Hi, all! Sorry about the radio silence over the past few weeks. On the other hand, I got 3rd place in the White Wolves Awards! Yay!

*****

26/07, 20th Year of the Rebellion

Government Territory

They handed the horses over to a stablehand and strolled up the well-used path towards the gates of the city. The Wall towered above them, some fifty metres high and pulsing with a scarlet energy. Legend had it that the Wall changed colour according to Lillith's mood.

Red. Promising.

There were walls around the entire Eastern continent, but this was what New Hazandria was famous for. An enormous structure that locked out any life it deemed unfit. Any human that attempted to cross into the City fell where they stood.

Felicity was very glad she'd moved.

They hurried through the gates and past the stoic (and unnecessary) guards. Squee stopped to have a chat, and Felicity dragged her along. A couple of quaint, winding city streets later, they had reached the Academy.

The fortress that held the Academy had stood for a thousand years. It, along with the rest of the City, had been built when New Hazandria had taken over the East and changed everyone's way of life. They'd even invented a new language to replace Hazandrian. The new term for fíth was 'magical folk', but nobody used it. It had apparently been very fashionable for a few years after the war, until everybody reverted back out of habit.

Since then, Hazandria had been relatively peaceful, apart from a few minor skirmishes that had caused the timeline that everything was measured by to be reset.

Until now.

Felicity strode into the familiar foyer, Squee trotting behind her to keep up on her shorter legs.

She nodded to the secretary and continued up the stairs to the headmistress' office. She'd walked these halls countless times; they were as familiar to her as Coal Manor.

But for some reason, today felt final. Like everything was going to change. She shrugged it off and let herself into the office — she had given up respecting Lillith a long time ago.

"You wished to see us, Headmistress?" Her usual line felt strange with a change of pronoun.

Headmistress Lillith looked up and smiled sweetly. "Yes. Miss Coal, Miss Oglesbee, I have an errand for you."

*****

25/07, 1st Year of the Rebellion

Government Territory

Felicity cracked open one eye and raised her hand to her temple. Had she and Liam gotten into the champagne stores again?

Then it all came rushing back.

She shot up in bed — how did I get here? — just as a knock sounded on the door. She groaned, pulled herself to her feet and stumbled over. Opening the door a sliver, she peered out, squinting in the blinding sunlight.

"Morning, Sunshine." It was Rand, a wiry student with the appearance and maturity of a fifteen-year-old, though Felicity knew he was at least a century older than her. "Heard you brought down the house last night."

He grinned and she made a face.

"Anyway, the headmistress has requested that I escort you to her office immediately."

She groaned and joined him reluctantly in the hall, rubbing the tender lump on the back of her head gingerly. Honestly, two hundred students in the room, a good few with anesthetic powers, and she still ended up with a bump the size of an egg.

As they strolled down annoyingly bright corridors, an awkward silence fell. Felicity decided to venture where few dared to go: small talk.

"So, uh, how's loverboy?"

Rand's face lit up. He and his beau, Thomas, were viewed by everyone with nothing better to do than gossip as the cutest couple in these parts of Hazandria, a fact that often invoked jealousy in the hearts of hopeless romantics such as Felicity.

"He's gone to visit his parents in the South – I don't know what to do with myself. He can't handle all of this drama..."

He trailed off uncertainly, seeming to realise what he'd said. For all his healing powers, he seemed to have the tact of a doorknob. She studied her fluffy pink slippers intently.

After what seemed like hours of uncomfortable quietude broken only by the soft thud of feet on carpet, Felicity had mustered up the courage to say what was really on her mind. She swallowed.

"Tobias Finn?"

Rand's mischevious eyes became suddenly serious. He shook his head. She looked away to hide tears that were forming rapidly. Another swallow.

"Liam?"

Silence.

Her stomach dropped. A lump formed at the base of her throat, restricting her ability to breath. Her ears began to ring; she was no longer aware of her feet moving along the hallway. Her mind cleared, leaving only one thought running through her head: I can't do this. She couldn't break down like this in front of the one person at this school that still respected her. She couldn't stay at a place that had taken everything from her.

I can't go on without him.

A soft tap on her shoulder brought her crashing back to reality. Her eyes darted up to Rand, who had a sympathetic look fixed on his face. A quick glance around told her that they had reached the Head's quarters. She fought to steady her quivering knees. Lashing rain could be heard, even at the centre of the Academy.

"I - I'm really sorry, Felicity."

She nodded quickly and turned away. He got the message, and she registered his footsteps receding down the corridor. Staring at the magnificent mahogany door in front of her, she wondered how she would ever find her way through the gaping hole that had appeared inside her.

Then anger filled it.

Anger at him, for rushing into danger. Anger at herself, for not realising what she had until it was too late. But mostly white-hot rage at the person on the other side of this door.

She knocked sharply and let herself in.

"You wished to see me, Headmistress?" The words sounded flat and strange to Felicity's ears. She hid her shaking hands behind her back.

Lillith was standing beside the single window, looking out at the rain. Running footsteps and shrieks sounded from the courtyard below. At first Felcity was confused. Then she realised that the rain was steaming – so hot that it was evaporating before it hit the ground.

That's new.

The Headmistress turned and smiled at her.

"You know, darling, you're going to have to learn to control those emotions of yours."

Felicity stared stonily at her, and the smile fell from her face.

"No need to sit, this will be quick. I'm sure you already know that your behaviour last night was inexcusable. Now, I could give you the same fate as your friend, but I have decided that you are simply too valuable to lose."

Your friend. Felicity wondered if they had stricken Liam's name off the school records yet. The Headmistress continued with a self-satisfied smirk.

"A new extra-curricular programme is coming into effect that will give students the opportunity to aid in quelling the Rebellion. I'm sure you will be very eager to lead these efforts. If not," she continued, no doubt noticing the sudden spike in the temperature, "I suppose I can pay a visit to Coal Manor. I have also noticed that you get along well with Connor Rand. Well, to put it nicely, we have plenty of healers at this school. He's not quite as indisposable as you."

Her nails dug into her raw palms as Felicity clenched her fists behind her back, but she nodded stiffly nonetheless. "It would be... an honour."

Headmistress Lillith's bottomless onyx eyes crinkled cheerfully. "Good, good. Also, one more thing," she added just as Felicity was turning to leave. "I'm sure you understand that your emotions, tied to your power, are just too volatile at a facility such as this. I can't afford to put the students at risk. With that in mind, I've arranged accommodation for you outside the city. You have an hour to pack."

Felicity felt the corner of her mouth lift ever so slightly.

I needed a break, anyway.

*****

"My sources have informed me of a new leader in the West. I need you to get rid of her for me."

Felicity, used to playing the part of dedicated soldier, nodded and waited for more information. Squee, on the other hand, had gone whiter than usual.

"Eastern intelligence was not clear on the name, but I have reason to believe that she travels with three massive hounds. This errand is vitally important to New Hazandria's cause. Take as long as you need."

Felicity smiled coolly.

"We'll be gone by tomorrow."