𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐌𝐀 • 𝐬.𝐬

Chapter 1

ANYA WALKED THROUGH THE
grounds after she had taught a lesson, stumbling across the specialists training.

She watched as they fought each other, remembering when she would do that. Even though she was a fairy, she had trained with the specialists as well.

She leaned against a fence, watching as Saul ordered everyone around, "Find your skill, hone your skills," he explained.

She walked towards him and he smiled at her, "And eventually, all of you, can fight like her," he said, throwing Anya the blade.

She looked at him in suprise before blocking his attack, but as he kept throwing hits, she held her hands out and knocked out his vision with shadows before taking it away, watching as he narrowed his eyes at her.

"She fights even better with a bit of advance warning," Anya said, glaring at him.

Under Rosalinds regime she had trained with the specialists. According to Rosalind, her darkness magic was useless so she was forced to train with the boys.

That was during a much more ruthless time in the fairy past when Rosalind would train them till they would bleed.

"She did alright, favoured her magic over skills but what else is new?" He said jokingly.

"You specialists and your prejudice," Anya said, throwing the sword back to Silva which he caught.

"You fairies and your magic," he replied with the same amount of sarcasm and the subtle hint of flirting.

"Now this man is my best student," Saul said, gesturing go Sky as he walked over, "His father was Andreas of Eraklyon,"

Anya froze at the mention of Andreas' name. They had been friends once, more then friends for a bit and then strangers.

He had ruined her in every way possible and destroyed the person she was. But he was Sky's dad so she had to pretend when he was around.

"That made him a legacy admission but he still showed up and did the work," she explained, smiling at Sky.

He cared about the two of them. They had raised him and taught him to be the best specialist here and he was grateful for that.

"I expect nothing less from the rest of you," he explained and Anya watched as he gave the kids a pep talk about things like the burned ones and fighting in wars.

All of a sudden, one of the students started to snicker and Saul pointed a blade at him, "Is that funny?" He asked.

"It's just that you're talking about preparing for the future in a castle with kids using swords and a fairy who you flirt with at every chance," The kid, Dane, said.

Saul clenched his jaw, approaching Dane, "Must be nice to live in a world where you can be so soft, where you fear so little, disrespect seems an option," he explained.

Anya watched as he approached the kid. Saul could handle insults towards him but he never let anyone disrespect Anya, not even when they went to Alfea together.

"Do you know why the barrier exists?" Saul asked and Anya watched as the kid nodded.

"To protect the school from the Burned Ones," he stated, not breaking eye contact with Saul; mainly out of fear.

"Have you ever seen a Burned One?" Saul asked and the kid shook his head, "Do you think you would know what to do?"

Saul shook his head as he knew the kids answer, looking at the boy and all of the other students.

"I was ten when I first saw one, I was gathering firewood with my father when we heard it, like a rasp" he explained.

Anyas heart broke as he told the story again, no matter how many times she heard it, it was never any different.

"My father shot it twice, once in its chest and once in its head," he explained.

Saul mimicked it with the boy from earlier, hovering his fingers over his chest and head to insinuate the gunshots.

"Burned Ones have inhuman strength and strength and if they cut you, the infection that follows is swift and severe," he explained, "I watched the light dim from my father's eyes,"

The boy looked frightened but it was obvious that he was trying to hide his fear under a tough demeanor.

"And when he dropped his shotgun, I knew what I had to do. But if you ever meet one, pray that it kills you so the ones you love will not have to," Saul explained, looking back at Anya who was still leaning against the fence.

☆☆☆

AFTER THE LESSON, THE TWO walked through the grounds inbetween their lessons.

"You think I was too tough on that kid earlier?" He questioned, wrapping his arm round her shoulder as they stood at the waters edge.

"No, he needs to learn about Burned Ones and if that's the harsh way, so be it," she said, looking up at him.

She had always been in love with her best friend and her feelings were growing every day. She had never wanted to tell him in fear of ruining their friendship, especially when they were helping raise Sky.

It was silent for a while, both of them just staring out into the river.

"Are Sky and Stella back together?" Anya asked, breaking the silence.

Saul shrugged his shoulders, "I have no clue at this point," he said with a chuckle.

To them, Sky was a son. They'd raised him since his father had died and they loved him like a son.

They protected him from the truth. The truth about his father's death and everything else in his life.

She lay her head on his shoulder, watching as he lay his head ontop of hers, the two standing in peace.

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