Octavia

I begin to make my way to the fairy hall in search of the... the...

Flare suite

That place.

The flicker suit.

FLARE SUITE

That's what I said.

Bloody hell, this school has a lot of hallways and doors. It takes a good 15 minutes before I find the door to the 'Flare suite'. It is intricately carved with images of fairies flying over a forest. Each detail has been whittled and sanded with delicate care. The handles to the double doors too. Polished brass with swirling vines around it.

Slowly I open the door and step into my new room.

It's beautiful. The main living room is connected by an open plan to the kitchen. There are two leading to what I assume is the bathroom and bedroom. Perfect. I was under the impression that I would have roommates but it appears not. I move further into the room seeing the bedroom door open with my bag placed just inside the door. I walk towards the large bed and flop down.

Oh. This is what I've been missing.

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Sky

"I haven't seen you all day." Stella says, passing me an orange looking drink. Of course, now she wants to talk to me.

"Summer, Stella. All summer." I say tiredly. Stella nods condescendingly. Her hair bouncing along with the movement.

"I-." She straightens up, her face losing it's usual confident shine. "We had... problems. Within the royal family."

I pause, looking at her. She's not lying. I could always tell when she was lying. Her eyes would flicker down and she'd play with whatever ridiculous ring she wore that day. She smiles hesitantly at me.

"My sister - twin - came home." I feel myself reel back, shock contorting my features.

"I didn't know you had a twin." I say accusingly. She flinches.

"She was kept hidden away." She says bitterly. "She was moved to a different realm for training when we were younger. Mother said she needed her to have the best training possible." Stella looks broken at the thought. Of course, Stella loses control and it's all disappointment and her fault. Her sister, twin no less, needs training and she gets sent to the best of the best.

"I did want to call you Sky." She steps closer, eyes pleading with me. "Queen Luna took all my devices, she didn't want anyone to know about my sister until she had it under her control."

Sighing I look to the ground in thought. Stella, despite her royal heritage, never had the best life. I could never stop myself from wanting to help her.

"You know those girls you were talking too, Bloom and Octavia." I glance back to where Octavia just left, realising that Bloom hadn't followed her.

"Octavia's my twin." she nods at me expectantly. I pause in shock. Octavia- the mysterious fairy- was Stella's twin. They look nothing alike. My confusion must show on my face because Stella says. "We're fraternal twins and Octavia had to dye her hair even darker to hide the awful blue streaks she had in it."

She'd look good with dyed hair.

"And this matters to me why Stel?" I ask. I can feel a headache begin to form.

"My sister," I watch, fascinated as Stella's eyes cloud with worry. "isn't exactly in the right head-space. She's taking specialist training per my mother's request." Surprise flashes through me. She wasn't joking when she said she was there for Silva's welcome speech.

"I just need to know someone's going to have her back there." Stella looks at me with such fear and worry that I can feel my heartache. This is the Stel I loved. The one who cares so much it hurts.

"Yeah, yeah I can do that." I say hoarsely.

"Thank you, I knew you'd do the right thing." She says, straightening up. The familiar mask of the bitchy princess slides on.

"I always do." I sound defeated, tired. I look at Stella, cocking my head to the side thinking about what we could have been without that mask. I leave the drink on the side as I turn away to leave the party, pausing slightly when I hear Stella snap at some of the pupils watching us.

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I make my way through the halls, thinking about what Stella asked of me. Never-mind what she asked of me, what she told me is playing on my mind. Octavia said she was sent to the first world by her family. To Britain. But what tutors would live in the first world. Maybe she traveled between realms and she was last in Britain. I know all about just giving the simplest truth to avoid explaining in depth. 

I walk past Silva's office. The lights are still on. For the love of Helios, it's the first day. Why is he still working? I step into the office, knocking on the door as I walk in. Silva looks up. He looks tired. I see the surprise and confusion flicker through his eyes. His face remains that stern calm mask. I always envied his ability to hide his emotions.

"Sky." He says, clearly surprised. "I thought you would have been at the orientation party."

"I was," I take one of the seats in front of Silva's desk. His eyes narrow at me. "Decided to turn in for the night."

"It's 11 Sky." His face fills with slight humor. "No specialist of mine turns in before 12 at a party"

We chuckle slightly. My mind flickers to all the stories Silva told me of his time in Alfea as a trainee. Silva sighs as he leans back in his chair.

"What's wrong Sky." He looks at me expectantly.

"Nothings wrong." I say hastily.

"Oh," He mocks. "Do all teenage boys decide to visit their old man in the middle of the first party of the year?"

Hades damn him and his ability to read me.

"Stella-" Silva cuts me off with a dramatic groan. A laugh bursts out of me. "I thought you wanted to know what was wrong." I demand.

Silva looks at me, eyes bright.

