Syndra Sage

5. A Stranger

5. A Stranger

Nyla's red brows furrowed in confusion as she faced Syndra in the quaint library, the air thick with unspoken tension.

Nyla leaned forward, her voice low. "You're still fixated on that dream, aren't you? It was just that—a dream."

Syndra's eyes flashed with intensity. "No, Nyla, I could feel everything—the hands trying to drown me, the atmosphere's morbidness. It was way too vivid to be just my imagination."

"Vivid dreams can feel real, especially when you're stressed," She replied, trying to keep her tone steady. "But you can't let it cloud your judgment."

Syndra shook her head, frustration evident in her clenched fists. "You don't understand! In the dream, I saw someone who was trying to warn me about something. It felt like a message." Syndra left out the part that had taken her some time to digest, she remembered the urgency she had felt to get to the winged creature. Like if she didn't get to them nothing else would matter.

"Messages from dreams? Come on. You know how unreliable our minds can be." Nyla tried to sound reassuring, but doubt crept into her own voice.

"Unreliable or not, I can't shake the feeling that there's more to it. What if it was a sign?" Syndra's gaze was piercing, challenging Nyla to see her perspective.

"A sign? That's a reach." Nyla crossed her arms, she was always logical. "You can't base your decisions on dreams."

"Maybe I should! Maybe I need to start trusting my instincts, even if they come from my subconscious." Syndra's voice wavered, a mix of defiance and vulnerability.

Nyla sighed, glancing at the table. "Syndra your birthday is just a few days away you're probably just nervous and excited."

Syndra shrugged, trying to convince herself that she was merely overanalyzing her dream. Yet, a sense of unease lingered, as if something bad was about to happen.

Nyla let out a deep breath, her expression softening. "Look, I have to go. My travel spell is wearing off. Just promise me you'll be careful. It's easy to get lost in what we want to believe."

Syndra nodded, managing a smile. "Thank you for coming here. I know how your parents feel about the mortal realm."

"It's nothing. You're my best friend. Besides..." Nyla's voice brightened as she glanced around the nearly empty library. "It's kind of nice to see what life is like here."

But as she spoke, her beautiful red hair began to fade, her form growing increasingly transparent. She waved at Syndra, her eyes sparkling with a mix of sadness and excitement. "I can't wait to see you in Riddan." In an instant, Nyla vanished, leaving Syndra alone, consumed by her thoughts.

Today marked the end of her internship, and her birthday was just five days away. This meant it was her last day in the mortal realm. She had been waiting for her mother to arrive and whisk her away, but as the hours passed, no one came.

Syndra stood, discarding the coffee she had brought for them. She shook her head; Nyla wouldn't have been able to drink it and still enter Riddan. Memories flooded back—like the time two years ago when Nyla accidentally ate some fruit and had to spend a week with her on Earth. They'd had so much fun, even if Nyla's parents had been livid, reporting the "foolishness" to Madame Sage.

A smile lingered on Syndra's lips as she began her walk toward the library's main area. But just as she approached the staircase, a chill brushed against her back, caressing the nape of her neck. The sensation was both new and eerily familiar. She froze, heart racing, as a voice called out from behind her.

"Excuse me," His tone was soft and overpowering.

Syndra turned slowly, placing her hand on the banister.

Something painful stirred within Syndra's heart as her gaze locked with his. Had she seen this man before? She tilted her head, lost in deep contemplation, only to realize several moments later that he had spoken again.

"What?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, feeling foolish for not paying attention.

"You left this at your table." The stranger stood a few feet away, arm extended, offering her a book.

Syndra glanced at the title and recognized it: her philosophy book, checked out earlier in the semester. A Guide to Morals and the Problem of Evil, the cover read. He held it firmly, an expectant look on his face, waiting for her to take it. A smirk tugged at his lips, his brow arching almost in a dare, challenging her to come closer.

"Oh... thanks." She stepped forward, reaching for the book. As her fingers brushed the cover, and accidentally grazed the stranger's hand, a foreign, electrifying current jolted through her body.

Startled, Syndra quickly stepped back, clutching the book as if it were a shield. His deep blue eyes studied her, and she felt an overwhelming urge to learn everything about him, yet a strong instinct to run remained. There was something dangerously intense in his gaze, a charm that masked an underlying intention. Was it good or bad?

Syndra forced a polite smile and hurried down the stairs, glancing back only once. The man didn't follow her, his silhouette was illuminated in front of the rows of books, his presence lingered in her mind, commanding and magnetic.

"I'm returning this," she said in a low voice as she approached the checkout desk.

A smiling library aide took the philosophy book from her, scanning it with ease. "Anything else, dear?"

"No, thank you." Syndra glanced up at the second-story level of the library, her heart racing as shadows flickered in the dim light. Something felt off, and she couldn't shake the feeling that she'd see that stranger again.