Chapter 1 Arya

Moonlight glinted off razor-sharp fangs as a vampire materialized from the darkness of the alley and dove at me.

I swerved to the right, dodging his attempted bite. Gripping the dagger in my hand, I rammed it at the vampire's back, aiming for his heart. But the vampire was ten times faster than I was and escaped out of sight before my blade could even get close.

I stumbled sideways, rushing to stabilize my footing so I could look around for my attacker. By the time I had squared my stance, the vampire had once again cloaked itself in shadow. I hated that trick. That was why the vampire leader Hadrian and his followers had been able to surround me and my friends the other night.

Tobias's battered body flashed in my mind, and suddenly, the memory of that attack consumed me. The look on Hadrian's face as he appraised me from the sidelines while his gang assaulted my friends—the blast of the cannon that had shot Tobias down. The heat of Ashlyn's flames that ultimately saved us. The feel of Tobias's lips on mine when he kissed me.. .

Reality hit me like a freight train as my assailant dove at me from behind, knocking the wind out of me as we both toppled to the ground. I rolled over as I coughed for breath, scrambling to get hold of the dagger once more to pierce the heart of the vampire that was now on top of me.

Again, I wasn't fast enough, and the vampire clutched my neck and wrenched me off the alley floor, pinning me against the brick wall with my feet dangling.

Just like my first run in a simulation. I really hated this fucking scenario.

"Dear old Daddy won't mind if I take a bite," he hissed, then opened his mouth wide to plunge his teeth into my neck.

I screamed, then the vampire and the alley disappeared, and I fell like a ragdoll to the bright white floor of the Simulation Room.

The only door in the room opened, and Caesar walked in, offering his large hand. "What happened? You were doing so well, and then you just froze."

I took his hand and pulled myself up, gritting my teeth. "I just...got distracted."

A knowing look softened Caesar's stern countenance. "Thinking about Tobias again?"

I gave a solemn nod. "I never stopped. And this sim isn't helping. You designed it too similar to the alley we were in that night. It brings me back to it every time. Why can't I fight a vampire in the desert or something?"

"Because we don't live in the desert," Caesar answered. "We live in the city. Chances are if you're attacked again, it will be in an alley just like before. You need to be ready."

I sighed and nodded again .

Caesar gave me a long look. "Let's call it a night. We've been at this all afternoon, and I think you've earned a break. A transition, rather. Get yourself cleaned up and report to the infirmary. Now that we know you're also part harpy, we need to begin your training in that area as well. Ms. Heather is waiting to give you your first lesson."

Exhaustion caught up to me, making my bones feel heavy. When he'd said we should stop, I hoped that I could crash in my new bed in the avian wing. But no, just more training of a different kind.

"And you'll be able to check on Tobias as well," he added.

My ears perked at that. Damn Caesar, he knew exactly how to turn more work into its own reward. As tired as I was, I would do whatever was needed if it meant I could see Tobias.

After a quick shower in the locker room, I rushed over to the infirmary. It felt odd to approach the door and find the hallway surrounding it empty. So many times I'd tried to come here to see Letti and the area had been swarming with mermaids who wouldn't let me pass.

My archenemy, Cora, had been convinced—and tried to convince everyone else—that I'd somehow been behind the vampire attack on Letti. Even after Letti woke up a few days ago and told everyone the truth, Cora's hatred for me was still blatant. In her eyes, though I hadn't consciously directed the attack, Letti getting hurt was still my fault because the vampires had been after me when they happened upon Letti.

Thank fuck I was no longer staying in the mer wing. When Cora had kicked me out after Letti had first been assaulted, I'd run broken-hearted to Ashlyn. She'd welcomed me with open arms and shared her room in the avian wing, but after I was discovered to be a harpy, I was given my own room a few doors down from Ashlyn.

Getting to talk with Ashlyn late into the night and even falling asleep in the same bed occasionally was amazing! Growing up, I never had close friends, and I had never been to a sleepover. That went against one of my mom's three rules: No going out after dark.

Those rules never made sense to me. I had thought Mom was just overly paranoid. But the events of the last few weeks proved they had a very good reason: the most dangerous vampire in the world was after me, and he would stop at nothing to get his hands on me.

