The Grace of Solana

Chapter 13

Roxana

We walked in silence. Well—he walked, I trailed awkwardly behind like a lost puppy.

The bustling streets of Solaria roared around us—merchants shouting, enchantments flickering— but between me and Zero, there was nothing but a thick, heavy quiet.

He didn't look back. Not once. His shoulders stayed rigid, his head low, his dark hair still messy despite the polished sword now hanging at his hip.

I shifted uncomfortably, hugging my arms to my chest as I kept pace. The awkward tension from Lenora's shop clung to me like humidity, sticky and suffocating.

I wanted to say something—to break the silence, maybe tease him about Lenora or apologize for prying earlier—but before I could even open my mouth, Zero spoke first, his voice cutting through the air like a blade.

"If you're serious about going out for tea with Lenora," he muttered without glancing back, "you'll have to wait 'til after curfew."

I blinked, thrown by his sudden comment. "After curfew? Why?"

Zero finally slowed, barely enough for me to fall in step beside him. His expression stayed unreadable, but the usual sharpness in his eyes returned as he shot me a sidelong glance.

"I get that you're an airhead," he drawled, "but have some common sense." His gaze flicked upward, toward the clear blue sky stretching overhead. "Vampires can't go out in direct sunlight. They'd catch flame and turn to ash."

I opened my mouth, then immediately closed it, my cheeks warming.

Zero kept going, his tone blunt as ever. "It also makes the human residents feel safer. Knowing vampires aren't just walking around freely in broad daylight."

I stared at him, trying to process the mixture of logic and… biting attitude wrapped in his words.

"But… Lenora's different," I protested softly, my brows knitting together. "She's not dangerous."

Zero's steps faltered just slightly, enough that I noticed. His jaw flexed, but his expression stayed carefully guarded.

"Yeah… well…" His voice dropped lower, rougher, like he was chewing over old memories. "Doesn't mean people would see it that way."

Zero suddenly stopped in his tracks, turning toward me with sharp eyes, his glare pinning me in place like a blade at my throat.

"What do you know about Lenora, anyway?" he snapped, voice low but edged with heat. "You only met her one time. How do you know she's not like the rest?"

I refused to flinch. My feet carried me forward, closing the space between us until we were practically chest to chest, the air between us crackling.

"Because you're close to her," I shot back, my voice steady despite the tension coiling in my chest. "That's gotta mean something. At least… that's what it looks like to me."

His expression flickered—just barely—but I caught it.

The noise of the street swelled around us again, merchants yelling, carts rattling over cobblestones, but for a moment, it felt like it was just me and him, locked in that stubborn, silent standoff.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're both stubborn and nosey. The worst combination," he grumbled. "You're the kind of person I'd use every change to avoid if I wasn't being forced to stick around."

"Excuse me? I'll have you know I act like this because you drive me absolutely insane! You unruly, uncouth, beast of a man!" I shouted.

Whispers started swirling around us as well as pointed fingers.

"What's happening here? Some kind of lovers quarrel?" said a man at an apple stand.

"Well, whatever happened, she's really giving it to him. Poor fool is still too young to know how to treat a proper woman right."

Zero snickered, his shoulders shaking as he clasped a hand over his mouth. That's when he threw his head back and burst out laughing, a wide smile on his face.

I stared frozen for a moment. His smile. It was like a gift I didn't realize I was waiting to receive. It was brighter than I could have ever imagined.

Zero wiped a stray tear from his eye and grabbed my wrist. "You're just too easy, princess. Come on, I'm just playing around. Now let's head to school before we give Ellis another reason to be angry."

He dragged me along, his footsteps faster than mine.

But I just went with it. Watching him smile, making a fool out of myself. Whether or not we didn't see eye to eye, one thing was certain. He never made me feel bored.

***

Zero didn't wait for me to catch up, hand still gently wrapped around my wrist. His steps were long and determined, and I stumbled to keep pace, breath hitching.

"Slow down!" I called, but he only glanced over his shoulder with a smirk. "Just give me a sec to catch my breath—"

"No can do. The Academy has an absolute not late policy. If we don't make it pass the gates, well let's just say, we're not getting in," he said flatly, eyes fixed ahead.

The towering silhouette of Twilight Academy rose before us— castle-like, formidable— and the massive gates were beginning to close, heavy iron bars inching shut with ominous finality.

Zero clicked his tongue. Without another word, he reached out, scooping me up effortlessly into his arms, and turned on his heels.

"What are you— put me down!" I said half angry, half embarrassed as I struggled to keep my skirt pulled down. My heart pounding wildly in his grip.

