“Can you just pick one already?”

  “Shut up. I need to focus.”

  “It’s been fifteen minutes.”

  “Because you won’t shut up. Want to wait fifteen more?”

  I sighed, walking away for the fifth time to stare once again at the filled shelves.

  A pungent scent of herbs permeated the shop, yet it was not all that unpleasant. The last time I had come here was before the race against the sophomores, and practically all potions I bought were used. And as I stared at those prices once more, I wondered how soon I would be forced to buy herbs and potions in order to pass an exam.

  “I’m done choosing. Give me the money.”

  Our eyes met for only a few seconds, and those seconds alone were enough to know Liber’s answer to what I was about to ask.

  “…how much?”

  “Don’t know. I didn’t check the prices.” Liber glanced at his crystal then, likely checking a new message. One that, apparently, he didn’t bother to reply. “I’ll be waiting outside.”

  Of course you will…

  To my relief, the total was not as expensive as I feared. Yet as I placed each coin and bill on the counter, something inside me kept screaming and crying. The part of ‘Vex, the student’ who was too aware of all the gears, food, books, and expenses that would demand money from my very own pockets in the next years.

  Now that I’m officially enrolled at Ergos, I need to revise my plan for expenditures…

  I need to find a way to earn money.

  In the past months, I had been too occupied trying to not get kicked out of the academy to think too much about my future sources of income. Yet this had to change and I had to start making new plans, because Ergos was not cheap, and I was not given a scholarship like Liber.

  Instead, I paid a significant “symbolic” amount for the reinforcement classes, and received a billing request the very next day I started the term as a first-year. I still had some money left, after closing the deal with Styx’s previous owner, so as long as I was careful with my spendings, I could pay the next three terms at Ergos without too many problems.

  Yet that money was everything I had—not a single coin more.

  And considering I had no idea when I would be able to register for official races…I would have to find a place to work.

  …definitely will need to find a different way to bribe Liber in the future.

  I let out a long sigh, finally stepping out of the store.

  And immediately met a too familiar gaze. A pair of golden eyes that could be as unsettling as they were puzzling.

  “Vex! I was about to fetch you in the shop myself.”

  It took me a few seconds to gather and process all the information in front of me. A carriage, an unbothered Liber waiting inside, a well-dressed man holding the door open.

  And suddenly I became a lot more tired.

  “I didn’t know your ‘later’ meant today.”

  Angus’ smile got brighter, sharing the same amusement in his voice. “Well, it’s been so long since I last say you, I thought it was best to take the opportunity. You won’t have classes tomorrow, right?”

  “No…”

  He extended his hand to me, the smile never fading or diminishing. “Then let’s celebrate. My sister is on her way as well.”

  I opened my mouth, ready to complain.

  Angus’ eyes locked on mine, a spark flashing within them for a moment.

  “She’s bringing food and drinks. And I got a nice gift for your mount, as well.”

  In a few moments I was inside the carriage, seating between Angus and Liber. Truth be told, I didn’t mind a free ride home, especially when it saved me a considerable amount of time. And considering the meals I was having for the past months…

  A change in the routine was highly appreciated.

  “How is Blue faring these days, Liber?”

  “He’s doing fine.” The boy did not even glance toward Angus as he replied.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  “Did you make any new friends, then?”

  “Too bothersome.”

  The man sighed as he crossed his arms, his eyes landing on both me and Liber.

  “I’ve been telling both the same thing, yet you should really start meeting new people. There’s a lot to gain by interacting with people from different backgrounds, you see.”

  At that point, Angus felt like an annoying relative complaining about our social life. Neither me nor Liber replied, which made our trip to the estate quiet, and as uneventful as it could be.

  But then Angus met with his sister.

  Who was already inside the house, laying in the couch.

  “…sister.”

  Her eyes shifted for only a moment, just enough to acknowledge our presence before she went back to her puzzle.

  “You are late, brother.”

  He let out a very long sigh. “Regardless, you should’ve waited outside.”

  áine shrugged. “I didn’t think he would mind.”

  “I don’t—”

  “Regardless, you shouldn’t have…” Angus bit his lip, taking a deep breath before turning to me. “I truly apologize for my sister’s manners, Vex. This is not how I wanted this celebration to go.”

  I couldn’t care less about Lor’s “lack of manners”, yet going further into the argument felt too tiring for me at that moment.

  “Apologies accepted. Now, what food you brought?”

  After my second plate, I was thankful that most of Angus’ attention was focused on Liber. I never imagined they were close, yet thinking back, Nikke had been extremely persistent in his attempts to have Jackal sell Emrys to him, instead of Ergos. Whether he did so due to personal interest or his contempt toward the academy, I didn’t know. Yet I did appreciate the quietude as I ate.

