"You've got all your ingredients?" Kadia asked for what seemed like the hundredth time. "Did you double-check?"

    "Yes," I sighed. "I've double, triple, and quadruple-checked."

    We stopped in front of the staircase leading down to the Academy's upper-year potions classrooms. I turned to her and took the materials that she'd been helping me carry from her hands.

    "You seem to be fairly confident about this," she remarked.

    I nodded. "I've brewed solacamen a dozen times now, I could do it in my sleep."

    That week was known to Advanced Potions I students as 'live brew week', where every student had to choose a potion or concoction from a predetermined list and then create it in front of the class from scratch. We were to be graded on accuracy, precision, and knowledge about our potion.

    "Well, I wish you good luck," Kadia said.

    She rested her hand on my shoulder and I almost flinched.

    "Thanks. I think I've got this."

    And with that, we parted ways.

    Bag of ingredients in hand, I made my way down the wide spiral staircase and into the crypts. Apparently, it was optimal for the potions classrooms to be on the lowest level so that in the event of a spillage or accident, any mess could easily be drained directly into the waste removal systems nearby. The walls were lined with lanterns that provided ample illumination, but the air was still chilly as usual. It didn't help that I was wearing my uniform skirt and tights that day because all my uniform pants were in the wash. My shoes clicked along the cobblestone floors. Thankfully, despite being called the crypts, that place was always kept very clean.

    As I approached my classroom, the sound of student chatter increased. Stepping inside, I carefully weaved around other people's projects. The room was almost bursting at the seams. It had been that way all week – a considerable chaos before class as some students rushed to finish their assignments, asked for help from others, or simply prepared for their presentations. The air always smelled different every day, depending on who was making what potion and using what ingredients.

    Finally, I reached my seat beside Shaye, who had already presented her project days prior. She made an extract called imasomneto, a lucid dreaming potion that enables you to fully control your dreams for one night and remember them when you wake up. Naturally, our professor was very impressed.

    "Hey what's up?" I greeted her, noticing that she was reading something. "Whatcha lookin' at?"

    She slid the journal across the desk bench. "You'll want to see this."

    I dropped my things beside my chair and settled down. The paper she was reading was something I had seen a few times before. It was kind of like a mix between a magazine and a newspaper that was aimed at teens and young adults. I didn't know much about it, other than its title, Lodestar.

    To my shock, on the first page of the article was a big photograph of Shaye, Ashkan and me at the Nyvar Festival, when we were up on stage. '10 of the Best Rumours About Emiarhia's Valiant Triad', read its title in bold, green letters. Skimming through it, I quickly found that it was filled with pretty much what I'd expected: simple rumours about the three of us that weren't even remotely true. Gossip about our families, what our hobbies were, who we were dating, things like that.

    I held the article closer to read an excerpt out loud. "'We all know the noble maiden Brielle de Mavset for her signature platinum locks. But rumour has it, Brielle dyes her hair to achieve that colouring! What could her natural shade be? Maybe we'll never know – she's never around for us to catch an interview!'"

    Shaye gave me a look that said, 'I know, right?'

    I was baffled. "Is this real? Is this what people care about?"

    "It gets worse," she replied.

    I immediately dropped the magazine. "You know what, I think that's enough of that."

    Shaye retrieved it from me and shook her head. "It's almost laughable how bad this is. And it isn't just Lodestar that's writing this type of material, either." She pressed her finger onto the corner of the article's main photo. It started moving as if it was a video, something I was fascinated by when I saw it for the first time. I watched the three of us standing on stage, waving politely to the crowd in our glitzy attire.

    "Oh god," I said, leaning closer. "You can see the nervousness on my face. Why do I look like that?"

    She chuckled. "What do you mean? You look lovely. We were all tense that night, don't worry."

    I heard footsteps behind us and turned around to see Ashkan. He rested his forearms onto each of our shoulders, positioning his head in between ours. "Afternoon, ladies. What's new?"

    "We were just looking at this picture of us. Brielle says she looks too nervous," Shaye said.

