I was sitting on the riverbank.
The afternoon sun settled on my shoulders in a heavy, lazy light.
Lessons with Nimor were exhausting. Like listening to an old fairy tale, where the voice flows gently and slowly, until suddenly it crashes against a rock of detail. And then my head would give up.
Blessed.
Light mages.
Gifted.
Again I was going over everything Nimor had been hammering into me these past days. There were few people here, and I couldn't imagine what set the Exalted apart from a human. The only human here was Sunny. Beside him, she looked like nothing more than a small, fragile girl. Without a shadow of power.
I wanted to go beyond the gates. Just to see what was out there.
Blake still hadn't shown up. And no one had said where he went that day.
"Hey, Biana!" called out the same boys who'd interrogated me a few days ago.
I looked different now. Like a Keeper. The white clothing fit perfectly, and my hair had been braided by Ada into the same strict pattern worn by the other girls.
Kay and Lian were racing ahead in black trousers and white shirts, as if each trying to outrun the other.
Behind them, dragging her feet with lazy reluctance, walked Lily. White fabric, a black pinafore over it, her red hair tightly braided, as if tied in a knot so it wouldn't come loose.
"Of course. Another Adel," the thought struck coldly inside me.
They ran up to me, breathless.
Kay, barely catching his breath, started chattering again:
"The High Mage hasn't come back yet! He was in battle! He always tells stories after a battle! Can you… can you ask him to fight me?"
I slowly raised my eyes to him, sarcastic, cold. That boy had no lack of energy. Always overflowing with emotion.
"What are you reading?" Lian asked.
Reluctantly, I moved the book away, shielding it from their eyes. It could bring me even more trouble. But sharp-eyed Lily still managed to catch a glimpse:
"Hierarchy and Nature of Light Mages: A Magic Academy Handbook"
I caught the boys exchanging questioning looks. The only thing that came to mind: be a little honest with them.
"Can you keep secrets?"
The boys immediately nodded and plopped down beside me. Lily, however, kept staring coldly, unmoving.
"Oh, come on," Kay called to her. "If Blake himself is with her, and she's his Keeper, she can be trusted," he told Lily, and turning to me added, "She's really distrustful, but don't worry, she'll keep your secret."
I looked at Lily seriously, waiting for confirmation.
She nodded reluctantly, but didn't sit down. She stayed standing a little to the side, shielding herself from us with her quiet detachment.
"After one powerful dark curse… I partially lost my memory," I confessed, almost in a whisper.
"How is that possible?" Lian was surprised. "They say Keepers are the only ones who can't be harmed. They're woven from magic itself — healing magic."
"Well, as you can see, I wasn't harmed. I was cursed, and my memory just got worse," I replied.
That was still the only explanation for my amnesia I had managed to come up with on my own. No one had told me anything about Sunny. About the pillow. About everything else. Nimor either avoided those questions or simply didn't hear them.
All that was left was guessing. And building my own theories.
"You're mages, aren't you?" I asked. Nimor had said it was hard to determine a child's affinity until they revealed their abilities.
"Oh, yes!" Kay perked up. "I'm a Water mage. Just a regular Light mage… but I've already made great progress. I'm sure I'll master all properties of water and become a Balanced Mage."
He jumped to his feet and began forming a glowing water orb in his hands, as if putting on a show. The water drew itself from the air, like Adel's sword, woven from emptiness.
"For now I can only create water orbs and control them. But the professors say that's a great level. I'm not going to stop!" He suddenly hurled the orb at Lian.
"All right, you asked for it," Lian smirked. He raised his hand to chest level, and the ground beneath Kay instantly softened into mud. Kay sank up to his ankles, splashing his pants and boots.
"My magic might not be as strong, but it'll ruin your day," Lian grinned and darted off.
Kay, angry, chased after him, and the two boys were now tearing around the courtyard, shouting threats at each other.
Lily had been watching me the whole time.
The smile I'd given the boys faded under her gaze.
"What's your magic?" I asked. From her expression, it was clear she didn't want to share, but I added, "I'm just curious. Maybe knowing might help me remember everything."
