"What happened to you, Ma'am?" Cris asked, her voice edged with pity. "Zinnia gave her life to save us, and you're just sitting here… drinking it away?" She nodded toward the bottle.
"Watch your tongue. I'm not drinking," Mrs. Leonardo muttered, barely keeping her eyes open.
Shawn slammed his hand on the table, startling her. "Every day I come here, hoping you'll step up—but you just sit."
She glared at him, voice cracking as tears welled. "You think I don't care?"
"Then prove it. Or we'll handle things ourselves." He turned and walked out.
"You're not leaving this school!" she shouted.
"Watch me!" he called back.
"I'm sorry about that," Cris said gently. "But he's right. You have to do something." She stood to leave.
Mrs. Leonardo grabbed her wrist. "Can I trust you?" she whispered.
Cris nodded, looking over her shoulder.
"There's a traitor," she whispered, handing over a crumpled piece of paper. "Read it when you're alone." As Cris turned, Mrs. Leonardo held her tighter.
"I'm not drunk," she murmured.
Cris met her gaze. Her bloodshot eyes said otherwise, but Cris nodded and watched her take a sip.
"What is that?" she asked.
"Water." Mrs. Leonardo set the bottle down.
Cris picked it up, sniffed, poured a bit into a glass, and tasted it. "It is water." But something still felt off. She scanned the room, suspicious. *She's hiding something,* she thought, and slipped out.
Outside the Head Office, Cris was lost in thought, the paper tight in her hand. Shawn suddenly appeared, startling her.
"Where were you?" he asked.
"Shawn, sneak up on me like that again and it'll be your last time!" she snapped, breath uneven.
"Why are you yelling?" he muttered, walking away, used to her short fuse. He didn't know she'd been pushing him away just to read the note alone.
Back in her room, Cris shut the door and leaned against it. She unrolled the paper. A cube was drawn at the top, with a message below:
*If you want to help Zinnia, meet Liam in the library's restricted area. Half an hour after curfew. If caught, say: "Bewusteloos en vergeet."*
"What does that mean?" she muttered. "And who the hell is Liam?"
Cris cared for me like family. They all did. They stood by me after the truth of our lives shattered everything. But they had no idea what I was going through.
I wish I could show them. I wanted to go back, live like a normal teen. But instead, I woke up again—this time, in the water.
I didn't fight it. I never made it to the surface anyway. But then, above, I saw a flicker of orangish-yellow light. I had to try.
I pushed myself to swim, but my limbs were weak. I looked down and saw peasant clothes—and a thick rope wrapped around my waist. I felt along it. No knot.
I struggled, twisted—nothing. Tears filled my eyes. I shut them.
Then, I felt two hands slip into mine. I opened my eyes. A woman with white hair and blue eyes floated before me—the one from my dream.
"Zinnia, my beautiful little girl," she whispered, touching my face.
"Mother? Is it really you?" I sobbed. "I'm tired."
"I know. But you're strong," she said, kissing my forehead. "Sometimes, to solve a problem, you have to look deeper."
I opened my eyes again. She was gone. But her words stayed. *Look deeper.*
I followed the rope downward. It led to a massive boulder. I swam around it until I found the knot. I began untying it, lungs burning.
Finally, I broke free and swam toward the surface. Voices echoed above.
"The plague is gone!"
The cheering felt wrong. A chill ran through me. I veered away, swam until the lights faded. The water grew colder. I pushed on—and for the first time, I made it out.
I dragged myself onto shore, surrounded by mountains, but I didn't cough *Surprisingly*. Behind me: endless water. Ahead: hills and a quiet, starry sky. No clouds, no wind, no sound. Just silence.
It unsettled me.
Then I turned and froze.
A towering structure stood before me, shining like diamonds, lit by bluish-white lights. It looked unreal, like a palace from another world.
Without realizing it, I walked toward it. My hand touched the door. I knocked.
Moments later, it creaked open. An old man appeared, eyes widening.
"Come in, child. You're freezing."
I stepped inside, shivering.
"What's your name?" he asked.
"Nixie."
Why did I say that? My name is Zinnia.
"I'm Xavier Paragon," he said, smiling. "Aliya!" He called out.
A girl with a long brown braid hurried down the stairs in a bright pink frock. "Yes, Father?"
"She's cold. Get her warm clothes and food."
Aliya took my hand and led me upstairs.
In her room, she studied me carefully. "What talent do you have?" she asked, rummaging through her wardrobe.
"I… don't understand," I said, blinking nervously.
She smiled. "I know you're special. Everyone here is."
I looked at her like I'd been caught doing something wrong.
"This school is for people like us," she added, pulling out a parrot-green frock. "Invisible to ordinary eyes."
"I… I see deaths before they happen," I whispered.
"Remarkable," she said softly. She didn't ask more. She simply handed me the dress and left.
I held it to my shoulders and turned to the mirror.
It wasn't me in the reflection.
Blonde, curly hair. A longer face. Smaller eyes. Full lips. Beautiful—but not me. Now I understood why I said "Nixie." I was living in her past.
I changed, combed my hair, and stepped out. Dozens of eyes turned to me. Smiles. Warmth. I blushed.
At the bottom of the stairs, Aliya waited, smiling widely. "You look beautiful." She took my hands and led me to the table.
"Today, we welcome new students!" Xavier announced, listing names—but not mine.
I wasn't here to join.
"Nixie?" Aliya repeated, offering me a drink. "Lovely name. What does it mean?"
"A water sprite. And… I don't drink."
"Really? How old are you?"
"Fifteen."
She took a sip. "Can I ask something? Earlier, when I asked about your gift, you looked sad. Are you struggling with it?"
She led me to a quiet corner.
"I've never been anywhere like this," I said. "Where powers are gifts, and people are kind. Where I come from, it's a curse. I'm bad luck." I blinked fast, trying to hold back tears.
"What?" She hugged me tightly. "Then they're fools. How can bad luck look this pretty?" She raised my chin and smiled.
"People come to me before traveling. They want to feel safe," I added.
"That's amazing. Still, you were right to leave."
"No—I didn't leave!" I gasped. "I was looking for a herb—Echinacea. My sister's sick. My boat wrecked, and I ended up here. I have to find it!"
Aliya squeezed my hand. "Don't worry. My sister's a healer. She'll have it."
She led me upstairs, heading down the hallway toward her room.