Brugmansia

Mr. Edwin began leading us down a wide corridor, the polished stone beneath our feet echoing with each step. He moved at a brisk pace, his posture straight, exuding an air of authority. "Our first stop is the library," he said, glancing back at us.

As we stepped through the arched doorway, I couldn't help but gasp. The library was enormous, shelves stretching up toward the vaulted ceiling, lined with books of every color and size. Some were even floating, carried by soft magical auras to their designated spots. Aurora let out a soft whistle on my shoulder, clearly impressed.

"This library contains knowledge spanning centuries," Mr. Edwin explained, gesturing to the endless rows of books. "You'll find everything here, from ancient spell tomes to modern magical theory. Herbology, alchemy, history, combat techniques—anything you need, it's likely here."

After a few more moments to take it all in, we moved on, heading down another long corridor. Mr. Edwin paused in front of a set of wooden doors. "This is where your Potion and Herbology classes will be held. Pay close attention in these classes—your understanding of ingredients and nature will be vital in your magical studies."

I felt a small spark of excitement; Understanding plants, and their properties had always intrigued me.

We continued down the hall, arriving at a room with large windows overlooking the sprawling castle gardens. "Botany," he said, gesturing to the greenhouse attached. "You'll spend time here understanding magical flora, their growth cycles, and how they interact with the magic around them."

Next was the training room, a vast, open space lined with weapons, dummies, and even a few enchanted practice areas. "Combat training every Saturday. You'll need to be prepared for all kinds of threats, magical and physical."

He guided us into the ballroom next—a stunning room with sparkling chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. "We hold a ball here every Sunday evening. It's a tradition. You'll have the chance to mingle with the staff and other students, as well as guests from the village."

Aurora perched more comfortably on my shoulder, a bit excited at the prospect of a ball. "I wonder if they'll let me come along."

A few more rooms followed: the tea room, where afternoon tea was served at five sharp every day, and the castle's grand garden, which was filled with paths, fountains, and lush greenery. Then, Mr. Edwin paused in front of a tall, looming hedge maze. "This maze is off-limits," he said, his tone darkening slightly. "You are forbidden to enter it under any circumstances. Am I understood?"

A few murmured agreements ran through the group, but I could tell curiosity was already growing among some of the students. I made a mental note to stay far away.

We passed the detention room, which Mr. Edwin warned would be for those who broke the rules, and the sauna, a luxurious space that seemed like a reward for anyone who survived the day's rigorous classes. Finally, we arrived at the dining hall, a massive room with long tables and large windows overlooking the castle grounds. "This is where you'll take your meals—breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Meals are served promptly, so don't be late."

Mr. Edwin led us back to the main hall, where he stopped and turned to face us once more. "Now, I will distribute your weekly schedules," he said, pulling out a stack of parchment.

He handed me mine, and I scanned the list. Herbology and alchemy, astrology, elemental magic, healing magic… all the things I had expected. But my heart skipped a beat when I read "Teleportation and Dimensional Magic." It was real now—there was no backing out. I pushed the thought away as I looked at the last two: combat training on Saturdays and ancient languages on Sundays.

"Your books will be waiting for you in your classrooms," Mr. Edwin continued. "At the end of the day, we will gather here once again to discuss your living arrangements. Some of you will be staying in the castle, while others with relatives in the village."

With that, he dismissed us to our first classes. The students around me broke into small groups, heading off in different directions, but I stood frozen for a moment, my nerves kicking in again. Aurora fluttered near my ear, her tiny voice encouraging me forward. "Come on, Sage. Let's see what today has in store."

Taking a deep breath, I followed the flow of students down the hall. Time to begin.

I made my way to the Healing Magic classroom, my heart racing a little as I stepped through the door. It was a bright room, filled with plants and herbs, and soft light streaming in through tall windows. At the front stood a graceful woman, her hair like silver threads, cascading down her back. Her presence was calm yet commanding, and she radiated an air of quiet power.

"Welcome, students," she said, her voice melodic. "I am Elyndra Veilsong, your instructor for Healing Magic. Please place your companions in the cages by the window. They will be safe there while we practice."

I felt Aurora stiffen on my shoulder, her tiny claws tightening on my skin. "A cage? Seriously?"

"I'll be right back," I whispered to her, reluctantly lifting her from my shoulder and placing her in one of the enchanted cages. She glared at me but flew inside with an indignant flutter.

"Humiliating," she muttered under her breath.

Elyndra smiled warmly as the last of us returned to our seats. "Healing magic is delicate, a blend of focus and intention. Today, we will begin with something simple—mending small wounds. Each of you will be given a plant that's been damaged, and your task is to restore it to health."

She waved her hand, and before each of us appeared a potted plant, its leaves wilted, stems drooping.

"To heal, you must sense the life energy within the plant," Elyndra continued. "Place your hands above it and focus. The energy you channel will flow through your hands and into the plant. Be patient, gentle."

I followed her instructions, cupping my hands over the small plant before me. The room buzzed with the quiet focus of students attempting their first healing spell, but I couldn't shake the doubt weighing on my chest. Sure, I was here, in this world, surrounded by magic, but I wasn't like the others. I was from the human world. Magic wasn't real there—or at least, it wasn't supposed to be.

I pressed my palms over the plant's wilted leaves, but the idea of something happening felt absurd. My mother "supposedly" had magic, I had learned that much, but me? I'd spent my whole life without any sign of it. It was impossible to believe that it was suddenly going to appear now just because I was told it could.

