33. Zaiah

33

ZAIAH

Making my way across the MistHallow grounds, my feet barely touching the earth, I shiver. Something is coming. Something dark, something powerful and something that sets off my senses like nothing else.

The scavenger hunt has just ended, and I feel the excitement and disappointment coming from the students returning to their rooms. But there's one emotion that cuts through all the others, sharp and painful: Adelaide's disappointment.

Our bond, still new and not fully formed, pulses with her anguish. It's a sensation I'm still getting used to, this constant awareness of her emotions. Her pain calls to me, drawing me towards her, impossible to ignore.

As I approach her room, I pause, considering my options. I can't get in unless she invites me in through normal channels, however, I'm anything but normal. Instead, I close my eyes, focusing on the pocket dimension I created in her room a few days ago. With a thought, I slip into the space between realities, observing Adelaide unseen.

She's sitting on her bed, still in her clothes from the hunt, her hair dishevelled and her eyes red-rimmed. In her hands, she's toying with the small, ornate bottle I left for her. My breath catches in my throat as I watch her fingers trace the intricate designs on its surface.

Will she open it? The question hangs in the air, charged with possibility. I've been waiting for this moment, wondering if she would take this step, if she were ready for what it might mean.

Adelaide turns the bottle over in her hands, her expression full of curiosity and trepidation. I can see the battle raging in her. The caution that's kept her safe, warring with the thirst for knowledge and power that's brought her this far.

Finally, with a deep breath that visibly steadies her, she uncorks the bottle.

The effect is immediate and breathtaking. A soft, golden light emanates from the bottle, enveloping Adelaide in its warm glow. I watch, fascinated, as the light seeps into her skin, her eyes flashing with power.

The change in her is subtle but profound. Her posture straightens, and her eyes become sharper, more aware. I can feel her abilities expanding, growing in ways she probably doesn't even realise yet. It's a heady sight, one that fills me with cautious pride.

I've seen what power can do to people, how it can corrupt and twist. But with Adelaide, there is a strength in her that goes beyond mere magickal ability.

As the golden light fades, Adelaide looks around her room, her gaze seeming to penetrate the fabric of reality. For a moment, I think she might have sensed my presence in the pocket dimension. But then her eyes move on, and I relax.

It's time, I decide. I can't keep watching from the shadows. She deserves more than that.

"Adelaide," I call softly, my voice resonating in the space between dimensions. "Can I come in?"

She starts, her eyes widening as she searches for the source of my voice. "Zaiah?" she asks, confused. "Where are you?"

"Yes," I confirm. "I'm in the pocket dimension connected to your room that I created the other day. I can enter if you give me permission."

There's a moment of hesitation, and I hold my breath, waiting for her decision. "Yes," she says. "You can come in. Were you lurking?" Her accusation comes with crossed arms and a really cute, annoyed expression.

With a thought, I step out of the pocket dimension and into her room. The air shimmers around me as I materialise, and I see Adelaide's eyes widen at the display of magick.

"Who, me?" I ask with a smile meant to disarm. "I never lurk, babes."

"Humph," she mutters but drops her defensive stance.

"Hi," I say softly, suddenly feeling awkward now that I'm face-to-face with her. "I felt that you were upset. I wanted to check on you."

Adelaide's expression softens, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "You felt it? Through our... bond? Is that the right word for it?"

I nod slowly, moving closer to her. "Yes. It's getting stronger. I can sense your emotions more clearly now, especially when they're intense."

She looks down at the bottle in her hands, then back up at me. "Did you see...?"

"Yes," I admit. "I saw you open the bottle. How do you feel?"

Adelaide takes a deep breath, considering the question. "Different," she says finally. "Stronger, somehow. More aware. Was this from you? What was in it, Zaiah?"

I sit down next to her on the bed, close enough to feel the warmth from her body that has dimmed a bit since the last time I was close to her. She is becoming more of a vampire and less of a… I want to say human, but that can't be right, can it? A Vesperidae in our midst is unexpected. There again, so is a djinn, so I guess we were meant for each other. "It's called Essence of Awakening," I explain. "It's a very rare and powerful elixir that enhances latent magickal abilities. It only works on those who it deems worthy."

"And you think I'm worthy?" Adelaide asks, her voice small and uncertain.

"Not me," I say, touching the bottle. "Although I wouldn't disagree with the elixir's assessment."

