Nikolai had always been captivated by birds. Their elegant wings, the way they soared effortlessly through the sky-it was a kind of beauty that never ceased to amaze him.
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He often watched them from his window, imagining what i...
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CHAPTER NINE
The two of you were walking down the hall, and you couldn't shake the unease from Nikolai's unusual silence. Normally, he'd be chattering away, teasing or making some offhand remark, but this time was different. His quietness weighed on you, and it made you bite your lip as you stole a glance at him.
"Kolya," you uttered softly, trying to pull him from whatever was occupying his mind. The nickname slipped out naturally, but when he turned toward you, his lips curled into that familiar playful smile.
"Oh! What's with the sudden nickname, dove?" he teased, his tone light and amused, as though he hadn't been silent for the past few minutes.
You rolled your eyes at him, brushing off the teasing. "Pft, talk about that later..." you muttered under your breath. You were too focused on the question that had been gnawing at you since your conversation with Fyodor. "Can I ask you a question first?"
Nikolai's grin softened, but there was a genuine curiosity in his eyes as he tilted his head toward you. "Sure, my delight! What's the matter?" His words were still playful, but his attention was fully on you.
You hesitated for a moment, unsure how he would respond, but eventually, you took a deep breath and asked, "What does Fyodor mean by... I have more potential in my ability?"
The grin on Nikolai's face grew wider, an almost mischievous look flashing across his features. He stepped closer to you, his fingers lightly brushing against your wings. "It means your wings are not only for show!" he exclaimed, his hand trailing along your feathers with a strange kind of reverence. Before you could react, he plucked a feather from your wing with a quick tug.
You flinched at the sudden pull, feeling the slight sting of pain. "Hey!" you gasped, frowning at him.
But Nikolai only smiled wider, holding the feather between his fingers, watching it dance lightly in the air as if it held some hidden power. "You can heal, can't you?" he asked, his voice taking on a softer, almost contemplative tone.
You gave a small nod, still feeling the sting from where he'd plucked the feather. "Only minor injuries," you murmured. Healing was something you had grown used to, but it had always been limited to small cuts or bruises. Nothing significant.
Nikolai's expression shifted, becoming more serious, which was unusual for him. He dangled the feather between his fingers, twirling it idly as he spoke again. "What if I told you... you could control these very feathers?"
His words hung in the air, leaving you momentarily speechless. You blinked, processing what he said, and then you scoffed lightly, shaking your head. "Kolya, of course I can control them. They came from my wings after all."
But Nikolai's smile didn't fade. In fact, it only deepened as he looked at you with something like amusement, mixed with a knowing gleam. "Not like that, dove," he whispered, his voice suddenly laced with something far more serious. "I mean... truly control them."
