Chapter 29: The Flaming Bird
The nuns' panicked cries echoed through the infirmary as Dani leaned over Lili's frail body. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he held the empty vial, its elixir ineffective. Lili’s skin had taken on a grayish pallor, her breathing shallow and labored. The dark curse within her writhed, visible beneath her skin like black veins spreading through her body.
“This isn’t working,” Dani muttered, his voice tense.
“It’s your fault, isn’t it?” Sister Miriam accused, her rosary trembling in her hands. “What did you do to her?”
“I’m trying to save her!” Dani snapped.
But the nuns weren’t convinced. Sister Miriam turned to one of the other nuns. “Summon the guards. This sorcerer will not harm another child under our watch!”
Simon, standing by the door, froze as the words washed over him. At just 12 years old, the weight of the situation was unbearable. He looked between Lili’s suffering form, Dani’s desperate attempts to help, and the nuns' enraged accusations.
“Simon, go to your dormitory,” Sister Miriam ordered sternly.
“But—”
“Now!”
Reluctantly, Simon shuffled out of the room, his heart pounding with fear and confusion. He wanted to believe Dani wasn’t to blame, but the tension in the air made it impossible to think clearly.
---
In the quiet garden outside, a figure stepped forward, unnoticed in the commotion. Kiran, one of the school’s teachers, adjusted her scarf and walked into the infirmary with calm authority. She took one look at Lili and the frenzied scene before her and knew what needed to be done.
“Kiran, this is no place for you!” Sister Miriam barked. “This... sorcerer has put a curse on this child!”
“Or perhaps he’s the only one trying to save her,” Kiran replied evenly. Her sharp gaze flicked to Dani. “What are the ingredients you’re missing?”
Dani blinked, momentarily caught off guard by her calm demeanor. “A blood offering from someone tied to her by love and a rose that doesn’t wilt. Without them, the spell to counter the curse won’t hold.”
“Then we’ll get them,” Kiran said firmly.
“How? There’s no time—”
“Trust me,” she interrupted.
---
In the dormitory, Simon sat on his bed, staring at his hands. His thoughts were a mess of worry and doubt when a soft chirping sound drew his attention. He looked up to see a small bird perched on the window ledge.
It hopped down, a single rose in its beak—a vibrant, unwilting flower. Simon’s breath caught as the bird dropped the rose onto his bed and chirped again, as if urging him to act.
The dormitory door creaked open, and Kiran entered. “Simon,” she said gently, “I need your help.”
“Me? What can I do?”
“Lili needs your blood. Just a little. It’s the only way to save her.”
Simon hesitated, fear flickering in his eyes, but then he thought of his sister’s pale face, the way she’d gasped for air. He nodded. “Okay.”
---
Back in the infirmary, Kiran handed Dani the rose and a small vial containing Simon’s blood. “Here,” she said. “Do what you must.”
Dani worked quickly, combining the ingredients with a spell that caused the mixture to glow with a faint golden light. “I’ve never done this before,” he admitted, “but it has to work.”
“It will,” Kiran said with quiet confidence.
The golden elixir shimmered as Dani prepared the syringe. With steady hands, he injected the mixture directly into Lili’s chest. For a moment, nothing happened.
Then, her body convulsed violently.
Black smoke erupted from her mouth, filling the room with an acrid stench. Lili’s back arched off the bed as her voice twisted into a guttural growl, words spilling from her lips in a language none of them recognized.
“The Flaming Bird will come with justice!” she shrieked, her voice distorted and inhuman.
The room seemed to tremble as the black smoke swirled above her, then dissipated with a final ear-piercing scream. Lili collapsed onto the bed, her chest rising and falling as her breathing steadied.
Everyone was silent, stunned.
“She’s... alive,” Dani whispered.
Lili’s eyes fluttered open, her gaze dazed but clear. “Simon?” she croaked weakly.
Simon rushed to her side, tears streaming down his face. “I’m here!”
---
As the guards arrived, ready to arrest Dani, Sister Miriam held up her hand. “Wait.” She looked between Kiran and Dani, her stern expression softening. “You saved her.”
“It wasn’t just me,” Dani said, nodding toward Kiran.
Kiran, however, stepped back into the shadows. “Let this be a lesson,” she said cryptically. “Magic isn’t always the enemy.”
Before anyone could question her further, she disappeared into the night, leaving behind only the faint scent of roses.
Dani found Kiran in the Saint Falcon dining hall as the day began to settle into evening. The room was alive with chatter and laughter, children bustling about, carrying plates and showing off crayon masterpieces. The chaos seemed worlds away from the tension of the infirmary, and yet, at the center of it all, Kiran sat as serene as a still lake.
She was seated among the teachers, her light green hijab catching the soft glow of the candlelight. Her skin, a warm brown kissed by sunlight, seemed to radiate a quiet strength. She listened intently to the children as they gathered around her, eager to share their drawings and stories.
Dani stopped at the doorway, his breath catching as he watched her. Despite the room’s noise and motion, Kiran’s calm presence created an almost magnetic effect. She smiled as she accepted a crudely drawn picture of a flower, her golden-brown eyes lighting up with warmth. She praised the child softly, her voice just audible over the din.
Dani felt rooted to the spot, as if stepping forward would disrupt a sacred moment. For the first time in a long while, he didn’t know what to say. He wanted to thank her, to express his gratitude not just for saving Lili but for standing beside him when no one else had. Yet all he could do was watch, bewitched by her composure and grace.
As he finally gathered the courage to approach, a guard stepped into his path. “Time to leave, sorcerer,” the guard said gruffly, his tone making it clear that Dani had worn out his welcome.
Dani clenched his jaw but nodded. His gaze flicked back to Kiran, who seemed to sense his presence. Her eyes met his for just a moment, and in that second, the world fell away.
He bowed his head slightly, a silent gesture of appreciation. Her smile was gentle, a fleeting curve of her lips that made his heart race. As she raised her hand in a small, graceful wave, he felt a strange ache settle in his chest.
Then the moment was gone. The guard led him away, and Dani didn’t look back. But the image of Kiran, surrounded by light and calm amidst the chaos, stayed with him long after he’d left Saint Falcon.