I take her hands in mine. The contact sends a jolt of electricity through me, our bond humming with energy. "Adelaide," I say, my voice sincere, "you are more than worthy. You're extraordinary. Your potential is like nothing I've ever seen before."

She blushes, looking down at our joined hands. "I don't feel extraordinary," she mumbles. "I couldn't even become House Captain."

Ah, so that's what upset her. I squeeze her hands gently. "Adelaide, look at me," I say, waiting until she meets my gaze. "Being passed over for House Captain doesn't define your worth or your abilities. You've accomplished so much in such a short time. You completed the scavenger hunt, didn't you?"

She nods, a flicker of pride crossing her face. "Yeah, Zephyr and I found all the items. He got Captain, and I didn't."

"But who did in your place?"

She purses her lips and sighs in annoyance. "Corvus."

"And you don't think he deserves it?"

"No, it's not that! But we won, me and Zephyr, and he got it, and I didn't." She blinks and then growls. "I realise I sound like a petulant child. Obviously, Corvus deserves it. He has been here longer, he has more experience, Christ, he has been a vampire his whole life!"

"So have you."

"No," she says, shaking her head. "No, I haven't. Not really. And I'm not even a real vampire. Only half a one."

"But a powerful half. The other side of you makes it so."

Her gaze flies up to meet mine. "You know?"

"I think so."

She leans into me slightly, and I wrap an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. We sit like that for a while, the silence comfortable and charged with unspoken feelings.

"Zaiah," Adelaide says finally, her voice muffled against my chest. "What's happening to me? With these powers, with us?"

I take a deep breath, considering how to answer. "Your Vesperidae nature is awakening," I whisper. "The Essence of Awakening is accelerating the process, bringing your latent abilities to the surface. As for us..." I trail off, unsure how to put into words the complex tangle of emotions and mystical connections between us.

Adelaide pulls back slightly, looking up at me with those piercing eyes. "I feel drawn to you," she admits. "To you, to Corvus, Ignatius, and Zephyr. It's like there are threads connecting us, pulling us together. Is that normal?"

I chuckle softly. "Normal? No. But then again, nothing about you is normal, Adelaide. You're special. Unique. The connection you feel is real. It's a magical bond, one that's incredibly rare."

"But why?" she asks, frustration creeping into her voice. "Why me? Why us?"

I reach up, gently tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. The simple touch sends a shiver through both of us. "I don't have all the answers," I admit. "But I believe it's because you're meant for great things, Adelaide. And we - Corvus, Ignatius, Zephyr, and I - we're meant to help you, to support you on your journey."

She's quiet for a moment, processing this. "It's a lot," she says finally. "Sometimes I feel like I'm drowning in all of this - the magick, the expectations, these feelings."

I pull her close again, resting my chin on top of her head. "I know," I murmur. "But you're not alone, Adelaide. I'm here for you."

We stay like that for a long time, the warmth of our embrace keeping the chill of the night at bay. I can feel Adelaide relaxing against me, her earlier distress fading into a calm contentment that resonates through our bond.

"Zaiah," she says after a while, her voice soft and sleepy. "Will you stay?"

"Of course," I say, shifting us so we're lying down on her bed, Adelaide curled against my side. "I'll stay as long as you need me."

Adelaide drifts off to sleep as dawn breaks. I lie awake, marvelling at the turn my life has taken. I've never allowed myself to form any deep connections. But now, with Adelaide, I feel anchored. As if I've finally found a place - a being - who will look after my carefully guarded essence.

Adelaide's growing powers will bring challenges and dangers I can't yet foresee. The bond between us - between all of us - will be tested in ways we can't imagine. But as I lie here, holding this remarkable creature in my arms, I'm filled with a sense of hope and purpose I haven't felt before.

As Adelaide sleeps peacefully beside me, I gaze out the window at the lightening sky. The first rays of dawn are starting to peek over the horizon, painting the clouds in soft pinks and golds. It's a beautiful sight, but my mind is elsewhere.

Her powers are growing rapidly. The Essence of Awakening has accelerated her development, which is what I wanted, but that was before I knew who she really was. But I can sense that thing looming. Danger.

I don't know how, when or in what form, but I know I will protect Adelaide with my last breath if I have to. This bond is growing more intense the longer I lie with her here, and I know soon, I won't be able to be without her nearby.