    "Well, I mean..." I trailed off. "I don't know. Whatever."

    He took the magazine from Shaye's hand and brought it up to his face. "I think it's just you." He squinted slightly while observing the photo. "You look fine."

    "Ashkan! Hey, Ashkan! Over here!" a voice called out from the other side of the classroom.

    We all turned in unison towards the sound. It was Ofelia, waving eagerly at Ashkan, paying no attention to Shaye or me.

    "I'd better go," he muttered before nudging my arm with his elbow. "Well, all the best on your presentation, Brie." He walked away before I could answer.

    I looked at Shaye. "Did he just call me...?"

    She simply smiled and rolled her eyes, then offered a change in subject. "I wonder what Ofelia wants with him now."

    "Beats me. Seems like they've been hanging out a lot more lately though, ever since the Festival."

    "But we can't say how much of that has been of his own volition."

    "You don't think maybe they're dating in secret? Or Ashkan's warming up to her?"

    She laughed. "I highly doubt that. They're practically oil and water when you know them as well as I do." Her expression turned thoughtful. "Although they do say opposites attract... It's improbable, but not impossible."

    I shifted my eyes to the two of them without making it obvious. It appeared as though Ofelia was asking Ashkan for help on her potion, although it was painfully clear that she was far more interested in him than her project. Her smitten gaze was kind of nauseating.

    "Does he ever talk about her?" I asked.

    Shaye eyed me skeptically. "Why do you want to know?"

    "I'm curious! As a friend, I like to know what's going on in my friends' lives."

    "Well, he talks about her sometimes, but nothing bizarre. He hasn't told me much of anything relating to girls in general."

    "Is that unusual?"

    "No, not for him. He doesn't often fancy talking about himself, as you are aware."

    I leaned back in my seat. "Y'know, I don't think you've ever told me the story of how you and Ashkan met."

    "Oh, there's not much story to tell," she answered. "He's been interested in blacksmithing since he was quite young, so he visited my grandfather's shop frequently. And since I was around most of the time, we eventually became acquainted and sort of grew up together. The odd thing was, he never told me much about himself, at least not at first. But he was always curious and kind to me. It's a little strange how it all happened, I suppose. Well, and there's the fact that we were both parts of the same prophecy, so our parents were friends long before we were born."

    Before I could respond, the classroom door slammed shut as our teacher, Professor Van Frose, came drifting in with worn goggles sitting atop her slick, pale green hair. She was always easily recognizable in any crowd because of the blackened iron mask covering the upper right section of her face. The story as to why she wore it always changed, but Shaye and I were fairly certain it was because of bad chemical burns.

    "Good afternoon," she said to the class, her excited gaze meeting mine. "So, you all know the drill by now. We shall begin straight away." She glanced down at her clipboard. "First today is Miss Brielle de Mavset. Brielle, please come to the front and begin your project."

    Squaring my shoulders, I collected my materials and began setting them up on the table at the head of the class.

    Professor Van Frose gave me an encouraging nod. "Whenever you're ready."

    I took a deep breath and somehow, all my nerves settled. "All right. So, today I will be brewing solacamen, which is a fairly common potion that soothes the mind and reduces anxiety. It was first invented in the year 296 when Edward Treeste researched the calming effects of certain plants in an effort to help his wife's anxiety disorder. There are actually many different versions of this recipe. For this one, you'll need pygmy mallow, blistered orange sorrel, dried iufnus, and ember syrup – make sure it's the transparent kind. Okay, here we go..."

---

    As I raised my potion flask triumphantly, having completed my project, the class applauded politely.

    "Well done," Professor Van Frose said while scribbling on her clipboard. "Excellent technique. You may have a future in potion-brewing, you know."

    I grinned, cleaned up the table in front of me, and promptly returned to my chair.

    It was Ashkan's turn after a few other students went. He made navistae, a tonic that replenishes energy. It went well, save for a bit of trouble getting the cauldron's temperature just right, and I knew he would get a good grade.