"Well I thought it might be a little more important than Miss Stella." He teases.

"Miss Stella and her twin sister, you mean." I say in amusement. Silva's eyes darken, he knows something. He's got that look he gets when something goes wrong. I tense but he's back to normal in seconds.

"Oh Helios, there's two of them."

Shocked I double over laughing, hearing Silva do the same. I can barely breathe. I'm sniggering so much. I missed this. Silva and I don't do this so much now I'm older.

"Alright, alright." Silva says in an attempt to get us both back in control.

"Tell me- Tell me, what's-" I snigger at the sight of him so breathless. "Wrong with the Royal twins then."

"Apparently," I drawl, "You've let Octavia join the specialists." Silva nods noncommittally. I sigh, quickly sobering up.

"Stella wants me to keep an eye on her during training." I say quickly. Silva nods, clearly thinking.

"Right, so. Concerned sister asks someone she trusts to keep an eye on someone she loves." He pauses, seemingly looking into the distance. "No-no, I don't get it. What's the problem?"

I freeze. Great. Now I actually have to put it into words..... Out loud.

"The thing is." I pause, leaning back in my chair so I can look at the ceiling and close my eyes. I don't want to see Silva's face when he realises. "Octavia- I kinda, might have..."

Silva's laughing. Full blown, cackles. He's practically snorting. I warily open my eyes to look over at him. He's braced himself on the desk and is hunched over.

"Are you done yet?" I demand.

Silva lifts up a hand to silence me as he continues to laugh louder than before. I groan in despair. I knew he would do this.

"You- You. HA." Silva breaks off laughing again.

"Oh sweet Helios, sky." He's still giggling as he leans back in his chair again. His grey eyes are bright with life in a way I haven't seen in a long time. "Oh Apollo above, you have a type."

I gape at him. Horror in my eyes.

"They look nothing alike, they're fraternal twins." I sputter defensively.

"Right, yeah of course." Silva grins at me having finally calmed down. "You're going to sit there and tell me you're not attracted to the feisty women who challenge you with half a thought, the ones who've got so much shit going on in their lives they couldn't possibly have a decent relationship with anybody therefore making them unobtainable."

I'm gaping at him. I'm pretty sure my jaw is on the floor.

"I- I."

"No no." Silva continues on with no intention of giving me a merciful death. "The ones who could absolutely beat you in a fight. But your little golden boy self still wants to keep them safe."

Betrayal. Betrayal at the highest of levels. There is no coming back from this humiliation. I'm doomed. I can't ever look Silva in the eye again. I groan in defeat.

"Well what do you suggest I do then?" I snap angrily.

"About the fact your type is apparently princesses?" He mocks.

I snarl in annoyance.

"What is there to do, Sky." he questions back. "I don't see the problem or the way out to be quite frank."

Silva must seem something in my eyes because he sighs and straightens up. I watch as he leans forward to brace his elbows on the desk as he looks at me.

"Sky," That voice, It makes my shoulders sag. It's the voice he uses when I'm sad. When I was little and wanted my dad. The voice that says 'I've not got good news for you kid but I'm still here for you'. "You don't have to fix everything."

I pause. Shit. This is not where I thought this conversation would go.

"Octavia will do fine in training, I picked her myself. Queen Luna's request is irrelevant, she got in because she can handle it. She'll be fine." He soothes, eyes filled with something akin to sadness.

"Stella's Stella." He goes on quietly as I tense. "She'll make drama for herself whether you want her to or not. You can't stop her Sky."

I go silent thinking about what Silva said. I've never been able to stop Stella from hurting herself, from getting herself into those situations.

"It's not your responsibility Sky" Silva says as he stands up. "I'm going to patrol the school. Check none of the kids have wound up drunk in a corner."

Exhaustion weighs heavily on me. The stress of the first day and friend drama quickly caught up to me but I still say, "I'll join."

"No, no." Silva says as we leave his office. "You get yourself to bed. You'll be early tomorrow for a surprise 6am workout." He grins cheekily at me as I groan, watching as he locks the office door. Silva only ever gives me heads up when he knows it'll make me feel guilty enough to work harder.

"I guess I'll hear your annoying voice at 5:40 then." I hear him laugh at me as I walk towards my dorm. Maybe I should tell Riven. Knowing him he'll be out till 1 smoking somewhere. 

Nah. 

I can't wait to see his face when Silva drags him out of bed.

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Riven

It's been hours since the incident outside the barrier but I just can't get that feeling of helplessness out of my head. It was just like before. I came here to stop feeling like this. I pace around my room occasionally glancing out the window. And Helios above, Octavia had me whipped. I've never felt so useless before. What am I supposed to do against phantoms and shadows?

I've never seen magic work like that before. Like it's a separate entity.

