MORE THAN CAPABLE | Riven

8

Chapter Eight
A Great Secret Revealed

Luella walked slowly to match the pace of her dad as he trudged with his walking stick, her hands stuffed in her pockets as they made their way to the greenhouse at the back of the school.

Silva didn't seem to show much hurt when teaching or was trying his best not to, but Luella knew it stung much more than what he showed in public.

Of course, she had heard from her brother and dad about the stories and read a few books about the Burned Ones. She also knew that her dad had already come across one before, when he was young, but hadn't gotten hurt. Instead, Luella's grandfather did. Silva avoided the topic most of the time.

"How bad does it hurt?" Luella asked, looking over at him as they continued to walk around the college building, avoiding the rest of the students.

It took a moment for him to look over at her but he did. "You need to stop worrying about me," he declared in a lower voice than usual.

Luella took her hands out of her pocket and crossed them other, eyeing the doodle she marked on her hand. "You don't get it, dad, do you?" Luella stated. She had stayed silent throughout the week after Saul scolded her, but she was still there next to him because she couldn't possibly let him be alone in pain like she had been. "I can't. You were there for me when I needed it and now I'm here for you, all of your fuss and fluff isn't going to stop me so you may as well suck it up," Luella spilt tiresomely.

They arrived in front of the greenhouse and took a seat on one of the steps, Luella helping her dad as he placed the walking stick to the side. The greenhouse had sandy-coloured stone walls with a glass roof which let the plants inside absorb their need for sunlight.

"The Battalion have tracked it, they'll engage it soon and kill it. I have every confidence they will complete the mission," Silva replied in a sore voice.

Luella nodded a few times, Looking anywhere else hoping tears would've to stride out. "I'm sure they will, dad," she muttered quietly. "But will they do it before it kills you? That's my question."

Silva stood up steadily, without her help, groaning in pain. He faced her as she stood up slowly too.

"I've spoken to my seconds about your future, Luella. They know what I want," he spoke, looking down. "But there's something else we need to talk about."

"What?" Luella questioned.

"What happened over a year ago," Silva started.

Luella bit the inside of her cheek and this time was the one to look down. He was talking about when her fire powers turned to ice. When one day, she wasn't able to do anything.

She remembered that day, she had woken up with a sunken empty feeling gaping in her chest. Like those rare ones they described in books when something was wrong: the calm before the storm. And by the time she made it down the hallway, she had collapsed.

Doctors and specialists well-known in the area of magic and health couldn't even explain it.

She spent all day and night in her room, blithering cold. Luella thought she overused her fire powers even if sounded ridiculous, but others started suspecting more than that.

"What is it?" She asked again after he paused.

"Headmistress Dowling and I were looking over the students and records and it — Luella, there isn't another ice fairy in existence."