Thalixa and Selene had departed moments ago, leaving only the lingering impression of her presence. The heavy, commanding aura of the headmistress still hovered in the halls, a quiet reminder that Aurèlle had been noticed.
When the coast finally seemed clear, Dahlia seized the moment, tugging Aurèlle by the hand. "Come on," she whispered, her voice trembling with excitement. "Let's get away before she sees us lingering."
The sisters hurried upstairs, their footsteps light against the polished floors, laughter spilling quietly from between them. They made for Dahlia's room, the space that had once been Aurèlle's old sanctuary. For her, the estate was full of harsh rules and discipline, but together the sisters had shared small moments of joy that the stepmother could not touch.
Though Aurèlle's stepmother had always been cruel to her, her presence over Dahlia had always kind and warm, emphasising her disdain for her stepdaughter.
For a few stolen moments , the girls could simply breathe. The shadows of the estate, long and oppressive, faded behind the warmth of their laughter as they entered Dahlia's room.
Dahlia flopped onto the bed, giggling and bouncing lightly. Aurèlle took a seat beside her, watching her sister's excitement spill over. The moment felt fleeting, precious. For once, there was no fear of judgment, no expectation looming in the air.
After their father's remarriage, the stepmother's frustration had become a constant shadow in Aurèlle's life. Her father, unwilling to acknowledge Celine, had left the stepmother's ambitions unchecked. Aurèlle had been overworked, punished, and confined to the dark, damp rooms of the servants' quarters whenever she failed to meet impossible expectations. Food was withheld as punishment, and every mistake was met with cold cruelty. She had grown accustomed to the basement shadows, the rats that skittered across the corners, and the unforgiving silence that marked her isolation.
Yet in spite of all this, Aurèlle had learned resilience. She had learned to endure, to persist, and to protect the fragile sparks of joy she could still claim. Dahlia, by contrast, had been granted more freedom. She had grown under careful watch, her talents nurtured and her spirit encouraged.
Now, sitting together in Dahlia's room, Aurèlle allowed herself to smile genuinely for the first time in days.
"I can't believe it," Dahlia whispered, bouncing on the edge of the bed. "We're going to Aurelith Academy… and we're going to meet The Five Stars! The most exceptional students of the school! Can you imagine? We'll learn magic like we never thought possible. We'll… we'll be among the best!"
Aurèlle let out a soft laugh, a sound she hadn't realized she had missed. "I'm glad… I even get to go," she murmured, her voice almost caught in her throat.
"Don't say that!" Dahlia exclaimed, reaching over to brush a hand across her sister's cheek. "You heard Headmistress Thalixa. There's no mistake. You are gifted, Aurèlle. Exceptional. One of the rare few. And together, we'll show everyone that we belong in the Seven Stars. We'll prove it—no matter what anyone says."
Aurèlle's lips curved into a genuine smile. "Yes… let's show them," she said, punching the air lightly. The sisters burst into quiet laughter, a sound that filled the room with warmth and hope.
Evening came slowly. After completing her endless chores and the extra punishments her stepmother had devised to vent her frustrations, Aurèlle finally sank onto her own bed in the servants quarters, exhausted. She reached beneath her pillow, Her fingers brushed against something cold and familiar, her mother's final gift: a heart-shaped diamond ring, delicately engraved and faintly glowing with a swirling golden mist. She lifted it carefully, tracing the tiny etchings with her fingertips. The ring had belonged to her mother, hidden beneath pillow and mattress for safekeeping. Around her neck, she fingered the familiar chain of her key pendant, tucked always beneath her clothes, warm against her chest.
Aurèlle lifted the ring carefully, letting the soft glow fill her palm. Every night she confided in it, sharing her fears, hopes, and small triumphs. Tonight, her heart overflowed.
"Mother…" she whispered, a tear rolling down her cheek, "I got accepted… I am gifted… like you said I could be… like Father said I could be."
The ring pulsed brighter than ever, and Aurèlle felt warmth flooding through her chest. A presence she hadn't sensed in years wrapped around her, gentle and comforting. It was as if her mother herself were holding her close, whispering that she was proud, that she had never doubted her. The silver strands in her hair shimmered in time with the amulet's glow, and for the first time in years, the fire her mother had left inside her — the spark of hope, of possibility — flared to life again.
She held the gem a while longer, letting it settle her racing thoughts. Slowly, she returned it to place beneath her pillow and sank into the bed. Sleep was elusive; the rickety mattress and the excitement of the day combined to keep her mind awake. She thought of the Academy, of the 5 Stars, of the magic she would learn and the power she had only just begun to understand. The storm she had unleashed, the letters from Headmistress Thalixa — it had all been a confirmation. The world had noticed her. And there would be no turning back.
Aurèlle closed her eyes, letting the hum beneath her veins settle into a soft, steady rhythm. The fire within her, once smothered by neglect and doubt, had been rekindled. She would go to Aurelith Academy. She would learn. She would grow. And she would finally claim the destiny that had been promised to her — a destiny that no stepmother, no cruel twist of fate, could ever take away.