against my stomach, trying to calm the sick feeling.
Just one day. Get through one day.
But even as I thought it, my wrists pulsed warm under the bandages. And somewhere far away, I swore I heard that laughter again. Cold. Dark. Waiting.
Breakfast was tense.
We all sat around the table—me, Lilly, Heath, Leo, Felix. The food looked almost normal—bread, fruit, eggs—except the fruit glowed faintly. Pulsing. The bread stayed warm without being near fire. And whatever Lilly poured into my cup swirled with colors that didn't exist back home.
I pushed things around my plate. Couldn't eat. My stomach was tied in too many knots.
"You need to eat something," Heath said, watching me with those eyes that saw everything.
"I'm not hungry."
"Eat anyway." Leo's voice was firm, not mean. "You'll need your strength."
Felix didn't say anything. Just sat there staring at his plate like it had personally offended him.
I forced down a few bites. Tasted fine—better than fine—but felt like swallowing rocks.
"So," I said, breaking the silence before it crushed me. "What's school like here?"
Lilly and Heath exchanged a look. One of those looks that said they were having an entire conversation without words.
"It's school," Lilly said carefully. "Classes. Teachers. Students. Pretty normal."
"Except everyone has powers."
"Well, yeah. Except that."
"And they all hate you."
Lilly winced. "Not all of them. Just… most."
Fantastic. This was going to be amazing.
"Remember what we talked about," Heath said, voice low and serious. "Don't tell anyone you're living here. If they ask about your family, say you're new. From the outer regions. People move around."
"What if they keep asking?"
"They will," Leo said. "Family names matter here. Show which council your family serves, what kind of power you come from. People will want to know."
My chest tightened. "What do I say?"
"Nothing specific," Heath leaned forward. "Be vague. Mysterious. Let them make assumptions."
"And the mark?" I held up my bandaged wrists.
"Keep it covered." Felix. His first words all morning. Voice flat. Cold. "At all times. If anyone sees it—"
"I know," I whispered. "I know."
He finally looked at me. Green eyes hard as stone. "Do you? Because if they see that mark, everything changes. They'll either think you're blessed by the old gods or cursed by the Fiths. Either way, you become a target."
"Felix—" Lilly started.
But he was already standing. Grabbing his bag. "We leave in five minutes." Then he walked out.
I sat there, hands shaking in my lap.
"He's just stressed," Lilly said softly. "He doesn't mean—"
"Yes, he does," I looked at her. "And he's right. I am dangerous."
"You're not dangerous." Heath's voice was firm. Final. "You're learning. There's a difference."
I wasn't sure I believed him. Wasn't sure I believed any of this.
The walk to school felt like walking through a dream. No cars here. No buses. Just paths glowing faintly under our feet, winding through trees that whispered when we passed. The air smelled like flowers and rain even though the sky was clear, pink, and endless.
Other students walked ahead of us, laughing, talking. Their jackets had those shifting symbols. Some glowed brighter than others.
"That shows power level," Lilly whispered. "Brighter symbols, stronger power."
I looked down at mine. Barely visible. Dull.
"Heath made sure yours were muted," Lilly added quickly. "So you wouldn't stand out."
Right. Standing out would be bad.
Felix walked ahead, alone. Not looking back. Like we didn't exist.
Watching him hurt something in my chest.
"He does this every day," Heath said quietly beside me. "At school, we're not siblings. Just… students who happen to know each other."
"Why?"
"Because if people see us together, they remember. Remember what our family name means. What happened to our parents." He paused. "Easier if we blend in separately."
That sounded awful. So lonely. But I didn't say it out loud.
The school appeared suddenly—massive, like it had grown out of the ground instead of being built. White stone walls shimmered, covered in vines glowing soft blue. Windows tall and arched, lights moving inside like trapped stars.
Students poured through the gates. Voices echoing. My stomach dropped straight through my feet.
"Ready?" Lilly asked.
No. Not even a little. Not even close.
"Yeah," I lied.
Inside was worse. So much worse.
The hallways crowded and loud. Everything glowed—walls, floor, even the air shimmered with barely contained energy. Students pushed past each other, voices overlapping, powers crackling faintly like static.
I pressed myself against the wall. Trying to stay out of the way. Trying to disappear.
"Your classroom's down there," Heath said, pointing. "Third door on the left. Lilly's in the same class. I'll see you at lunch." Then he disappeared into the crowd.
"Come on." Lilly grabbed my hand. "Stay close."
People stared as we passed. Not at Lilly—at me. The new girl. Their eyes curious, suspicious, hungry for information.
I kept my head down. Counted my breaths. Tried not to think about running.
The classroom was bigger than I expected. Rows of desks facing a board that glowed with moving writing. Students already sitting, talking, laughing. They all turned when we walked in. Room went quiet.
"That's her," someone whispered. "The new girl."
"Where's she from?"
"Heard outer regions."
"What family?"
"Nobody knows."
My face burned. Lilly squeezed my hand once, quick, reassuring, then headed to her seat in the back. Alone. Away from me.
Right. We weren't supposed to know each other.
"You can sit here."
A girl smiled at me from a desk near the window. Warm brown skin, dark curly hair pulled back, kind eyes that reminded me of—
"I'm Amy," she said. "You look lost."
Amy.
The name hit me like a punch in the stomach. My best friend back home. My real home.
I blinked back tears.
"Yeah," I managed. "I'm… new."
"Figured." Amy grinned. "Come on, sit. I don't bite. Promise."
I sat beside her. Hands still shaking.
"I'm Gwen."
