Anaya didn’t go home straight away. Instead, she wandered aimlessly through empty streets, trying to gather her scattered thoughts. Everything was far more overwhelming than she had initially anticipated, and events unfolded at a pace she struggled to comprehend. She hated the feeling of being unprepared—it always left her on edge. Preparation was her safety net, and she often practiced tirelessly until she felt ready for whatever life laid ahead of her. But this situation was different. No amount of preparation could have changed how unprepared she felt, and that deeply unsettled her.After a long while, she finally decided to head back home. Along the way, she paused occasionally, her mind returning to the brown piece of paper she had discovered. It bore another sketch, this one more vivid, more lifelike. The details haunted her, sending shivers down her spine whenever she thought about it. Eventually, she reached her doorstep and gently unlocked the door. A small pile of letters gr

Anaya rushed off quickly, being upset and annoyed by Sylvia. She couldn’t quite fathom why but Sylvia made her feel uncomfortable in a way. Anaya was not one to dismiss her instincts, and this time it was no different to her. Grasping the book close to her heart she entered the school library as fast as she could.This library was an impressive sight, as there were thousands of books in there stacked to the ceiling. One shelf after other was filled with volumes of all manner of books. That was the type of place where the reader could fade away for days without a sense of time. Nonetheless, Anaya could not afford time to appreciate such masterpiece. This mysterious book that she held in her hands captured her attention and she could not afford to look away from it even for a second.She located a secluded area, one which was dimly lit, took a chair, and put the book on the table. “It is always better here,” she whispered quietly following the rule against making a noise in the library.

"Did you find out anything new about those kids?""Not at all, Miss Pemberly," Mr. D said, his head lowered in shame as he acknowledged his lack of efficiency in handling such a simple task."Well, how could you, when you're sleeping on the job?" the woman exclaimed, clearly running out of patience."I honestly don’t know how it happened," the dean admitted, still confused and surprised by his tendency to fall asleep."Save it. You’re just a waste of my time. What you couldn’t do in ten days, I accomplished in ten minutes," she said, lifting her chin proudly."What were you able to find out?" he asked eagerly, with heightened curiosity."They all look quite capable. The prince is very intelligent, and his wit is impeccable," the woman remarked thoughtfully, her eyes briefly scanning Jason's desk.Glancing at Anaya's seat, she continued, "Anaya is powerful and always aware of her surroundings. Her guard was never down, not even for a second. She was the only one who looked me in the ey

"Princess?" Anaya said after a long moment of silence. "I didn't think you'd be careless enough to follow me here..." She glanced behind him and smirked before saying, "Alone.""I have clearly grown to underestimate your capabilities," the man said, letting out a small chuckle."Big mistake," Anaya said, her voice low, her eyes indicating that she was not here for jokes."I came to tell you the recent state of our home. Your father wrote to you, actually. Many, many times on our most recent affairs. Didn't you get his letters?"Anaya let out a scoff, took Chris by the arm once more, and walked past the man."He would really like to meet with you, princess. It's a matter of great importance," the man said almost impatiently."I don't want to see him," Anaya replied in the same tone.The man ignored her words and finally made eye contact with the boy behind her. He looked back at Anaya, a sly smile dancing on his lips as he said, "I see you found a friend."Chris, taking it as his cue t

Varrick woke them up abruptly and told them to hurriedly set up the battleground for their training. They groaned, slightly annoyed, once they realized it was Saturday. Most people would have been excited on a weekend, but then again, Leo and Jason were never "most people." They dragged their feet and put on their fighting attire before arranging the arena, setting up their training gear, and sharpening their knives and swords.They started with a brief exercise while Sydney set up some water, fruits, and healthy drinks to help with their morning. Alex, Darwin, and Varrick assisted her, and they began sword training after everything was set up. Darwin decided to spar with Jason first since Leo had started last week. They immediately pulled out their swords, and the battle began. Their swords clashed with great impact. Every swipe of a blade was made with immense precision. Jason had always been calculated, even with a sword—always knowing when to strike, when to defend, and how his ne