“Dad, where are we going today?”

  “Some place dark.”

  The child never let go of the man’s hand, nor did the boy stop to look around them. Yet as the light around them faded until it was barely enough to see himself, something else changed. It was subtle, like a gentle breeze just passing by. Something that was there in one moment and gone in the other.

  The father’s steps.

  “Dad?”

  The word echoed within the darkness, as if searching for the final destination that would never come. For there was no end to those shadows.

  “…dad, where are you?”

  Then, there was a low growl. A guttural and deep sound that made every single bone in his body shake and tremble, so much so the boy thought they would break. A sound that came from everywhere, as if it were part of that darkness.

  But then, like before, something changed.

  A cold breeze.

  A pungent and sweet, sweet scent. Familiar.

  The sound right behind him.

  The boy turned just in time to see those glowing eyes preying on him. In time to watch as the sharp teeth charged at him, ready to swallow him whole.

  I woke up with a jump, sweat dripping down my face as I fought to recover my breath. My heart kept racing, as if my mind was unable to recognize what had been a dream and what was reality.

  To dream about that man now…

  The sound of crumpled paper made me to lower my gaze. A weak chuckle left my lips as I stared deep into the eyes of the beast drawn in the paper.

  A manticore.

  “…this got to be a joke…”

  Beside me, Elowen and Ceres had their faces buried in scrolls and books, while in the middle of the table laid scribbles and strategy plans. I leaned back in the chair, taking a deep breath, rubbing my eyes. Were I Angus, perhaps I could analyze my nightmare—see it as a prophetic dream that was trying to warn me about the monster I was going to face that day.

  Yet were that a warning or not, there was only one thing I could do to survive. Which was face the manticore and win.

  On the next second my heart beat, two things grabbed my attention—things that attacked two of of senses. The second was the sound of a chair.

  The first, a scent so strong, it sent shivers down my spine. Churned down my stomach. Because I recognized it.

  Because it belonged to her.

  “Forgive me if I startled you—it was not my intention.”

  I clenched my jaw, clenched my fists. Unable to avert my eyes from the overwhelming presence sitting only a short distance from me. Unable to refute the beauty in the long silver hair and its deep red locks, to notice how long the fingers holding that book were, how impeccable and pristine those clothes were.

  “Please do not mind me if you wish to rest for a while more—there’s still some time before your race.”

  My throat felt dry—too dry. There were so many words, so many feelings desperate to be heard. To rage. Yet I didn’t, I couldn’t, let a single one escape. Not when each one of them was so pitiful, it made me feel disgusted with myself. Ashamed.

  Not when acknowledging them to Alantra Harris herself was the same thing as extending my hands so she could cuff me.

  “I’ve rested enough.”

  For the first time since she had been talking, her eyes met mine. Eyes that were only a few shades darker than her hair, yet that reflected the light just as brightly. She turned to her book again, turning a page.

  “There is a shop down the street. It sells some great herbs, both for teas and potions.”

  “And why are you telling me this?” I could not hide the rising anger in my voice. I’m not even sure I tried.

  It took her a few seconds to open her mouth again—to hear her voice again. Somehow, I think I wish she never did.

  “‘There is nothing to be done once we close our eyes and let sleep take us. And while being at the mercy of our worst demons, the only fate awaiting us is one of a prey. One to be haunted and devoured, until we light find its way back to us again…’,” she recited the words as they were in front of her, her voice almost too distant. “We may lack the power to fight back nightmares, yet there are things we can do to prevent them. To make so they won’t haunt us when night comes.”

  …I hated this. I hated it so much.

  Don’t you dare.

  Don’t you dare care. To extend a helping hand.

  Not after everything you’ve done to me.

  “Why are you even here? I assumed Ergos’ number one knew how to use her time better.”

  If she was ever offended by either my tone or my words, she didn’t show. She didn’t even bat an eye.

  “This is Ergos’ main library, reserved for students. I’m a student, and I wanted a space to read—it’s also quieter at dawn.”

  Then why don’t you read in your own room?

  I bit down on my tongue, that fragrance finding its way inside me like poison—as if its mission was to suffocate me, make me go insane.

  As I stood up, dragging the chair behind me, both Elowen’s and Ceres’ eyes snapped open. And though I could feel Alantra Harris’ gaze following me, I didn’t humor her as to why I was picking up my stuff and throwing them in my bag.

  “I’m going to train with Styx some more. Message me if you want to join.”

  I mumbled those words while fighting the acid that burned down my throat, not bothering to see if either of my colleagues had heard me. I could only breathe again once the library doors were far behind me, once all I could smell was fresh air.

  However, the shaking in my hands, that didn’t stop. Even though I got so far away from that place—from that woman—it all felt like a bad dream, and nothing more.

  Although I said I was going to train, what I spent the remainder of my time doing was working out the strategies with Styx and the other dragons. Or better yet, Styx and Elowen’s mount.

  A good listener, Cornelius Romerio the Third was not.

  It took a couple of hours for Ceres and Elowen to join, their expressions as tired as one would expect. And even if I had slept less than them, I did not feel tired.

  I felt annoyed.

  Angered.

  If my colleagues realized I was in a bad mood, they did not pry—thankfully. Just like that, we did everything we could in the remaining time we had before our final exam.

  The final race we would participate as Ergos’ waiting list students. Because after that day, either we became official students, or we were out.

  “Wen-Wen, are you all right?”

  It took the boy a few more seconds to process Ceres’ words, his eyes fixated on the ground as he bit down his finger. That only intensified the concern in her gaze.

  “As right as I can be. It’s just…I just had an awful dream. And Father says we should always pay attention to our dreams—they are often trying to tell us something.”

  Shivers crawled up and down my spine, my mind forcing me to recall the glowing eyes in the dark.

  Ceres let out a soft groan as she adjusted her gear. “You could’ve just said ‘I’m good, thanks’ and stopped talking, Wen-Wen…”

  The moment the clock struck 7 am, the doors to the gym opened. As Belenus’ boots echoed through the space, I could feel my muscles becoming more rigid by the second, my heart beating faster and faster.

  Don’t let stupid dreams get into your head, Vex.

  Focus, and be calm. That’s all you need.

  “Aren’t you bunch lucky, even when you stink so much.”

  Professor Bel was smiling.

  He was smiling too much.

  “Stop messing around, and just say what changes they made now.”

  Belenus’ gaze fell on me, his grin widening as I spoke.

  “Even though you hardly deserve it, the director himself approved a special request of letting your race be in one of Ergos’ official lanes. Rejoice.”

  I frowned.

  That didn’t make any sense. Why would Ergos’ director allow four unofficial students to make use of one of the lanes? The very expensive and robust lanes reserved only for official competitions and events.

  Then I recalled my dream again.

  I recalled Elowen’s words, and all the bullshit Ergos had been forcing down our throat from the very beginning.

  I recalled that woman.

  I recalled the year she was in.

  And the question left my mouth even before I realized I wanted to ask it.

  “Who are the sophomores we will race against?”

  Professor Belenus Kairon looked straight into my eyes, and I saw the answer I was seeking there. The one I didn’t want to be true, the one I was dreading to be real, hoping to be but a vile joke. Yet it wasn’t.

  Because at Ergos, even if we had our eyes wide open, we would still be haunted and preyed on. Be it by monsters or our own failures.