Before you start reading please put this playlist on spotify https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2JjrGY8pafIPvyGyXCYDJG?si=74MRnSMXQM-MKphx6bpRAw If u don't have Spotify u can put on https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7pW2TRJlD4lZfK5VTpleGqivGUzozbto&si=q36Hqd-DTG_VXoe- if the link doesn't work on Spotify, YouTube search my memories starlight: boarding school ch1
the playlist songs:
-youth by daughter
- family line by Conan gray
- people watching by Conan gray
-people you know by Selena Gomez
-idontwannabeyouanymore by Billie Eilish
-Burning house by Nico Collins
Asher finally came back. Yukiko was sitting on the floor, her little face red from crying. Her cheeks were wet, her nose sniffly. When the door opened, she looked up quickly, her wolf ears twitching with a faint hope that maybe he came to hug her. Maybe he came to tell her it was okay. She called out "daddy...?"
But Asher didn't smile. He used a flare of his crimson demon mana to slam the door shut behind him. His face was like a wall. "Don't call me that. You're not my child."
He looked at her and added, in a voice scarier than shouting: "I have the same thing to say as your mother. Why not you? Why Akiko? Because of you… she is dead. My wife is dead because of you. You filthy child. You are not my daughter. Your cousins, your aunts, even your grandma are locked away like monsters all because of you."
Yukiko didn't understand all the words… but she understood the hurt. She felt her chest squeeze, and her tiny hands curled into her clothes. She fell to her knees again, the pain inside worse than the pain in her body. It had only been two weeks since she woke up, but everything felt scary.
The Guardian Knights came when she opened her eyes. They didn't speak to her nicely. They didn't smile. They used their mana to pin her down and put metal restraints on her wrists, and she cried because it hurt so much—the metal heavy on her wrist, like fire inside her bones. The leader bent down, staring at her like she was dangerous.
"This tracks your location. It tells us your mana level. When your White Wolf powers appear, we will know instantly. If you remove it, the alarm will go off. You will be killed right away. The only reason you're alive is because your relatives begged. We don't care if you live."
Yukiko didn't understand everything, but she understood the important part: If she got powers… they would kill her. Her name was changed after that. She didn't want a new name. She liked "Yukiko." But adults said she had to be called "Lucinda" now. It made her head hurt trying to think about it. It was too much for a five year old.
She stared at the wall, her tiny mind lost, until Ren knelt beside her. He was gentler, his thin demon tail swishing slowly behind him. He told her dinner was ready. She clung to his sleeve because Ren made her feel safe. But then Asher came back with two kids behind him. Their cousins.
Kaito, the smaller one, hid behind Izah's shirt. His big eyes peeked out at the room, his thick dragon tail tucked timidly between his small legs. Asher stood in front of them. "They're your brothers now. I signed the adoption papers. Their things should arrive soon. Put them in that corner when they come."
Asher patted Kaito's head—something he never did to her anymore—then left. Kaito finally looked up fully. His face lit up. "Yuki—! Luci!" he squeaked, smiling big because he recognized her. His dragon tail began to wag happily. He took one excited step toward her, but Izah quickly used a sharp tug of yellow dragon mana to pull Kaito's arm back.
Izah glared at Lucinda like she was something dirty, his heavy dragon tail thumping the floor in warning. "Don't go near him," he snapped. Kaito looked confused, but he stayed beside his brother. Lucinda's throat made a tiny hiccup sound. Her lower lip trembled, and her wolf ears flattened against her head. Her eyes filled with tears again, her face flushed.
And she started crying loud, scared, little kid crying because she didn't understand why everyone hated her now. Ren knelt down and picked Lucinda up gently. She was still crying, her tiny fists rubbing her eyes, little hiccup noises escaping her. Ren rubbed her back, soft and slow. He glared at Izah as he walked closer. Leaning in, Ren whispered sharply into Izah's ear:
"She's still just a kid. Leave her alone. I know you hate her, but can you at least keep quiet?"
Izah's eyes widened, shocked. He whispered back: "Don't act like you don't hate her too, Ren. She killed my mom." He looked at Ren smugly before adding "And how's your lovely fiancée, hm?"
Ren immediately pulled back, his face turning bright red. A spark of blue demon mana flickered around his fingers in his embarrassment. He quickly set her down, flustered, and whispered in a soft, shaky voice: "Go to the dining room, Yu—Lu—Lucinda. Your food is getting cold… go eat, okay?"
Lucinda stared at him with her teary eyes, confused, but she didn't ask anything. She toddled off toward the dining room, still sniffling. Once she was gone, Ren covered his face with his hand, cheeks still burning. He whispered at Izah: "Don't bring Lili into this."