I walk towards my rumpled bed. Straightening out the dark blue sheets and pillows before laying down. Tilting my head to the side I look at the framed photo on my bedside table.

That photo is the only thing that kept me going through the first year. That and Sky. We both look so happy, Olivia and I. She's sitting on my shoulders, dressed in a fairy outfit. Pink tutu, plastic wings and a wand with a big gold star on the end. There was a circus tent in the background and I remember the kind smile on the worker's face as he took the photo for us. Her chubby face is filled with pure joy. I look at her smile - she's missing a front tooth.

I can't help the chuckle that escapes me. She cried so much when she lost that tooth. I was 15 at the time and she was 5. So to cheer her up I took her to the travelling carnival. Except mum didn't trust the carnival workers so we had to sneak out.

I look up to the ceiling, thinking about what happened after the carnival. Dad and I should have never left mum and Liv alone at home. We could have helped them then. I blink rapidly, tears have begun to fall down my face.

I scoff.

Hades, some specialist I am. Then again Liv is my weakness. She was too young. I hear the door open and close to the suite. Sky must be back. I listen to the sounds of him walking to his room. Bedroom door opening and then closing. Sighing I look at the clock on my desk. 11:40. Helios, what's Sky doing back before 12? It's a party for Helios' sake. I groan slightly. I didn't go to the party. Damn it, I was looking forward to free food. I'd say drink but I know Dowling would never let any sneak in. Silva on the other hand. I chuckle at the thought.

I stand up eager for a distraction. Quickly making my way through the specialist hall I reach the training rooms. I move past them, I'm in no mood to get worked up. I reach the door at the end of the hall already hearing the stamping and shuffling of the horses in the stable. I open the door breathing in the smell of stables and horses. Disgusting. I fucking love it. Oh, the weirdness of comforting sounds and smells. I take out the cigarettes, lighter and vape from my pocket. Quickly placing them in the box by the door.

Wisp whines at me from her stall near the back. I move towards her, stroking the heads of the other horses as I pass. She stomps her hoof in irritation. Jealous girl. I reach her stall, stretching a hand out to stroke her pure black coat. Bringing both hands to cup her face I rest my forehead against hers.

"Hiya girl" She neighs and knocks her head against me in greeting.

I let go of her as I move to open her stall. Stepping in Wisp begging to trot on the spot in excitement causing me to chuckle. She butts her head against my shoulder. I grin. At least someone's happy to see me.

"Oh you won't believe the day I've had." I say quietly to her. I pick up a brush from the holder in the wall and begin to clean off the dried mud and muck from her shoulder. Silly girl must have been rolling in the fields again.

"I found a dead body today." I begin, the words feeling heavy on my tongue. "I was chasing after this fairy girl." Wisp stomps at me.

"I know, I know. It was silly. In my defense it wasn't a crush. I was just being a concerned specialist looking after his fairy charges." Wisp whinnies, bullshit she calls.

"Ugh. Why can I never lie to you?" I ask. She nods her head as I brush against one of her favourite spots on her neck.

"Her name's Octavia, she's got this hot badass vibe going on. She was chatting with Sky earlier. Well, Sky was trying to flirt and she was trying not to laugh." I move round to the other side of Wisp.

"She was walking out in the forest when we crossed paths." I don't mention the drugs, I never go around Wisp. It's like I have to keep them separate. Olivia loves horses. I don't want anything to do with Olivia being touched by my habits. "There was a shadow, Wisp. It looked a lot like your name sake actually.... I panicked."

I stop. Shame washes over me. Specialist of two years, top of my class and I panicked at the sight of a few shadows. Wisp moves to bump against me bringing me out of my thoughts.

"Thanks girl." I murmur. "I thought she was in danger. Helios above, Wisp. It felt like finding Olivia all over again. I couldn't do anything so I followed her. Though if I could get her Dowling she'd know what to do." I start to brush Wisps back, her neck looking smooth and clean- even if her mane was still a tangled mess. I'll have to come back to that.

"We stumbled across the body of a shepherd. He- he was so mangled, Wisp. Burn marks, open wounds, blood- everywhere." I'm shaking. "And Octavia, little pix, she had fallen over him. I never want- I never." moisture is filling my eyes.

"She was right next to him." I whisper, voice near silent. "Seeing her next to him. It- I" There are tears streaming down my face. I don't know how to say it out loud. How to voice that fear. How to say I thought it could have been her. My breath is coming in ragged gasps and I lean forward to grip onto Wisp. She whinnies in alarm but doesn't move. I'm sobbing, overwhelmed. I can't breathe. Octavia was in danger. The shepherd was mangled. It's the first day of school and Sky's already left me for girl drama. I missed that stupid party, nobody even text to see where I was and- and Liv's gone. She's gone.

I'm shaking as I collapse to the floor my back against the wall. Liv's gone and I don't know what to do.