"Nice to meet you, Gwen," Amy leaned closer. "People will ask a million questions. Family name, power level, where you're from. Just tell them it's none of their business. Works every time."
I almost smiled.
Classes were… weird doesn't cover it. Teachers didn't just talk—they demonstrated. Fire appearing in hands. Water floating in mid-air, shaped into animals that moved and breathed. One teacher made the room shift and change shape just to show spatial magic. Walls moved. Ceiling dropped lower then rose higher. My stomach lurched with every shift.
I sat frozen at my desk. Terrified someone would ask me to demonstrate. Terrified I'd have to show them what I could do.
They didn't ask. Thank god they didn't.
By lunch, my head pounded, wrists tingled hot under the bandages. I'd kept my hands hidden all morning, afraid someone would notice the glow bleeding through.
"Cafeteria's this way," Amy said, linking her arm through mine like we'd been friends forever.
The cafeteria was chaos incarnate. Long tables filled with students, food glowing, steaming, sometimes moving on its own. Noise overwhelming—voices, laughter, clatter, underneath it all, hum of power that made my teeth ache.
"Where do you usually sit?" I asked.
"Anywhere, really. I'm not picky." Amy scanned the room. "Oh! There's a spot—"
"Gwen!"
I turned. Lilly was waving at me from a table near the back. A few other girls sat with her—polished, pretty, completely out of my league.
"You know Lilly Fern?" Amy's eyes went wide.
My stomach dropped. "Um. Sort of. We met this morning."
Amy stared. "You know the Ferns are basically untouchable, right? Nobody talks to them."
"Why not?"
"Because they're cursed," Amy whispered. "Everyone knows. Their parents died fighting Fiths and ever since, monsters follow them everywhere. Like they attract bad luck just by existing."
My chest tightened. Heath had said that. But hearing it from someone else made it more real. More cruel.
We walked over. The other girls stopped talking the second we approached.
"Gwen, this is Chloe, Maria, and Jen," Lilly said.
Chloe was beautiful. Impossibly beautiful. Long blonde hair like silk, blue eyes that could cut glass, perfect skin. She looked at me like I was something stuck to her shoe.
"So you're the new girl everyone's talking about," Chloe said. Sweet voice, sharp underneath.
"I guess."
"What family are you from?" Maria asked.
"Outer regions." Repeating Heath.
They exchanged meaningful looks I couldn't translate.
"Outer regions," Chloe repeated slowly. "How… quaint."
Amy shifted uncomfortably.
"Don't be rude," Lilly said.
Chloe smiled. Didn't reach her eyes. "I'm not being rude. Just curious. Family names matter here. Tell us who you are. What you're worth."
My face burned hot.
"Leave her alone," Lilly said. Harder now.
"I'm just making conversation." Chloe's smile got sharper. "Besides, I'm sure Felix would want to know more about her too. He's always so… protective of strays."
My stomach twisted. "Felix?"
"Oh, you know Felix?" Chloe's eyebrows went up. "Interesting. Yes, Felix Fern. We used to date. Almost a year."
The words hit me like cold water.
"Used to," Lilly emphasized. "Past tense."
"For now," Chloe said. Poison sweet. "Things change. People come back to what they know."
I wanted to leave. Run. Disappear. But my legs wouldn't move.
Afternoon classes dragged. Head hurt. Wrists burned. By the final bell, I was exhausted down to my bones.
"You survived day one," Amy said, grinning.
"Barely."
"Want to walk out together?"
"Sure."
We headed down the hallway. Students poured out around us, eager to escape. Powers relaxing now that classes were over.
Someone bumped into me. Hard. My bag slipped off my shoulder and hit the ground.
"Sorry," the guy said. Didn't sound sorry at all.
I bent to grab my bag. My sleeve rode up. Just a little. Just enough.
"Wait." His voice sharp. "What is that?"
He was staring at my wrist. The bandage had slipped, revealing a hint of golden light.
My heart stopped.
"Is that a mark?" Louder now. "Did you see that? She has a mark!"
Heads turned. People gathered, whispering.
"I don't know, but it was glowing—"
"No." I yanked my sleeve down. "It's nothing."
"Let me see," the guy said, reaching for my wrist.
I jerked back.
Hands reaching, voices rising, a wave of panic. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think.
I ran.
"Gwen!" Amy called, but I didn't stop.
Bursting through the doors into the courtyard. Empty. Everyone still inside, whispering, gawking, spreading rumors about the new girl with the glowing mark.
I pressed my back against the wall, gasping.
"Gwen."
Felix stood a few feet away. Face unreadable, eyes intense.
"How did you—"
"I followed you. I saw what happened."
"Felix, I didn't mean to—the bandage slipped—"
"I know. It's fine. Just breathe."
I tried. My hands shaking so badly I pressed them against my stomach to keep them still.
"They're going to talk," I whispered. "Everyone's going to know something's different about me."
"Let them talk. We'll deal with it."
The air changed. Colder. Heavier. Something wrong pushing into our world.
Felix felt it too. His body went tense, alert.
"No," he whispered.
A crack appeared near the school gates. Not in the wall or ground—a crack in reality. Red light spilled out, angry and hot.
Then it came through.
A Fith. Smaller than the ones before but just as terrible. Body made of smoke and shadow, eyes glowing white, claws scraping the ground. The air shimmered with heat.
"Get behind me," Felix's voice went hard. Command, not request.
"Felix—"
"Now!"
The Fith's head snapped toward us. Low, terrible sound, metal scraping bone. Then it moved. Fast. Too fast.
Felix's hands burst into flames. Bright orange fire crawling up his arms, eyes reflecting the light.
And somewhere inside the school, students screamed.