With her father's memory failing and her mother gone, Soraya Thenayu enrolls in distant Darkwood Academy and immediately becomes enemies with the richest kid at school. Between hiding her father's gift of illegally harvested magic, befriending socia...
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The radiant sun slowly rose above Matumi Beach's rolling waves. The salty sea air rippled through Soraya's long strawberry blond hair, making it dance along with the flag raised at the top of Marlot's sky ship.
"The Black Dog?" the girl asked curiously while gazing up at the crows nest sitting atop the wooden pole, reading the red letters in the flying black banner.
"Aye, I renamed this beauty," Jonathan patted the cherry wood helm like one would a pet. "My parents had a black Labrador for a short period of time. He was the smartest dog I've ever met."
His multicolored blue eyes seemed far away for a moment before he blinked and looked back at the girl. "Ned disappeared as quickly as he had arrived, as if he were on a mission. He helped me during a time when I was feeling depressed about dealing with my bloodlust. He comforted me when I needed it, so I named this ship after him."
Pangs of sadness plagued Soraya's heart as she thought about Yabo. "I miss my pandacoon so much!" she sobbed, burying her face into her hands.
They had held a small funeral for her beloved pet by burying him in the purified patch of grass under the tree with the symbol of the Gods. Red ferns had grown in his burial place the next day.
Jonathan pulled Soraya into a hug, allowing the girl to cry on his shoulder. "Yabo's in Heaven, and you'll see him again someday," the man reassured her. "He knows you love him."
A few more seconds passed before Marlot pat her back and let go of her. He then dug out a tissue and handed it to the girl.
"Thanks..." Soraya blew her nose and tossed the rag into a trash bin on the deck of the ship.
Jonathan pulled out a pocket watch and grimaced at the time. "Are you sure your friends are coming?"
"I know they are!" the girl said adamantly, stomping her foot into the planks beneath her feet. "They'll be here soon, you'll see!"
Marlot chuckled at her childish outburst, causing the girl's cheeks to redden.
Only one week had passed since Alizon Doorfeather and Liza Demarko's failed kidnapping attempt had occurred.
Mr. Demarko had closed Darkwood Academy's doors for the Matumi Police to properly investigate the misconducts of MagiCorp, to look for clues in solving why Josephine Macklin was now a strange blob of skin, and for the school's staff to clean up the bloody mess Alizon had left behind. This meant all the kids had to return home early and wait to complete their schooling the following semester.
Thanks to Jacquelle forging paperwork, Jonathan was successful in persuading the principal that he was Soraya's uncle and to release the girl into his care until Tishva Thenayu was found. Jonathan and Soraya had taken advantage of the situation by stocking up on supplies and preparing for their trip. The girl knew it was time to leave Matumi and search for her father and Yosef, along with hunting down the other demonic hybrids and saving the abducted girls.