He ignored me completely, his expression dead serious. Then, with a burst of speed, he took off running.

The gates slammed shut in front of us with a thunderous clang. Ahead loomed the fifteen-foot brick wall— the final barrier before the inner grounds. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for impact.

But instead of crashing, we soared.

Zero vaulted over the wall with breathtaking ease, propelling us into the sky as if we were walking on the very air itself.

For a moment, time seemed to stretch and slow.

I dared to peek through my lashes, and the sky above was a deep, endless blue— shining brighter that I'd ever seen. Or better yet never truly appreciated.

Zero's hair whipped wildly in the wind, strands falling across his focused, fierce gaze.

 We landed softly on the other side, Zero set me down gently, his hold lingering just a moment longer than necessary.

 Waiting there, arms crossed and tapping his foot, Ellis— smiling that knowing smile that barely masked irritation.

"Well, well, fashionably late as usual," Ellis greeted, voice dry but warm. "Skipping yesterday without notifying your teacher— real professional, Zero."

Zero scowled but stayed silent.

Ellis turned his gaze to me, smirking. "And Lady Roxana, still trailing after your ever-so-charming bodyguard. I just pray that none of his bad habits rub off on you."

I gave a small smile, keeping my posture straight. "Just Roxana, please. Being called Lady of some household still feels strange."

Ellis raised an eyebrow but let it go. "Fair enough. But don't think for a second this place will go easy on you just because of your title."

Zero groaned. "Can we just get this over with?"

Ellis chuckled, then turned back to Zero with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Honestly, you're such a dutiful guard dog. Always looking out for your 'master.' Good boy."

At that, Zero's hand shot toward the hilt of his sword, fingers curling around the worn leather grip.

Ellis held up his hands in surrender. "Calm down, boy! I only need to borrow your master for an hour or two. Official cleric business, I promise."

Zero's scowl deepened, but the tension in his shoulders eased ever so slightly as he stepped back, silently conceding.

"Don't keep her too long," he grumbled.

Ellis grinned, nodding toward me. "Come on, Roxana. Let's see if I can save you from his wrath—at least for a little while."

Zero shook his head, muttering under his breath as he watched us walk away.

***

Ellis fell into step beside me as we walked away from the main gates, the academy sprawling silently around us like a secret waiting to be uncovered. The floor beneath our feet echoed softly in the cool morning air, the chatter of distant students a muted note.

"This part of the school," Ellis said, gesturing ahead, "is where most of the specialized training happens. You haven't seen it yet, but it's where things get real."

I glanced at him, curiosity prickling at the edges of my nerves. "What exactly is all this about? Why am I here with you instead of Zero?"

Ellis's expression softened, a flicker of something almost like pride in his eyes. "This is part of your Elaine training."

"Elaine training?" I mimicked.

"It's been over five hundred years since the last Elaine appeared," Ellis continued, voice low and steady. "But every generation, the Empire searches for the new one—the incarnation of Solana herself."

I swallowed hard, the weight of his words settling over me like a mantle.

"All citizens of Solaria, especially those of noble blood like yourself, carry a spark of Solana's light magic," Ellis said. "It's in your blood, your soul, whether you realize it or not."

I looked down at my hands, suddenly aware of the strange warmth lingering beneath my skin.

"As the Elaine," he said, "your potential will define the future. The power you wield isn't just a gift—it's a responsibility."

My heart hammered in my chest. The prophecy wasn't just a whisper on the wind anymore. It was real. And it was mine.

"From what we know, you have Solana's healing capabilities. But that's only one of the many powers our goddess possesses. You may not be a god, but you can tap into that potential. Which is why we are here."

Ellis clinked his wooden staff on the ground, a reverence of strong magic flooding at our feet. A strong gust of wind shot out through the ancient doors that creaked open.

Inside was a chamber of sorts, in the middle, a large glass orb in center of a magic circle.

"This device is a magic assessment tool. When new students enroll as the academy it's procedure to see what they're capabilities are. Some students are lucky to have two gifts, but you," he said, looking down at me with a sparkle in his eyes. "I theorize you can break past those boundaries."

I gulped. This was an overload of information. I always knew my healing was special, but to know that I might be capable of more? The thought was exciting but also terrifying. I'm only just a girl after all, despite this prophecy hanging over my head.

"What kind of gifts are there?"

"For starters, your healing ability. An essential asset for the Vatican field agents like Zero. There are also summoners, people who can manifest their souls in the shape of a weapon. Tamers who can summon beasts born from the energy of the sun," Ellis replied knowingly. "There are countless talents. Our goal today is to figure out which ones resonate with you the most at your current level."