I blinked away my troubling thoughts and opened the door to the infirmary.

Maya Heather, the school's lead harpy instructor and expert healer, was sitting in a chair beside the hospital bed on which Tobias lay sleeping. It was rumored that angel sightings throughout history were truly harpies. Looking at Ms. Heather now, I could believe it.

She had frizzy, pale blonde hair that seemed to absorb any light that touched it, giving the illusion of a glow around her head. Her heart-shaped face was softly pretty, with petite features surrounding eyes the color of a clear blue sky, even if they were hidden behind a pair of librarian-style glasses. Everything about her was welcoming and peaceful. I was very grateful that Tobias was in her care.

"Hello, Arya," Ms. Heather welcomed, fluttering her dainty hands in a come-hither gesture. "Come."

I walked forward, my eyes practically glued to Tobias the whole time. Ms. Heather patted the seat on the chair next to hers, and I sat as instructed.

"I'll bet you were quite surprised to learn that you are also a harpy," she said in her soft voice.

I nodded. "Yes. But then again, I was surprised to learn that I'm a mermaid. Surprises keep happening. I've just learned to accept them as a part of my life, I guess." I shrugged .

Ms. Heather smiled. "You are very wise for your years."

I didn't agree with that one bit.

"What do you know of harpies?" Ms. Heather asked.

"Well, I know that—er, we—can harness light and use it for several purposes, one of them being to heal." I didn't know if there was more I should know, but at that moment, that was all I could come up with.

She nodded, apparently finding my response adequate. "The other day, you harnessed light to use it as a weapon. Am I correct in assuming this was your first time accessing the power of light?"

I gave a sheepish nod in reply.

"Using light as a weapon is a next level harpy skill," Ms. Heather said. "I'm quite impressed that you were able to do it on your very first try. Healing is the skill that comes most easily to harpies, so I would like for us to practice that."

"Okay," I said, her voice wavering. I already knew where this was going, and I was afraid to fail at this like I had at being a mermaid.

"Your friend, Tobias, looks bad, but he's much better off than when he was brought in three days ago. The lead pellets embedded in his skin prevented his body from healing naturally, and it was quite a difficult task to remove them without further damaging his internal organs. His fractured ribs have been mended, and all his puncture wounds have been sealed. The only damage he still retains is bruising to his kidney."

Everything Ms. Heather said turned my stomach. I knew that Tobias had been in bad condition after the attack, but I didn't know just how bad. It was all my fault. I was a weak, no-talent mermaid who needed protection, and I was determined to change that .

"Would you like to help me heal his kidneys?" She looked at me with only kindness, as if this exercise were not an obligation but an invitation to which I could object.

But how could I? Tobias was only here because of me, and I would do anything I could to help him, to make it up to him.

"Yes," I said, my mouth dry. "But...how do I do that? I don't know anything about healing. How do you heal something you can't see?"

"I'll walk you through it," Ms. Heather said with a warm smile. "And as for your other concern, we'll be able to see it perfectly."

She tapped some buttons on the screen of the black tablet on her lap, and a hologram of Tobias's organs lit up in the open air inches above him, parallel to his body.

I gasped as my eyes roamed the red-light diagram of organs. This hologram was live, not just a static image, but current, and with moving parts. I could see his lungs expanding and contracting, his heart pumping with each beat.

I'd never seen technology like this before. I knew that the kitsunes at the school had invented some cool things, but this was beyond anything I could've thought up.

"Do you see here?"

She pointed to the one organ that was a deeper, maroon-ish color, whereas the others were red. I recognized it as a kidney.

"This is the bruising he sustained. If he were to walk out of here with it untended to, he'd still be functioning, but he would be in pain for weeks before it healed fully. And he may suffer long term urinary difficulty, as well as blood clots later in life. This is why we do our best to heal every wound fully, to avoid any and all complications for our patients, whether they be imminent, or in the distant future. "

I swallowed. "So...what do I do?"

"Give me your hand. I'll help you with this first try. We'll do it together."

Obediently, I put my hand into Ms. Heather's, who then placed it over the spot on Tobias's side, above his bruised kidney.

