Page 40 of Trivium

“Shhh… it’s okay,” she said, reassuring it that she meant no harm.

Slowly, carefully, she pushed one of the bottles to the side, freeing the delicate bird. It shot up into the air and zipped around the room so quickly Zeina could barely track its flightline.

She climbed down the ladder and pulled out the copy of The Creature Encyclopedia that lived in the classroom. It was giant and heavy, but she got it over to her table and opened it to the avian section.

There were hundreds of avian creatures, each with their own unique coloring and magical ability. Her eyes searched the room again to get another glimpse of the tiny creature, but it had slipped into the shadows of the room’s upper corners, safely hidden.

She didn’t blame it. She often felt the need to hide, too.

Searching the long list of avian creatures, she finally came across a bird mirroring the one she saw. She could only make out some of the words…

Purring Songbird

Fast, quick moving

Hard to see or capture

Can make you hear things that aren't real

She didn’t need more than that to understand. This little bird could send a grown man into a mental war. Searching the rafters where the Songbird hid, she finally spotted two little violet eyes staring back at her.

Leaving the Songbird where it was, she left the Apocathary to visit Ahmina in the infirmary, gently pouring the new potion onto Ahmina’s tongue when the Alchemists weren’t looking. She felt a small sense of guilt, given she had no idea what the potion really was or how it worked, but it was all she had. All Ahmina had. And really, her condition couldn’t get any worse.

Afterward, she lay on a bag of rice, contemplating this for hours, until eventually she dozed off to sleep. Sometime in the night, she was awoken by a quiet buzzing by her ear. She opened her eyes to catch a flash of fuchsia up above the preserved vegetables.

The Purring Songbird had followed her home.

28

LOVELEENA

Loveleena had a lot of pent-up anger. And she needed an outlet, fast.

For weeks straight she had thought about how Park had been a student at the Academy, how he’d apparently just ran off into the forest one day. Whatever happened, people had covered it up. Covered him up. Like he never existed at all.

Like he was nothing.

Meant nothing.

She itched to escape the castle. Her resentment had burned into her relationship with Kumani and tension had increased between them—mainly because Kumani knew underneath her sarcastic comments and dark humor was pain and rage. Kumani kept encouraging her to talk about what was on her mind, prying about her real intention behind attending the Academy. But Loveleena wasn’t about to change her story now. Not to mention, sharing a room with her ex who was super nosey was very irritating.

As soon as her study period started, she freed herself from the castle walls and ventured out into Defender’s Village to get some fresh air. The village was quiet, with only a few Defenders popping in and out of shops here and there. As she wound along its tight streets, she thought about what Professor Barrow had said about Park. She wouldn’t put it past Park to want to venture beyond the wall. But just running off, never to be seen again? That didn't seem like him at all. He had a good head on his shoulders.

She walked along the castle to the Aurorian Battlegrounds: a large shallow pit with nothing but a sandy dirt floor. As she approached, she noticed a group of Slayers collected at the center. Among them was Ren, and she quickened her pace to close the gap.

Finally, after weeks of evasiveness, he was in one spot long enough that she could talk to him. He couldn’t run away with her dagger to his throat.

As she got closer, she realized Ren was actively sparring with Serena in the center, swords raised, surrounded by the small crowd of peers. Serena wore her hair in her usual high ponytail, strands tucked into a plait. Her smile was bright as she taunted him. “I’m looking forward to kicking your ass, Elmerian.”

“Let’s see you try,” Ren shot back.

The corners of Serena’s lips tipped up and she cut forward, swiping Ren’s side with her sword. Ren was a second too slow, and Serena’s attack slit his shirt.

“Nice,” he said, before swinging his sword down across her torso. Serena was fast though, blocking it with her own before twisting to break free. They went at each other for what felt like forever until, finally, they both toppled to the ground. Serena was on top, their daggers both at each other’s throats, their swords abandoned at their sides.

“Dammit,” Ren said breathlessly, “I was two seconds too slow.”

Serena offered him a playful smile. “Next time.” They both hopped back up and dusted themselves off while the small crowd applauded their fight, clapping them both on the back with approval.