  However, even if I was not feeling very sociable that day, there were things I needed to address. And that was not an opportunity I could miss.

  “Brother said he brought a gift for your dragon, right?” áine’s voice reached me with soft words, her eyes away from mine. “I left it outside, but I thought you would like to open it together with him.”

  And apparently, I was not the only one who wanted to take advantage of that chance.

  “Lead the way.”

  One of the greatest advantages of having an older dragon was not having to stress myself with his behavior and training. And based on previous dragons I had met, Styx was truly a responsible and serious two-legged.

  Except when it came to treats.

  “…could you please stop recording my dragon?”

  “Can’t. I need to register this.”

  áine was kneeling on the ground, holding the silver orb in place as Styx wagged his tail rapidly, his eyes glistering as he stuck his face into the box filled with winter flowers.

  I stared at the black dragon for a few moments.

  Then I glanced at the silver orb, speaking in a low voice. “Send me a copy later.”

  Though she said nothing in reply, she smiled.

  It took me some time to speak again. To find exactly the words I needed to say and gather enough strength to speak out loud. But not only my curiosity got the best of me, it was also a matter that I could not leave it be.

  “Why did you share that recording?”

  Her smile disappeared long before the silver orb returned to its flask.

  “Shouldn’t you be asking me how did I know?”

  I should. Yet how áine knew about my family ties was of little significance when I took into consideration the contents of the letter being written in that recording. A recording that revealed no faces, only a hand and signature.

  A signature that belonged to Fredo, the ringleader who had taken áine’s place after Jackal “left”.

  “Considering how you did this, you are smart enough not to share. So I don’t care how you found out, as long as you keep quiet.” I turned around, locking eyes with those pair of golden eyes. Eyes that had such a calculating glow, it far surpassed her brother’s. “But I do care about your intentions. Of what you expected from me by letting me know about this.”

  Because Nikke and Jackal could’ve been rivals, and Angus could be trying to be friends with Vex—

  But not Lor. Not áine.

  And for someone with such a cold gaze, there was no reason why she would share that kind of information out of kindness.

  She put away the liquid silver, taking the colored puzzle back in her hands.

  “You are free to do whatever you want. Take revenge on Fredo, mess with the authorities, have a family reunion, whichever sounds more appealing to you. I never liked Fredo, and you never bothered me. That’s why I did it.”

  A chuckle escaped my lips, the smile twirling my lips before I could hide it.

  “I took Lor as someone who acted based on such chivalrous ideals.”

  áine did not stop moving the puzzle in her hands, her eyes not even glancing my way as she spoke. “I don’t.”

  “So if you didn’t care to help me, why even bother?”

  Her fingers stopped, the golden eyes shifting to meet mine. Sharing a gaze that was intense enough to make a shiver run down my spine. And when she smiled, I had to fight my own body to prevent myself from taking a step back.

  “I had a feeling something interesting could happen if I did.”

  Angus with his dreams, áine with her intuition…Both of them, why couldn’t their motives make sense?

  I was about to ask her what exactly she meant by that—

  When Styx suddenly raised his head, toward the entrance. It was such a fast and abrupt movement, it startled both me and áine. Forcing us to look around, as if we were about to be attacked by a monster. Yet the more I looked around, the less I understood.

  There was nothing there.

  I saw a shiver crossing Styx’s entire body as the dragon widened his eyes. In a second, he opened his wings and made one sudden charge, crossing the distance toward the front gate. Somehow, my heart started racing way before I decided to run after him. Spreading a sense of unease and unsettledness within me.

  The black dragon landed in front of the entrance, restless, opening and closing his wings repeatedly as he paced around. And the closer I got, the faster my heart beat against my chest. The stronger that sense of unease got.

  Never once. Styx never once behaved like this.

  So what had he seen? What had he sensed that made him act like that?

  It didn’t take me too long to reach Styx, yet even when I called his name, the dragon did not even turn in my direction. As if I didn’t exist.

  “What is wrong with you…?”

  Styx was not the one who gave me an answer. Even if he could talk, or if I could read his mind, the answer to my question came less than ten seconds after I reached the entrance.

  “I see you both are doing well.”

  The voice surprised me. Not because I was too focused on Styx to noticed anyone approaching, but because I knew that voice. One that I couldn’t tell if it was a woman’s or a man’s. A voice that sounded old, polished, serene. Even when I had only heard it once, I would never forget it.

  Because the words spoken by that voice had forever changed Vex’s fate.

  “Hopefully, I’m not intruding. I thought a visit was long overdue, wouldn’t you say?”

  Standing in front of me and Styx, a hair so long it almost touched the ground, was someone I had never seen before. The actual owner of the estate, a retired racer, my Benefactor.

  And Styx’s former owner.