Izah's mouth curled into a half-amused, half-smug smirk, his dragon tail giving a smug, rhythmic flick. "Aww, a cute nickname for your childhood sweetheart. How sweet of Mr. Cold-Face. I heard you two were childhood friends and got engaged two years ago? Sounds right. She's 12, yeah? Two years younger than you?"
Ren cut him off sharply: "Yes… and yes. I'm lucky I won't be here in a week. At least you won't follow me to boarding school. Where are you going anyway?"
Izah looked down at Kaito, who was now boredly playing with a floating orb of Izah's mana. "Maybe I will follow you to Sekule with Kaito. It's your father who decides, not me." He lifted Kaito into his arms and walked past Ren. But just before stepping into the dining room, he stopped and glanced back, eyes narrowing.
"I will never like her, Lucinda. And I know you don't like her either—admit it. And Ren…" He smirked again. "You better watch out for your girl. Lili."
Ren shouted from behind, his demon tail lashing out in anger, "Use her full name, Lilith, you bastard!" Izah only smirked tauntingly before turning to walk away. Ren stood frozen for a moment, trying to process what had just happened, then quickly followed after them.
In the dining hall, it was silent except for Kaito's cheerful babbling. It felt warmer but not like the family warm that Lucinda wished for. After dinner, Ren and Izah tucked both Kaito and little Lucinda into bed. Once they slipped quietly out of the room, their banter immediately picked up again.
"You can't take Kaito with you to Sekule," Ren cut in sharply. "He's three years old, you can't bring him there."
Izah stared at him, eyes wide. "W-wait, there's an age limit? Then what is—" He stopped, composing himself, his gaze drifting back toward Kaito through the door gap. "…Well then, I'll be going to the same school. I'll be in another school."
Ren blinked, stunned, stepping closer just as the door creaked open. A crying Lucinda stood there, sniffling, her wolf ears drooped in sorrow. Ren's expression softened instantly. He scooped the little girl into his arms, and the banter fell apart in silence. Lucinda sobbed "There was a strange man in my dreams." Ren comforted Lucinda while glaring at Izah.
The days went on with the brothers bantering on stupid and unreasonable things until Ren's departure. Before he left, he promised her he would return as fast as he could. Lucinda sat curled up on the couch, her knees drawn tightly to her chest and her wolf tail curled around her feet as her birthday slowly approached. Snow drifted past the windows. Ren had promised he would return—five months later. She believed him.
She waited until night fell. No footsteps came. No door opened. Not even her father appeared. Her chest ached as she rose and walked to her room. The moment the door shut, she collapsed against it, sliding down as sobs broke free. Tears streamed down her face as she hugged herself. Then she noticed it. Strands of dark blue hair slipped through her fingers, but the color was fading. White bled through the dye, spreading like moonlight. A faint, icy mist of White Wolf mana began to swirl around her small hands.
"My mana…" she whispered, panic rising. "It's awakening."
Fear drove her forward. She ran to her father's office, her heart pounding. The door flew open. Asher looked up, his demon eyes widening in shock as he rushed toward her. "Lucinda—!" Before he could reach her, her vision blurred. The room spun, and darkness claimed her.
She woke in her bed. Her body felt strangely light. When she opened her eyes, she saw red staring back at her reflection, and her wolf ears were now stark white. Long hair spilled over her shoulders. The door opened softly. Asher entered, carrying a small bag. When she tried to sit up, dizziness washed over her, and he steadied her with his mana, guiding her to the bathroom. He began preparing hair dye.
"If you calm down," he said quietly, "your eyes will turn back to your usual blue." He sighed. "I also noticed your eyesight has worsened," Asher continued, pulling out a pair of glasses. "So I got you these. It's probably from the traumatic beating you went through."
He paused, then reached into the bag again. "And this," he said, placing a binder into her lap. His voice was firm. "It's safer this way. As a boy. From now on, your name is Rue. A distant cousin."
He dyed her hair, hiding the white. Lucinda—now Rue—stared at the mirror. Her wolf tail was still and heavy. Now it was time for her restraints to be removed. Asher gave her a key to a shack in the woods behind their house.
"Hide in the top cabinet. I installed locks there. When you're hungry, there is a box next to the window. There is plenty of food there now. We don't have much time. Use your powers to break the restraints. Your mana can overpower it."
Lucinda didn't understand, but she focused every bit of her flickering White Wolf mana into her wrists. With a loud crack, the metal shattered. The toll was heavy; her wolf ears drooped as her body weakened. Asher ignored her exhaustion and picked her up.
"We don't have much time, Lucinda," he said, his own demon mana glowing faintly as he felt the Knights approaching. "Run."