Avia Academy

🌊Chapter Two: Orpheus and Opportunity

They don't often discuss the events of that rain-soaked afternoon. Partly because its so hard for Claire to remember clearly. She doesn't remember how long she spent on that rainy bridge, screaming until her throat was raw for someone-anyone-to rescue her little brother. Because she knew, she knew she couldn't do it herself.

It had been an act of the Gods, surely, that kept Nathan from been swept completely out of sight. Instead he'd only been washed to the far end of the canal, where his little body was slammed over and over against the metal grate that kept debris from washing into the main part of the canal.

Claire couldn't leave the alley for help, out of fear that he'd be gone when she returned. She had to stay, keeping her eyes locked only on him. But she still screamed. And then, she reached.

It was a struggle to calm her frantic heart, slow her ragged breaths. But if she didn't, a connection to the water would be out of the question. Just like when she'd failed her audition. She had to be calm.

Swallowing the rusty taste of blood that coated her throat, Claire sat on her knees on the bridge and reached both shaking arms towards her brother's rag-doll body-specifically, the water surrounding him. The canal was even more defiant than the dish on the auditorium stage, and it was a great deal more water.

But somehow, she did it.

She lifted the water beneath Nathan, raising his body along with it. She couldn't see if he was breathing, she wasn't sure if this was a rescue or a recovery-but no, Claire ignored those thoughts. She had to. If she let self-doubt take over, the connection would be lost and so would Nathan.

Claire wasn't sure how much time had passed. And while she'd managed to lift Nathan, moving him was another beast entirely. Bubbles like the ones she'd practiced with in the pool at home were one thing, but this was the weight of a person combined with the weight of the water.

Claire was weak. She was weak, and she could feel her grip fading. Tears slipped upward from her eyes, floating like tiny moons around her dark hair.

Not again, was all she could think. Please, don't take another brother.

"I've got you," an unfamiliar male voice called from the opening to the alley. Suddenly the weight was halved. "Don't worry, I've got him. Just help me move him this way."

Claire nodded and pushed Nathan through the air towards the unfamiliar boy.

He looked to be about her age, maybe older? His pretty face was contorted in concentration, but his blonde hair and Avia uniform were pristine. His vibrant blue eyes flicked to hers for a moment. He nodded. "Release."

Claire cut her tenuous connection to the water and gasped in a breath.

The boy caught Nathan's limp body and laid him gently on the ground. He hovered his hand over Nathan's chest and slowly moved upwards to his mouth, where he pulled a thick snake of water from Nathan's lips. "He should be alright now."

Claire scrambled to her feet and rushed to her brother's side. She pulled Nathan into her lap and hugged him close, feeling his heart beat, his lungs expand. His lips were blue, his skin was ice, and he was unconscious, but he was alive. He was alive.

She looked up at the stranger. "Thank you so much."

"I heard your screams from the street, I couldn't just ignore that. I'm glad I got here in time." He smiled. "Professor Donserli should be here soon with police and medics-we didn't know what kind of danger it was, so we thought to play it safe."

Claire was only half listening to what the boy was saying, she was too busy pressing kisses to her brother's sopping curls. She hoped he would wake up soon so she could see his pretty green eyes and apologize for how rude she'd been. If amma hadn't made cake after all, Claire would do it herself as a gift for Nathan.