Lillian was back in her room. The tea party had ended. 

 

She couldn’t stop thinking of the inexplicable force that stopped her from falling. It felt like… a person. Her age. The bones she felt that pushed her up… And Penelope’s shocked face. And the name ‘Manier’... 

There was a rapping on the window. 

She looked over to only be met with the dark night sky.

Yet the rapping did not stop. Who could it be? Annabella was asleep: Lillian already tucked her in. Her… friends, had left at three o’clock. 

…It was already past the witching hour.

 

They were friends! She felt relieved, but this warm feeling did not last long, as the window began shaking violently, as if it was about to explode.

“Hey,” came a voice. It was from behind the window. 

 

‘A burglar? No way. They wouldn’t try to make such a loud noise, right? A kidnapper? I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t speak in such a… weird tone.’ Lillian pulled up her blanket and feigned sleep.

 

“You know, I can still hear you tossing around,” the voice came again, “Just open the window.” 

 

“No!” she boldly stated, forgetting she was supposed to be asleep. She saw a tuft of raven hair. No way… 

 

- - -

 

She had given in, and opened the window, in the frenzy of curiosity and panic she was experiencing.

 

“You should be thanking me,” the intruder had the audacity to say.

 

He acted as if this was his own home, and nonchalantly sat on a nearby chair, his arrogance permeating the atmosphere.

He looked the same age as Lillian. His eyes were like the stars in the night sky, shining, and a deep silver, almost as if they were made of constellations. His hair was ebony, dark like the night outside, yet with a tint of indigo. 

 

She lit a candle, and held it up to his face. 

“And what business do you have intruding here?” Lillian replied, coldly, yet in awe of this absurd, cliche situation.

 

“You let me in.” 

 

“You banged on my window and told me you knew I was inside, what was I meant to do?”

 

“It was more of a… light tapping, if I may speak my mind.”

She groaned, once again. This guy was just so… so annoying! 

 

“So, what do you want?” 

 

“What I want?” he seemed to be staring off into the distance, thinking deeply, “Nothing much. Maybe a ‘thank you’ for my stopping you from falling face-first into mud?”

 

“So it was you!” she coughed, flustered, albeit for only a split second, “Thank you, but… why bother?”

 

“I’ve seen you before. The girl with the tacky umbrella she hated.”

 

“It was a parasol,” and then she came to her senses, “Were you… spying on me?”

 

“Not in particular. I like calling it observing, because that makes it sound nicer.” 

Seriously, this guy was getting on her nerves! His quips were so irritating!

 

“So you came all the way here to stalk a random girl you saw, stopped her from falling, and decided to trespass – though, to be fair, you were already trespassing – just to get a thank you?” 

 

“Well, to put it simply, yes. But, actually, no.”

 

“And who are you?”

 

“Right, right, I forgot to introduce myself. Manier Calligo, sorcerer-in-training, at your service. I’m going to be living here. I came to say hello before I officially arrived.”

That was right. The other day, her father had announced that they were taking in a few young apprentices, as the Tower of Magic, a place that housed both students and masters of magic, had fallen down due to unknown reasons. 

 

But this hadn’t occurred in Emerald. She had thought it odd when her father told her, and now it was worse. Why was this happening? 

 

‘Wait. The Tower of Magic was only supposed to collapse when Lillian was seventeen, and Annabella – sixteen. Why had it collapsed now? Could it be… that since I-’

“Yes, it was me,” he breathed in, “I accidentally made the Tower fall. It wasn’t on purpose – I swear! I was just distracted while brewing a potion, and it exploded!”

 

“What distracted you?” She had to know the reason for this big plot shift.

 

“I had this weird headache that felt like something was splitting my brain as if it was a peanut,” 

 

“What?” 

Whatever could have caused that?

How would the rest of the plot proceed? Annabella was supposed to be in that tower when it caved in, and she was supposed to be saved by Stell, which would initiate the start of her catching feelings for him!

 

But on second thought, it would be best to keep her sister away from harm’s way, as she would already try to alter the storyline and it was not certain that Annabella would always be saved.

It was for the better. Right?

“Hello?” 

 

‘Oh, right. We still have that guy to deal with.’ 

“Yes, hello.” she looked at him again. 

 

‘He could potentially become one of the main cast.’

 

“I was talking about living arrangements.”

 

“Huh?” 

 

“Your father has arranged for us apprentices to stay in the attached building. So we might be seeing each other some time soon.”

 

“Right… ” she mumbled. ‘Living arrangements’... was very misleading.

 

“So, I’ll be taking my leave. I’ll catch you later!” 

And then he vanished. Just like that. Out the window, into an incomprehensible mist of grey, leaving her in a bewildered shock