Page 18 of Anomalies

That’s what that was? My lungs filling with water while the blackness of the sea claimed me…that was my Split?

When I remain speechless, the Dame exchanges a wary glance with Laverna, who’s staring at me like she’s trying to puzzle me together.

So, is the woman by the hearth. Ceres.

“I’m not sure what you know about our people, Lucina,” Laverna says slowly, “but we operate on rank, and we won’t know your rank until your magic is properly trained. You have a tattoo under your skin, distinctive of your bloodline. Once you’ve tamed whatever power you’ve inherited, the mark will flare, and we’ll know what Solian family you hail from.”

“A tattoo?” I choke out.

The Dame looks at the Captain, and he clears his throat. “Like this.” A wave of static crests through the room, and every hair on my body stands straight. I watch wide-eyed as a line of silver ink slithers up his body like a snake, starting at his wrists and wrapping up the thickness of his forearms. It disappears under the fabric of his shirt, reappearing along his neck, then it crosses through his hairline. A crown of silver weaves itself across his brow, the ink brightening as it completes itself.

My jaw falls to the floor.

As quickly as it appeared, it vanishes, taking the static with it.

“Yours will be unique to your bloodline,” the Dame explains. “All of ours are different—Lucina?”

I’m staring at the Captain. At his golden skin that was wrapped in silver only seconds ago. I blink back at the Dame. “Sorry, I…it’s a lot to wrap my head around.”

Delia takes a deep breath, her lips pressed into a tight line as she surveys the room. “Usually you’d train with your coven, but since we don’t know your heritage, I’ll start your training personally.”

My stomach drops, and I swear the Captain flinches.

“You’ll meet me here every morning before breakfast. Once you’ve mastered enough to reveal the mark under your skin, we’ll put you in your respective coven.”

My pulse is a wild thing in my ears, beating up the sides of my neck, and rumbling through my limbs, my aching feet, my empty stomach…

“Captain,” The Dame cuts her gaze to him, and he straightens in his chair. “Find Lucina a cabin in the main lodging area and keep one of your men on her watch until further notice.”

“On my watch?” I squeak out. “What for?”

Ceres blurts out before Delia has a chance to, “Because we don’t know you. We don’t know your rank or your magic, or your coven, and the Sol operate on those things. We can’t trust you if we can’t see what cards you’re holding.”

My mouth snaps shut. Then the Dame nods to Callan, and he pulls himself to his feet. “Time to go.”

I don’t release the breath I’m holding until we make it back out into the summer heat, the sun warming my clammy skin. Callan takes off walking, muttering something under his breath.

“What was that?” I ask, taking an extra step to catch up to him.

“I said,” he whirls around to face me, grey eyes piercing and dark brows furrowed. “That I don’t have time or men to spare on your watch.”

“Then don’t⁠—”

“That’s not how this works, Lucina.” He lowers himself to be eye to eye with me and my head is forced back. “I am second to the Dame. I am oath-bound to her orders.”

I wet my lips; my mouth having dried out completely. “I didn’t know that.”

“Well, now you do.” He takes a deep breath, as if he’s reigning some temperamental part of himself back in, then he straightens to his full height, blocking out the sun. “I’ll get you the cabin beside Gemma’s, and I’ll send one of my men there tonight. Just keep your head down, don’t do anything stupid, and we won’t have any problems.”

“I hadn’t even thought of doing anything stupid.”

“Good.”

“Until now.”

The stare he pelts me with could start wars. It’s the kind of stare intended to make the enemy tremble, and if it weren’t for my stubborn pride, I might have. “Do not test me, Lucina,” he snaps, anger rising in his stare. “That is a child’s game.”

My vision turns red, my hands clenching at their sides, and a deep rumble sounds in my gut—no, not my gut, my spine. My bones. My very being.