"Now close your eyes and clear your mind," Ms. Heather instructed.

Easier said than done . Still, I closed my eyes and tried to silence my noisy thoughts.

"Take a deep breath in." She inhaled deeply. "And then out." She pushed her breath out.

I followed her example, and surprisingly, I did feel calmer after doing so.

"Now focus only on your feelings toward the one you are hoping to help," Ms. Heather continued. "Focus on the way his pain makes you feel, on your desire to make him whole again."

That wasn't difficult at all. My desire to fix Tobias was constantly at the forefront of my mind. I gave that my full attention, opening myself to it and letting it consume me. Sorrow and yearning washed over me like a rogue wave, and tears sprang, pushing themselves out of my closed eyelids.

A warmth kindled in my palm, mild at first, then growing in potency. When I opened my eyes, I saw a glow emanating between my fingers, radiating over the skin of Tobias's side. My breathing escalated as I realized what I was doing, and my eyes flickered up at the hologram. The bruising was slowly waning .

It was only when the glow beneath my hand faded that I noticed the light of the bedside lamp had dimmed, because it suddenly grew brighter.

We did it! We healed Tobias's kidney!

I knew that it had been mostly Ms. Heather's doing, but still, seeing the magic in action—and knowing that I was partly responsible—felt like an anchor lifting off my shoulders.

Tobias stirred, calling my attention to his face. His complexion, which had previously held a yellowish tint, now retained a healthy golden hue.

"Well done, Arya," Ms. Heather praised, removing her hand from the top of mine. "Tobias's health is now fully restored."

I wanted to jump up and squeal.

"Thank you!" I gushed. "When will he be able to go back to classes?"

She laughed and sat back in her seat. "Tomorrow. We'll let him sleep here overnight, just so we can monitor him and make sure no lead is hiding anywhere in his bloodstream. However, there's something I must tell you."

I held my breath, waiting for the bad news.

She leaned forward. "The truth is, I did nothing here tonight. All I did was hold my hand over yours for comfort. Everything else was you. You healed Tobias completely on your own."

I stifled a snort of disbelief. Ms. Heather had to be saying that just to boost my confidence.

But her crystal blue eyes held my gaze for a long moment, instilling the truth of her statement. I got the deep sense that this woman was no liar.

Which meant that I really had healed Tobias. All by myself .

A burst of joy exploded like a firecracker in my chest, and I threw my arms around the petite harpy teacher, surprising both of us.

"Thank you," I whispered.

Ms. Heather returned the embrace. "For what, dear?"

"For giving me the chance to fix what I did," I wept.

"What you did?" Ms. Heather pulled away from me, holding my shoulders. "You were not at fault for what happened to him."

"Yes, I was," I argued. "The vampires were looking for me. Tobias wouldn't have gotten hurt if it wasn't for me."

She gave me a sad frown, shaking her head. "Guilt is a useless emotion. It keeps us from seeing the truth, and from seeing potential solutions to problems around us. The attack on you and your friends was beyond your control. You can choose to feel about it however you wish, but allowing self-blame to darken you will only bring you down and hinder your potential."

She gently cupped my chin with her thumb and forefinger. "Don't sink into that pit. Rise above it and do what you can to make things better."

Her words hit me right in the gut. She was right. If I allowed my guilt to weigh on me, I'd never accomplish anything. I needed to stop focusing on the negatives and change my perspective. I needed to make sure no one ever got hurt again because of me. And exploring this new part of myself was how to do it.

Suddenly, something occurred to me, flooding adrenaline into my veins. This wasn't the first time I had healed someone. The night Tobias was attacked, he'd had a scratch on his face, and it disappeared under my hand. I'd thought I was just seeing things, distraught over Tobias's condition. But it must have been real. I'd healed him—twice now—and I was going to make sure to always be there to save him, not the other way around.

"When can we start combat training?" I asked, suddenly invigorated.

Ms. Heather smiled. "Tomorrow. After Defense class. Now go to bed. Get some rest. You've earned it."

With new excitement, I left the infirmary and headed to the avian wing. This was the beginning of something promising.

This was the beginning of hope.