-Alexia-
The dining hall buzzed with laughter, clattering trays, and the occasional enchanted cup trying to hop away from its owner. I paused at the threshold, clutching my tray like a shield. It didn't help.
Jasper appeared beside me with infuriating ease, biting into an apple. "Come on," he said, "you've already survived one disaster today. Lunch should be a breeze."
"You say that like disaster isn't following me around like a lost puppy."
"Yeah, but this time," he winked, "you've got backup."
That "backup" turned out to be Asher, Soren, and Finn, lounging at the far table like they owned the place. Judging by the empty radius around them, they kind of did.
As we approached, Asher looked up and groaned. "Seriously?"
"Relax," Jasper said, dropping into a seat. "She already knows you're allergic to smiling."
Soren nodded at me. "Alexia."
"Soren." I slid in beside Jasper, across from Finn, who was stirring something green on his tray like it was a science experiment.
"Lunch sludge," Finn chirped. "Want some?"
"Hard pass." I nudged my tray away.
Finn smirked, stretching like a lazy cat. "Suit yourself. Gotta fuel up for Focus & Flow."
"You're in that class?" I asked.
"Unfortunately," Finn said. "Emotional stability and spellwork—sounds like a nightmare, so obviously I'm in."
Jasper leaned closer. "Fun for him usually means someone ends up on fire."
Soren's eyebrow lifted. "That class isn't just spell repetition. It forces you to confront your stuff."
Asher grunted. "Sounds like a waste of time."
"Wow." I raised a brow. "Such emotional depth. Truly inspiring."
To my surprise, Asher cracked a laugh and tossed a bread piece at me. I caught it reflexively, but the sudden movement knocked my drink onto Finn's elbow.
He blinked down at it, then at me. "Was it something I said?"
"Oh." I grabbed napkins. "You practically dared the chaos."
Finn's grin was sharp, but his eyes were warm. "We're going to get along just fine."
Zeus, under the table, snorted in agreement.
Soren studied me. "You're different."
My hands froze. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"You're not intimidated. That's rare here."
I shrugged. "I've been through worse."
Jasper clinked his fork on his cup. "To survive worse. And not getting blown up before midterms."
Finn lifted his cup. "I'll drink to that."
"Not making promises," Asher muttered.
I smiled—genuine, if cautious—as I lifted my drink. "To controlled chaos."
For the first time at Whisperwind, it didn't feel like enemies surrounded me. It felt like the beginning of something complicated. Maybe even real. Then I thought it was a prickling between my shoulder blades. Not magic exactly, but attention. Whispers. Stares. A girl at the far table whispered to her friend, eyes flicking toward us. Upperclassmen watched, confusion on their faces, like they were seeing something impossible.
"Okay," I said under my breath, "do I have a curse written on my forehead, or...?"
Jasper glanced around, unconcerned. "It's not you. It's us."
Finn flashed a sharp grin. "We don't exactly do lunch dates."
"No one sits with us," Soren added calmly.
"Ever?" I blinked.
"Ever," Asher confirmed. "We're plague rats in a perfume shop."
"Colorful," Soren muttered.
Jasper shrugged. "You're the first to cross the boundary."
"Boundary?"
Finn leaned in. "Unspoken rule. Sit with us, you're either one of us, or you're going to get eaten alive."
"Great. Love that for me."
"You're handling it well," Soren said, voice thoughtful. "You didn't hesitate."
I snorted. "I hesitate all the time. I just don't show it."
Zeus nudged my leg, grounding me as my pulse ticked upward. The air felt heavier, like the magic in the room shifted the moment I sat down.
"So why now?" I asked softly. "Why let me sit here?"
Silence passed between them.
"Because you didn't ask," Jasper said finally.
"What?"
"You didn't try to force your way in. You didn't fake a smile. You just are. And that's rare."
Soren added, "Also, you grew an elaran vine and told Asher you didn't trust him. Most people don't have that spine."
"Still don't trust her," Asher muttered.
"But you didn't bite her head off when she spilled her drink," Finn said, raising his cup. "Progress."
I didn't know whether to laugh or run. Instead, I leaned back, letting my gaze drift over the hall. The whispers hadn't stopped, but I didn't feel as exposed, not with Zeus at my side, and not with these dangerous, complicated boys treating me like I belonged.
"I don't know what this is," I admitted. "But... thanks."
Jasper bumped my shoulder. "You're welcome, Alexia."
Lunch ended too quickly. As I stood, Finn fell into step beside me like it was normal. Zeus padded on my other side.
"So," Finn said casually, "ready to have your brain cracked open by the calmest psychopath on campus?"
"Excuse me?"
"Focus & Flow." His grin was wicked. "You'll see."
We walked under the courtyard trees, sunlight filtering through like golden shards. I glanced at Finn, who looked like he didn't have a care in the world.
"Is this going to be, like... meditation?"
Finn snorted. "You'd think. Idris doesn't care about technique. He cares about honesty."
"Honesty?"
"Emotional honesty. If you're lying to yourself, your magic will do the same."
"Oh, good," I muttered. "I love being emotionally vulnerable in front of strangers."
"You're in luck," Finn smirked. "You get to do it in front of me, too."
The classroom was nothing like I expected. No desks, no cauldrons. Just a wide stone floor with a glowing rune pulsing gently, like it was breathing. Meditation cushions, crystal bowls, and incense holders lined the room.
Finn flopped onto a cushion. "Welcome to the void."
I hovered, then chose a spot. Zeus curled behind me, watchful. The air shifted. Not a breeze, just a presence.
A man stepped forward from the shadows, tall, silver hair slicked back, robes black as oil over obsidian.
"Good afternoon," he said, voice calm and cold. "I am Professor Idris. You will not learn spells here. You will learn yourself."
My throat tightened.
Finn shot me a smirk: Told you so.
"Sit. Breathe. Feel. Speak only if instructed."
We obeyed. Idris stepped into the glowing rune, and the light flared in greeting.
"Find the strongest emotion you've felt this week," he said. "Do not name it. Let it move through you."
Students closed their eyes. Some stiffened. I hesitated, afraid. Afraid of what was strongest inside me. Not strength, or wonder, but fear. Grief. Anger. Loneliness. The moment I cracked the door to those feelings, my magic surged. The rune sparked green, then white-blue, then silver lightning dancing along its lines. My breath caught. Zeus stirred, fur bristling, eyes glowing faintly. I forced myself to breathe, anchored in the heat of it. I didn't want this. I didn't want to feel this much. But for a moment, I wasn't out of control. I was seen.
"You feel too much," Idris said quietly, eyes on me. "And you do not yet trust it. But you must. Emotion is not the enemy. Fear of it is."
A hush fell over the room. A ripple of awe, not fear, passed from a nearby student—a quiet gasp, as if they saw something they could only dream of touching. I kept breathing. The light beneath me pulsed in time with my heartbeat. For the first time since arriving at Whisperwind, I wasn't afraid of the storm inside me. I was the storm.