Vanessa has spent her life believing she was abandoned, shuffling between neglectful foster homes and haunted by strange nightmares. When her suppressed magic resurfaces, she is thrust into the mysterious world of Alfea, a school for fairies. There...
The days following the Frosted Peaks mission were a blur of tension and unease. Vanessa felt the strain of the fragile truce she and Bloom had formed, each conversation a minefield of unresolved anger and unspoken fears. The bond thrummed faintly with Alexander and Sky's quiet support, but even their presence couldn't fully ease the weight pressing on her chest.
Vanessa sat with her soulmates in the common room, her locket glowing faintly as she traced the shard she had kept since the ruins. Its energy was erratic, pulsing with a quiet urgency that mirrored her own unease.
"Something's happening," Vanessa said, her voice low. "The veil is more unstable than ever."
Alexander's green eyes darkened as he leaned forward. "You think Rosalind is behind it?"
Vanessa nodded, her chest tightening. "She has to be. The breaches are too coordinated to be a coincidence."
Sky frowned, his usual grin replaced by a rare seriousness. "Then we need to stop her before it's too late."
The bond buzzed faintly, their shared determination grounding Vanessa. But deep down, she couldn't shake the feeling that time was running out.
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Vanessa found Bloom in the training hall later that afternoon, her fiery red hair catching the light as she practiced her spells. The flames in her hands burned brightly, their heat radiating through the air as she focused intently on controlling their shape.
"Bloom," Vanessa called, her voice steady.
Bloom turned, her fiery gaze narrowing. "What do you want?"
"We need to talk," Vanessa said, stepping closer. "About Rosalind."
Bloom's fiery temper flared, the flames in her hands sparking erratically. "I already told you, Vanessa. She's helping me."
"She's manipulating you," Vanessa said, her voice rising. "You don't see it, but she's using you to get what she wants."
Bloom's fiery magic flared brighter, her hands clenching into fists. "You don't know her like I do. She's been honest with me, Vanessa. More honest than you've ever been."
Vanessa recoiled as if struck, her chest tightening. "Bloom, that's not fair. I've done everything I can to protect you."
"I don't need your protection," Bloom snapped, her voice sharp. "I need you to stop trying to control me."
"I'm not trying to control you," Vanessa said, her voice trembling. "I'm trying to save you."
"I don't need saving," Bloom said coldly, her fiery gaze hardening. "And I don't need you."
Vanessa's breath caught, the bond buzzing sharply with Alexander and Sky's alarm. For a moment, she didn't know what to say. Then she turned and walked away, her chest heavy with the weight of Bloom's words.