She was still standing on edge, but I noticed a faint crack appear in her guarded look.
"I'm Blessed. I was gifted with a crystal of magic. I'm just a Light mage. My power won't grow into anything more."
Her palm lit up, and a small flame burst to life in her hand. I flinched — living fire in her fingers. She aimed slightly and flung the orb at Kay as he ran past.
He stopped and looked at Lily questioningly.
"That's a challenge. Ready?" he grinned and, conjuring another water orb, flung it at her.
And now the three of them were darting about before me, showing off their magic and trying to strike one another.
I watched them, and it felt like my heart was waking up. I was alive. I could feel this world.
"Hey," came a familiar, warm voice.
I turned. Eiron.
Last time, after barely greeting him, I ran away. Too much had happened that day, and I'd hidden in my new room just to be safe.
"Hi," I replied, noticing all his swords were with him.
"What's going on here?" Eiron looked around at the kids racing nearby with curiosity.
"They were just showing off their magical skills," I couldn't help but smile at the lively scene.
"Oh, it's the knight with three swords!" Kay stopped abruptly and came closer. "You're Captain Eiron, right?" His eyes practically glowed.
Lily and Lian also approached.
"We've read about you. Your last battle under Galvorok is in the handbook," Lily said calmly. "They often tell us about the maneuvers and strategy from that fight. Your squad broke through the dark defenses and made it back alive."
There was real admiration in her eyes.
"Yeah! I read about that battle. It's just WOW!" Kay beamed. "When I grow up, I'll be a strong warrior just like you!"
I smiled quietly.
"I have a question," Lian said seriously. "We often read that infantry and archers play an important role in battle. Cavalry is fast because of the horses, but how do you fight mages… without magic?"
"Good question. I can show you," Eiron pulled one of the heavy swords from his back. "Try attacking me with magic."
Kay, without hesitation, created a water orb and threw it. Eiron met it with his sword, and the orb dissolved instantly.
Next, Lily, intrigued, sent a fire orb. He batted it away just as easily.
"Whoa," Kay breathed.
"What about this?" Lian stepped forward, his palms glowing, sweat beading on his forehead. The ground beneath Eiron's feet turned to mud, and he sank to his ankles.
"Seriously?" Eiron snorted.
"No one said it had to be fair," Lian laughed.
I giggled, watching it all. Kay sent more water orbs, Lily — her flames, and Eiron had no trouble fending them off.
The kids stood spellbound. Eiron climbed out of the puddle, shaking mud from his boots.
"Dark mages are just as flesh-and-blood as we are. If we get close, deflect their attacks, the sword will do the rest," he said.
"What about archers?" Lian asked.
"Their arrowheads are blessed by the Temple. They can wound or even kill a dark mage," Eiron sheathed his sword behind his back. "But don't forget: the dark side has its own army — infantry, archers, cavalry. We rarely reach the mages or face them head-on. You'll see it all soon enough. Study well and remember everything your professors tell you."
He ruffled Kay's hair.
Eiron said goodbye, mentioning he was taking up patrol on the northern part of the castle for a few days, and had to meet with the generals. He left in a hurry.
Turns out, he's a remarkable warrior even without magic. The children admire him, and his battle is written about in textbooks.
We sat there, talking about war… but it didn't feel like war here. Even the children already knew who they would become when they grew up. They knew they'd fight.
A seed of sorrow quietly settled inside me.
Lian, noticing the wary look on my face, came up to me.
"Did you remember something?" he asked.
"No," I answered, disappointed. "But I hope I will soon."
Lian returned our clearing to its former state. No puddles, no mud. The sun was already clinging to the horizon, stretching the shadows, and we went our separate ways.
We said goodbye.
I returned to Blake's room. It was empty. Too empty.
Emptiness, like cold fog, began to seep inside, finding cracks in my soul I hadn't known were there.
I pushed it away, sharply, almost roughly, like swatting away an intrusive thought. And I went to my own room. My steps echoed hollowly through the space, and the silence followed me, close behind.