    Ofelia went after, laying a hand on Ashkan's shoulder as she passed him and walked up to the front. First clearing her throat, she let out one of her signature giggles and then began her presentation. "Um, today I am going to make rosumvius, which is a potion – or a philter, to be exact – that is better known as the love potion."

    Murmurs wove throughout the room.

    "It was invented in, um...the year 228. Er, no!" She checked her notes. "338. And it's characterized by its unmistakable colour, which ranges from the palest pink to a bright, ruby red, depending on how potent and long-lasting it is. It's a little odd, because it doesn't have any taste or scent, but it's quite pigmented."

    Shaye leaned over to whisper in my ear. "I don't like the sound of this."

    "Me neither," I whispered back.

    Ofelia giggled again and continued reading from her paper. "Um... However, rosumvius only works if the drinker falls in love with someone who accords with their sexuality. There are different potions that can overlook this, but those are way more complicated. Anyway, its effects can last anywhere from twelve hours to a month, depending on the drinker's prior closeness to the target – closer relationships will last longer and vice versa. Now, the quality of your ingredients will affect the potion's strength. I will be using one cup of pearlweed, four sprinkles of heritage mountain opkir, two handfuls of ashen prism powder, six spoonfuls of candied heartstrings, and two cups of sanguine essence."

    The entire class was silent as we watched her prepare this concoction that she seemed suspiciously proficient at. I turned my head to look at Ashkan, who raised both eyebrows in response as if to say, 'I guess this is happening'.

    "...And then after you add the pearlweed, you should notice a shimmer to the mixture," Ofelia went on. "Then while stirring well, add the heartstrings one spoonful at a time."

    To everyone's surprise, upon adding the sixth spoonful, a little explosion occurred within her cauldron. A small cloud of pink-grey smoke spiralled into the air, and it took me a second to notice that its shape resembled the letter 'A'. She frantically swatted at the cloud, her face turning red.

    "Ofelia," our professor spoke up, "would you mind enlightening the class as to what detail that was?"

    She laughed nervously. "Oh, it's just...the first initial of, um... Of the person that the brewer...is most fond of..."

    Professor Van Frose nodded in approval, implying that Ofelia's answer was correct, before scribbling down some more notes. I rested my head in my palm. Her presentation was starting to give me second-hand embarrassment.

    "Anyway, so..." She cleared her throat. "Yes, you simply wait for it to simmer and then settle, and then you're done! And whoever drinks the potion will fall in love with the person who brewed it. It's that easy."

    "I'm not sure I like her tone," I muttered to Shaye. "Maybe we should keep an eye out in case she tries to artificially romance Ashkan."

    She snickered under her breath. "As amusing as that would be, I must agree with you."

    The class clapped halfheartedly as Ofelia finished her presentation. She poured the contents of her cauldron down the disposal sink like everybody else had, which eased my wariness.

    "Thank you, Ofelia," Professor Van Frose said. "There were a couple of errors in your report, but rosumvius certainly isn't a novice-level potion. Good on you!"

    Ofelia curtsied quickly and then returned to her seat. The last handful of presentations went by, and almost before I knew it, class was over.

---

    After school, Shaye and I met up with Ashkan outside the front doors so we could walk to the training grounds together like usual. The air was relatively warm, allowing me to unbutton my coat. Snow piled up on the toes of my shoes as we walked down the street.

    "Oh, right," Ashkan said suddenly, rummaging around in his bag. He pulled out a thin book with a sky-blue cover and handed it to Shaye.

    "What's this?" she questioned.

    "Viktor asked me to give this to you. It's something artsy; don't ask."

    She huffed and skimmed through the book's pages, then gasped. "I had mentioned this to him a few days ago. I didn't think he'd actually find a copy... I'll have to return it tomorrow. It would be awfully impolite to accept such a gift."

    Ashkan shrugged apathetically.

    I laughed and shook my head. "That guy is head-over-heels for you, I swear. Why not give him a chance?"

    "You don't know him as I do," she said. "We haven't told you about the time he almost caused the potions classroom roof to cave in."

    My eyes grew wide. "What?"

