It was late in the evening.
Students had already retired to their respective rooms.
Seth walked through the grounds in the darkness. Only a few stars illuminated the sky.
Suddenly, soone bumped into him.
"Ugh," ca Mahirah. "Why are you wandering around like a ghost? Are you a creep or sothing?"
Seth looked displeased. The collision had knocked his glasses out of position. He pushed them up the bridge of his nose.
"And why don't you ever watch where you're going?" he asked, sounding exhausted.
Mahirah groaned and brushed past him.
Seth's gaze lingered on her.
A duffel bag was slung over her shoulder, and her white hand wraps were visible in the night.
Seth shook his head, unbothered, and continued on his way.
The greenhouse was quiet and extrely dark.
Seth took a flashlight from his pocket and switched it on.
He walked deeper into the vegetation and entered a small cabin where the irrigation controller was located.
He turned on the system.
Small sprinklers hanging from the ceiling were instantly activated, spraying a fine mist of water throughout the greenhouse.
It went on for about ten minutes before stopping.
Seth ca out of the cabin and started walking toward the exit.
Then sothing caught his eye.
The light of a lantern illuminated the office above.
He frowned.
The greenhouse manager had left on a trip the morning before and had not yet returned.
Seth climbed the wooden stairs, his feet moving soundlessly.
As he got closer, a sudden rush of wind swept past him.
Whoosh.
Seth sprinted forward.
The office door was wide open.
It was exactly as the manager had left it—well-organized and intact.
Except for an envelope on the desk.
Invoices spilled out of it carelessly.
One stood out from the rest.
Seth's expression darkened.
He knew exactly what that paper was.
Then he heard it again.
Whoosh.
Leaves rustled outside.
Seth rushed out of the office and stepped onto the balcony, peering into the darkness.
For a few seconds, he got nothing. Not even another sound.
Then it ca again.
This ti from above.
He looked up just in ti to see a human figure fly past the greenhouse ceiling.
Then it soared into the night sky.
Sunday was less about Ability training and more about rest and psychological preparation for the trial.
The academy grounds were silent.
And its students were anxious.
Most remained in their dormitories, not ready to face the outside world.
So paced restlessly.
Others practiced breathing exercises.
So called ho.
Ava was attempting yoga in the middle of the room to calm her nerves.
Unfortunately, she was terrible at staying still.
She kept stumbling.
And falling.
Yesu was lying on her bed reading Pre-War Tis, the book she had borrowed from Olwen.
Or more accurately, dozing off.
She had been stuck on the sa page for hours.
The telephone on Ava's bedside table rang.
Yesu jerked awake.
Ava imdiately abandoned her exercise and hurried over to answer it.
"Hello?"
She sounded excited.
The caller on the other end said a few words.
Ava's excitent faded.
"Mum..." she whined. "You didn't even ask how I'm feeling. You just went straight to the point."
Then she added indignantly,
"Do you love Rankings more than your only child now?"
Yesu gave up on the book and snapped it shut.
Ava seed upset by whatever she heard next.
"Mum..." she whined again. "How could you even say that?"
The banter continued.
Yesu glanced at her own bedside table.
At the silent telephone.
She pondered for a few minutes before picking it up and dialing a number.
The call was answered after the third ring.
"Hello?"
"Oh, Yesu," ca Greta's voice from the other end.
"Hi. Is Arrow ho?"
"Did sothing happen?" Greta sounded surprised.
Yesu shook her head.
"No. The trials begin tomorrow."
Greta seed relieved.
"Oh, yes. Mr. Arrow is well aware. A ssage was sent from the academy."
Yesu sighed.
"Is he ho?"
Greta hesitated.
"Well, yes. But he doesn't want to be disturbed." Then she added lightly, "You can call back tomorrow if there's ti."
Yesu nodded.
"Okay. Thanks, Greta."
"Good luck."
"Thank you."
The call ended.
At that exact mont, Ava slamd the receiver down and collapsed onto her bed.
Her sobs soon filled the room.
Yesu listened quietly for a few minutes, unsure of what to do.
Then she walked carefully to Ava's side of the room.
"Hey," she called softly.
Ava was crying into her palms, her face buried in the sheets.
The only visible movent was the slight trembling of her shoulders.
Yesu sat beside her, hands clasped together.
She said nothing for a while.
Then she took a breath and finally spoke.
"Are you crying because of your mum or because of the trials?"
Her voice was gentle and observational.
Ava paused.
Her sobbing ceased.
She lifted her head, a thoughtful expression appearing on her tear-stained face.
The room beca silent.
"I don't know," she admitted eventually, sitting up.
"All my life, my parents have always told to do my best. Nothing else. And they were okay with that." She fumbled with her hands. "But now... my best isn't enough anymore."
Yesu listened.
Ava sniffed, wiped her eyes, and looked at her.
"Have you ever been afraid?" she asked.
Then she let out a quiet laugh.
"What am I saying?" she muttered, shaking her head. "Everyone's been afraid."
Yesu simply stared.
Ava looked at her again.
Studied her.
"I wish I could be as free-spirited as you. Then maybe I'd be able to face my fears head-on."
Yesu tilted her head thoughtfully.
"Fears..." she mumbled.
Then she t Ava's gaze.
"What does it feel like?" she asked.
"To be afraid."
Ava blinked.
"What?"
Yesu held her gaze.
"What does fear feel like?"
Ava remained completely still.
Yesu's mind wandered to the circumstances that had led her to the very place she now sat.
From being forced to grow up alone and fend for herself...
To repeatedly surviving disasters.
Being seized.
Then finding herself in a strange environnt.
Not to ntion the trials beginning tomorrow.
She didn't even know what to expect.
And yet, through all of it, she had never felt the emotion Ava had just displayed.
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