Chapter 57 – Fear

  Morning sunlight painted the stone paths of the academy in warm hues, gilding the ancient walls with amber. Everything looked so normal. Birds chirped from the clock-tree branches, gears within its bronze trunk ticking in slow rhythm. A light breeze rustled through the open courtyard where Time-thread students practiced short-distance dashes and Sight drills.

  Kaelin sat on the farthest bench beneath the winding arms of the clock-tree, the shade cooling her skin. She didn’t notice the tick of the branches today. She didn’t admire the way the gold-trimmed leaves danced with every click of the tree’s shifting gears. Her thoughts were elsewhere, far, far away.

  Her legs were drawn up onto the bench, arms wrapped loosely around them. She stared at the smooth stone tiles beneath her boots, her brows creased in silent thought. The events of the previous night clung to her like spider silk, light but inescapable.

  The moment had been brief. Just a sliver of time, barely longer than a breath. But it echoed louder than any battle she’d ever fought.

  “Of course she did well. This is her third time.”

  What were they talking about? Third time doing what? Were they even talking about her? It could be anyone. Any woman at least. How many were there? Where were they?

  The words repeated in her head over and over. Those voices had been discussing together, maybe about her, as if she wasn’t there. What were they? Or who?

  She hugged her legs a little tighter.

  She wasn’t sure what scared her more, the idea that Aric was going insane, or those voices. The creatures who watched over her, clearly seeing her every move.

  Aric had always seemed… off, yes, but never dangerous. Strange and brilliant and detached, maybe, but that was how all Time-wielders were, wasn’t it? Or so everyone said.

  Now she wasn’t so sure.

  And yet, part of her didn’t want to believe what she’d heard. What she’d seen. He had been her mentor. The only instructor who ever seemed to look at her and see more than a ratty commoner, he saw potential. He encouraged her when others called her reckless. Guided her when she stumbled.

  But what if he wasn’t just eccentric?

  What if he was something else entirely?

  No. Don’t go there.

  She clenched her jaw and exhaled slowly, trying to slow her racing thoughts. The courtyard was peaceful. Calm. The kind of place that usually helped her think clearly.

  But not today.

  “Kaelin?”

  Her name cut through the silence, and her eyes flicked up.

  Zephyr and Lena were approaching. The bright morning light silhouetted them, casting long shadows across the stone. Lena had her usual nervous-but-sweet smile, hands behind her back. Zephyr walked with that quiet confidence of his, although today… it seemed muted.

  Kaelin didn’t move.

  They came closer. Lena sat beside her, careful not to crowd. Zephyr remained standing a few paces away.

  “Why did you leave so suddenly at the library?” Lena said gently. “You left kind of fast.”

  Kaelin shrugged. “Didn’t think anyone would care.”

  “Of course we care.” Lena sounded hurt. “You’re our friend.”

  Kaelin didn’t respond.

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  “We just thought you might want some space,” Zephyr added. His voice was even, but there was something beneath it. A weight. “But then of course, you’ve been spending time with her lately.”

  Kaelin turned her eyes to him slowly. “And?”

  “Just surprised, is all.”

  “You don’t get to be surprised,” she snapped, more sharply than she intended. “You don’t get to act like you know me.”

  Lena flinched slightly. Zephyr’s expression didn’t change.

  “We’re just trying to understand,” Lena said softly.

  “There’s nothing to understand.”

  Kaelin stood, brushing imaginary dust from her sleeves, even though they were perfectly clean.

  “I don’t need to explain myself to either of you.”

  Zephyr’s jaw tensed. “You don’t. But we’re friends, we’re on the same team. We fought side by side. I thought that meant something.”

  Kaelin looked away.

  It did.

  But her thoughts were tangled. Confused. She couldn’t bring herself to be with them, not now, not with how they had treated her. How she’d treated them. Not with the shadows that seemed to stretch longer every day.

  She turned her back. “Don’t wait for me.”

  ***

  The sky had dimmed to a pale gold, the sun starting to dip toward the horizon. Long shadows stretched from the windowsills, painting broken lines across the halls of the auxiliary wing. Most students had gone to the evening meal or back to the dorms. Only the occasional footsteps echoed through the stone corridor.

  Kaelin’s own footsteps were soft, deliberate.

  She hesitated outside Aric’s study.

  The door was a heavy slab of dark oak, veined with silver-gold thread lines that shimmered faintly. The hinges didn’t creak. Nothing about this place ever made noise unless he wanted it to.

  She raised her hand to knock, paused.

  What if he’s still like he was last night?

  But her question still burned. She’d advanced her Future Sight beyond anything she’d read about. She could see eight… sometimes nine seconds ahead. More, when she concentrated.

  No one else had ever reported going beyond five. Even the high mages.

  If Aric knew why, or how to guide her… she had to ask.

  Her knuckles tapped twice, sharp and quick.

  No answer.

  “Professor?”

  Nothing.

  She pressed her ear to the wood.

  Inside, muffled voices. But no… just one voice. Aric’s. Talking quickly, urgently.

  “I said not now. She’s not ready – do you want to ruin everything?”

  A beat of silence.

  Then a change.

  “No. You’ll lose everything. I already have.”

  Kaelin’s breath caught.

  Her hand found the doorknob without realizing it and turned it gently. Just enough to peek inside.

  The room was dim, lit only by flickering flame in the lamp, ung from the ceiling. Aric stood with his back to her, pacing in front of his desk. His shoulders were hunched, hands twitching slightly. He didn’t seem aware of her presence.

  “I’m managing it. You’re not helping.” His tone was strained, voice lower than normal. “It’s harder to push you down now. You keep bleeding through.”

  He paused. Then laughed, low and bitter.

  “Because we’re both tired. That’s what you wanted, isn’t it? Break me until there’s no ‘me’ left. We’re meant to be working together here!”

  Kaelin’s blood ran cold.

  She stepped back quietly, heart pounding.

  But as she did… the floor creaked.

  Aric whirled around.

  His eyes were wild. For a second, just a split second, she swore they glowed. Not with magic. With anger. With fear.

  Kaelin ducked behind the door frame, her breath caught in her throat. Her pulse thundered in her ears.

  Inside, she heard him mumbling again. Footsteps. A metallic clatter.

  “No. Not now. She’s watching again. She’s watching. What if she knows? She knows.”

  Kaelin’s hands trembled.

  She didn’t wait to hear more.

  She fled.

  Kaelin lay in her narrow dorm bed, eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling. Moonlight filtered in through the window above, cold and quiet. Outside, she could hear the whisper of wind against the stone walls and the faint clink of armour from a patrolling guard.

  But inside her mind, everything was screaming.

  What was Aric?

  Was he cursed? Possessed? Or something worse?

  The words he’d spoken haunted her. She’s watching. She knows.

  Does he know I saw him?

  If he did… what would he do?

  Stop being an idiot. Of course he saw me.

  Would anyone even believe her?

  He was respected. Feared, yes, but admired. She was just a student. A student with a strange talent and few allies left.

  She rolled onto her side and curled into herself.

  Sleep did not come.