Around me, the other students murmured softly as they concentrated, their plants still struggling. I sighed, trying to mimic the focus they seemed to have, but I wasn't sure what I was supposed to feel. Magic? That wasn't something I'd ever experienced.

I closed my eyes, more out of frustration than anything else. The warmth of the room settled over me, and for a second, I allowed myself to imagine that maybe, just maybe, there was something inside me waiting to be unlocked.

And then, unexpectedly, I felt it. A faint warmth pulsed through my palms. It was so soft I almost didn't notice it, but it was there—real. My eyes flew open, and I watched in disbelief as the plant's drooping leaves began to lift. Slowly, their color deepened from a sickly pale to a vibrant green, full of life.

I froze, staring at the plant, my heart racing. This wasn't possible. How could I have done that?

I looked around, expecting to see the same thing happening for everyone else, but most of the students were still struggling. Their plants remained wilted, their faces full of concentration and frustration. But mine… mine was healed.

I glanced up at Elyndra, who had stopped in her tracks to observe my work. A small, approving smile touched her lips. "Very good, Sage," she said softly, but her eyes held a knowing look, as if she saw something in me I didn't yet understand.

But I didn't feel pride—I felt confused. This couldn't be right. I didn't have magic. I was from the human world. Was this a fluke? A mistake?

I stared at the healthy plant in front of me, my mind spinning. If I didn't have magic, then how did this just happen?

When the class ended, I freed Aurora from her cage. "You owe me big time," she grumbled, shaking out her wings.

"Sorry," I whispered, giving her a guilty smile as we headed to the next class—Astrology.

---

The day passed in a blur, with Astrology filled with celestial charts and ancient star maps, and the hours slipping by faster than I expected. Soon, I found myself back in the grand hall, where Mr. Edwin stood once more, ready to deliver the living arrangements.

One by one, he called the names of students, informing them whether they'd be staying in the castle or heading down to the village to live with their relatives. My nerves tingled with anticipation, wondering what he'd say for me.

Finally, Mr. Edwin reached my name. "Sage…" He paused, flipping through the papers in his hands. "It seems we haven't quite decided—"

Before he could finish, a cold voice interrupted him.

"She'll be staying with me."

Everyone turned as Xenos stepped out of the shadows, his expression sharp, eyes narrowed as he handed Mr. Edwin a letter sealed with a golden mark. "The gods have ordered that Sage stay in my tavern," he said, his voice dripping with annoyance.

Mr. Edwin opened the letter, scanning its contents. His brow furrowed slightly before he nodded. "It seems the gods have spoken," he confirmed. "Sage will be residing with Xenos."

I stood there, stunned. Xenos barely looked at me, his expression betraying how little he liked the arrangement. Beside him, his lizard, Scael, was perched on his shoulder, snickering to himself. Aurora, ever fiery, puffed up on my shoulder, glaring at Scael with narrowed eyes.

"Oh, we'll see who's laughing later," she muttered, folding her wings tightly.

Xenos didn't stick around to explain, turning sharply and walking away, his cape trailing behind him. The room buzzed with whispers as I stood there, trying to process everything. I was going to live with Xenos—the dragon cursed by the gods. This was going to be… interesting.

As I stepped out of the hall, Xenos was already walking ahead, his long strides making it clear he wasn't waiting for me. I hurried to catch up, my heart pounding. We left the castle through a side door, heading towards the teleportation tree that stood tall and ancient at the edge of the grounds. Its twisting, gnarled branches seemed to pulse with a strange, otherworldly energy. It was beautiful in a haunting way, but the thought of stepping through it—of being transported somewhere unknown—filled me with dread.

I hesitated as we approached the tree, the air thick with magic. My feet felt like they were stuck to the ground. Xenos stopped in front of the tree, glancing back at me with a raised brow, his eyes sharp and impatient.

"You coming, or would you prefer to stay and stare?" he said, his voice cold.

I swallowed hard, my palms sweating. "Can I… hold your hand?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

For a moment, Xenos just stared at me, his expression unreadable. Then, a smirk slowly spread across his face, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Hold my hand?" he repeated, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "You forget, little flower. I can't touch you without my hands turning blue."

I looked down, feeling foolish, but before I could speak, he continued, his smirk fading into something colder.

"Don't think I'm doing this out of some kind of goodwill," he said, his voice hardening. "I'm only here because of those stupid gods and their endless games. I'm using you—your connection to them—to get free from this curse. So don't get any ideas."

His words stung, though I tried to tell myself I didn't care. I knew his situation was complicated, but hearing him say it so bluntly still hurt. I bit my lip, forcing myself to stay silent.

Before the tension could thicken any further, a familiar voice cut through the air.

"Oh, don't pay attention to him. He's always like this—brooding, moody, using people to break ancient curses," Alohi said, stepping out from behind a nearby tree, a grin on her face. "Just another day in the life of a cursed dragon, right?"

Xenos shot her a sharp look, but Alohi merely shrugged. "What? It's true," she said, her grin widening.

I couldn't help but smile a little, feeling some of the tension in my chest ease. Alohi's unhinged humor always had a way of lightening even the heaviest situations.

Alohi approached me, her expression softening. "Don't worry, Sage. I'll hold your hand. No curses involved." She took my hand gently, her grip warm and reassuring.

Xenos rolled his eyes but didn't say anything more. He turned toward the teleportation tree, his back stiff, and with a wave of his hand, the tree began to glow softly, its magic swirling in the air like mist.

I took a deep breath, squeezing Alohi's hand as we stepped forward together. Whatever awaited me at Xenos' tavern, I knew I wasn't facing it alone.