Ellis gestured toward the glowing orb, the etched runes around it pulsing faintly with golden light. The chamber seemed to hum with energy, the air thick with the scent of old magic and polished stone.

I hesitated, my palms clammy as I stared at the orb, its glass surface rippling with barely contained power.

"Go on," Ellis encouraged softly, stepping back. His eyes gleamed with quiet pride beneath the calm exterior. "Just place your hand on it. Let the magic do the rest."

My heart hammered against my ribs. Every nerve screamed to turn back, but my feet carried me forward, slow and uncertain, until I stood before the orb. I raised my hand—fingers trembling—then pressed my palm flat against the glass.

A burst of warmth shot through my skin, racing up my arm like sunlight breaking through winter frost.

My vision blurred.

In the space of a breath, I wasn't standing in the chamber anymore. The world around me was endless, bathed in radiant light stretching beyond the horizon.

Floating before me—suspended in that glowing abyss—was an egg.

It gleamed with smooth, pearlescent white, threaded with glowing orange streaks that pulsed gently like veins of fire beneath the surface. I reached for it, instinct overriding logic, and the moment my fingers brushed the shell, warmth bloomed in my chest—fierce and familiar.

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as I pulled the egg close, holding it protectively to my chest. It didn't crack. It didn't hatch. But it throbbed softly with life, and somehow, I knew it was mine.

A fragment of my soul. My strength. My burden.

A tear slid down my cheek, but I smiled through it, cradling the egg like something precious. The heat in my chest flared stronger, coiling in my heart, spreading to my limbs.

The vision fractured—shattering like glass—and I was yanked back to reality, breathless.

I stepped away from the orb, heart pounding, the warmth still lingering beneath my skin.

Ellis's eyes widened, surprise flickering across his usually unreadable face.

A faint, radiant glow bloomed at the center of my forehead—a golden crest etched in delicate, swirling patterns, pulsing with Solana's light.

Before I could question it, my hand lifted instinctively, and in a burst of dazzling brilliance, a bow materialized in my grip.

It shimmered like it was forged from pure sunlight—sleek, elegant, impossibly light—and crackling faintly with golden energy. A single arrow of pure light rested against the string, its sharp tip gleaming.

I exhaled shakily, my grip tightening on the bow as the room settled back into quiet.

Ellis's voice broke the silence, steady but laced with awe. "Well… I'd say your potential is already speaking loud and clear."

The bow in my hand flickered—light unraveling in ribbons of gold—until it vanished entirely, leaving my palm empty and trembling.

My knees buckled beneath me.

I sank to the floor, hugging my arms tight across my chest, my breaths shallow and uneven. A shiver rippled down my spine, but it wasn't fear. It was… something else.

"I've never felt anything like that before," I whispered, my voice barely holding steady. "It was like… like I was up in the heavens. Or cradled back in the warmth of a mother's womb."

Ellis crouched down beside me, his expression gentle but curious. "What did you see?" he asked quietly.

I wiped my damp cheeks, another tear slipping free before I could stop it. "An egg," I said softly, my fingers curling into the fabric over my chest. "White and glowing, streaked with orange. I could feel it… pulsing with life." My voice cracked, the sadness creeping beneath my words. "I wanted to cradle that warmth forever, but… it didn't hatch."

Ellis's eyes darkened, his gaze thoughtful, the usual playfulness stripped away.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice dipping softer.

I nodded faintly, a fragile smile ghosting across my lips. "Yeah… but sad at the same time. What do you think it means?"

Ellis hesitated, the corner of his mouth twitching as if weighing his words carefully. His hand settled gently on my shoulder, grounding me as he spoke.

"It could mean many things," he admitted, his voice honest but edged with quiet reverence. "The egg could reflect you—a young bird who hasn't yet cracked the shell. Not fully grown. Not ready to soar."

He paused, eyes narrowing slightly as if another possibility teased at the edges of his thoughts. "Or… it could be something else entirely."

I swallowed hard, still feeling the lingering warmth in my chest—the hum of life waiting beneath the surface.

"But whatever the meaning," Ellis continued, his hand squeezing my shoulder gently, "don't ever forget that warmth, Roxana. One day, when your power is truly needed… that feeling will return." His gaze sharpened, fierce but protective. "And when it does… it will come to your aid."

I exhaled shakily, pressing my hand over my heart, holding onto the memory like a fragile promise.

Even if I didn't understand it all yet… I would carry that warmth with me.

Always.