Onyx Magical Academy (GXG)

Chapter Four

After our conversation, Sir Cedric nodded, his expression a mix of determination and reassurance. "I will wait outside while you rest. The Duke will be here shortly." With that, he stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him.

I leaned back against the plush pillows, my mind still racing. The weight of my new reality felt suffocating, but there was no time to dwell on it. As I closed my eyes, however, a sudden wave of pain shot through my head, like a bolt of lightning striking my thoughts.

I gasped, gripping the sides of the bed as memories surged all of a sudden. Visions of a small, humble cottage surrounded by lush greenery filled my mind. I could see myself as a child, running through a garden filled with herbs, the air fragrant with their scents. My mother, a kind and gentle herbalist, tended to the plants with loving care, her laughter ringing out like music.

But then the images shifted, darkening. My mother, frail and pale, lay in bed, a worried expression on her face. I watched her write feverishly, her hand trembling as she formed the letters of a desperate plea. "To the Duke..." she murmured, her voice barely a whisper. I could feel her fear and the weight of her illness pressing down on her, knowing she was reaching out to a man I had never known.

The Duke. My father. The thought hit me like a tidal wave, overwhelming and terrifying. He had hidden me away, a secret child born of a forbidden love. My heart raced as I struggled to grasp the implications. How could he have left me in the shadows?

Suddenly, the memory shifted again. A dark figure appeared at the door of our cottage—Sir Garrick. He was there on the Duke's orders, providing assistance to my ailing mother and me. I could see him kneeling by her side, his voice steady and calming as he assured us that help had come. "The Duke is concerned for your well-being," he had said, sincerity piercing through the chaos of my childhood memories.

But despite his help, my mother succumbed to her illness, leaving me orphaned and alone at just eight years old. I remembered the pain of loss, the emptiness that settled over me like a thick fog. Sir Garrick had been there to witness it all, to see my world crumble.

Sir Garrick had accepted the Duke's request to care for me. He took me in, not only as a guardian but as a mentor, training me to defend myself. "You must be able to stand on your own, for I may not always be there," he would tell me during our practice sessions, his determination evident.

But then the images shifted, I found myself taller and on a mountain, gathering herbs, when I was suddenly surrounded by a group of men—fifty strong, menacing figures closing in on me. My heart raced with fear as I realized their intent.

I fought against them, but as an eleven-year-old girl, I was no match for their size and strength. I struggled and kicked, desperation fueling my resistance, but they easily overpowered me. Just when I thought all hope was lost, a familiar figure burst onto the scene—Sir Garrick.

He fought with a ferocity that filled me with both relief and awe. I remembered the way he moved, swift and powerful, as he dispatched the bandits one by one. My heart soared at the sight of him, but I was already on the brink of unconsciousness from fear and exhaustion.

As he scooped me into his arms, I could feel my strength fading. "Hold on, Flynn!" he shouted, his voice filled with urgency. "I'll get you to safety." He ran towards the nearest town, shouting for help as he carried me, his voice echoing through the trees.

In that moment, I realized that was the voice I had heard before I was reincarnated, calling out through the darkness, pulling me back to life.

The memory blurred, and I gasped for air, the weight of realization settling heavily in my chest. Sir Garrick had saved me then, just as he had promised. I remembered his strength and courage, and I felt a swell of gratitude mixed with worry. How was he now? Had he been injured during the fight? The thought gnawed at me. He had risked everything to save me, and I needed to know he was okay.

What they didn't know was that Sir Garrick regularly updated the Duke about my well-being, secretly ensuring that I was safe and cared for. For three years, we lived under the veil of secrecy, my existence a guarded secret, cherished by Sir Garrick and my father.

Just as the flood of memories receded, a knock at the door jolted me back to the present. My heart raced as I tried to compose myself. I could hear Sir Cedric's voice outside, speaking softly to someone. The Duke was here.

Taking a deep breath, I wiped the remnants of my turmoil from my face. I needed to prepare for this encounter. The Duke—my father—was about to step into my life, and I had questions that demanded answers.

The door opened, and Sir Cedric entered, followed by a tall figure cloaked in elegance and authority. The Duke. My pulse quickened as I met his gaze—dark and intense, filled with a mix of surprise and recognition.

"Flynn," he said, his voice rich and warm. "I've come to see you."

As I stood there, caught between disbelief and a strange sense of belonging, I felt an overwhelming swell of emotions. Having grown up without any family in my past life, the idea of blood kin standing before me felt surreal. The sudden memories of my mother and the love we shared flooded my heart, mixing with the uncertainty of my new reality.

"Is this really my family?" I thought, feeling both a connection and a painful ache for the life I had lost.

But beneath that swirl of emotion, my concern for Garrick remained. "Is he okay? Did he get hurt saving me?" I wanted to ask, but the words caught in my throat. I realized that this was only the beginning. My life was about to change, and I was ready to uncover the truth hidden within the shadows. But I couldn't shake the feeling that danger lurked just beyond the threshold of my new reality, and I needed to know that Garrick was safe.