    "Why do you think his seat’s at the front of the class?" Ashkan pointed out, chuckling. "He was messing around last year with an acidic brew that exploded upwards, almost burning a hole straight through the rafters."

    I laughed again. "And you didn't try to stop him?"

    "By the time I noticed, it was too late." He grinned at the memory while taking a sip from his water flask. "It wasn't a huge disaster, and it wasn't entirely his fault. He really did think that that was what we were meant to do. He just used the wrong ingredients. It was just one of those accidental things."

    "That's...debatable," Shaye replied.

    "He's actually pretty good at potions," Ashkan continued. "Just kind of reckless. I mean, you saw him today. He's–"

    I looked over at him. His expression was blank and spaced out, which seemed normal at first glance, but there was something off about it. "You okay?" I asked.

    By now, he had stopped walking and was staring off into the distance. "Yeah, um... What was I saying? Viktor. Uh, he's... He's..."

    Shaye and I exchanged looks of confusion.

    "Um..." he mumbled. "I think, uh... I think something is wrong..."

    Concerned, I took his arm and made him face me. "Hey, look at me. What's wrong?"

    His gaze slowly met mine, and the instant it did, I saw an unnatural shimmer flash across his eyes. "What are you on about?" he questioned, a small smile appearing on his face. "Nothing's wrong."

    "Stop messing with me," I said, now taking him by both shoulders. "What is going on?"

    He looked at where my hands rested on his shoulders and then back to me, his face flushing pink and his eyes blinking rapidly as if he was struggling to stop himself from saying something.

    Shaye crossed her arms. "Ashkan, enough with the games."

    "Brielle," he said, ignoring her completely, "has anyone ever told you how captivating your eyes are in the sunlight...?"

    "What?!" I yelped, releasing him from my grasp. "What has gotten into you?"

    He took a step closer, his gaze still intense. "I'm simply being honest."

    Suddenly, something clicked in my brain. I turned to Shaye. "Wait. You don't think...?"

    I could tell she was thinking the same thing, and as usual, was already two steps ahead of me. Panic flooded her face. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no...!" Swiftly, she yanked Ashkan's water flask from his hand and poured it out onto the ground.

    I watched in horror as the snow underneath displayed a ruby red stain. "This can't be happening. "I shook my head in disbelief. "How...? When...?"

    "He has a class before potions, history. Ofelia sits right beside him," Shaye explained, snapping her fingers. "She must've... Maybe he got up for a moment..."

    "But... No, wouldn't Ashkan have fallen in love with her? The one who brewed the potion?"

    "I'm afraid not. That's what she got wrong in her presentation. It's not who makes it, it's...who the drinker locks eyes with first..."

    I ran my hands through my hair. "So I'm going to have to deal with this for how long?"

    "Twelve hours to a month–"

    "A month?!"

    "Well, it shouldn't be that bad," Shaye reassured me. "Ashkan doesn't have true feelings for you, so I don't expect it to last very long at all."

    I sighed. "What are we going to do now?"

    The two of us glanced at Ashkan, who was still standing there with an almost drowsy look. He smiled sweetly at me.

    "We'll just wait for it to wear off. It can't be very long at all. And if worse comes to worst, we'll have to see about getting an antidote," Shaye decided.

    "You're right," I said, shifting uncomfortably. "It can't possibly last that long."

---

    I returned to Earth quickly after training, hoping that by the next day, Ashkan would be back to normal. My mind was racing. I was mad at Ofelia for doing that to him, but at the same time, I'd seen how much she liked him. I almost felt bad for her. The whole thing was just really weird. Weird and uncomfortable. It was jarring to see Ashkan act this way towards me, especially because I knew it wasn't of his own volition. I just hoped he wouldn't remember anything when he snapped out of it. But in the meantime, it was going to be tough. For him, for me, for Shaye, for his family... The only people who'd be revelling in this were the press.

    Pushing those thoughts aside, I made my way to Book Club the day after, dreading having to travel to Emiarhia later and being met with an artificially-romanced Ashkan. Upon rounding the corner towards the library, my eyes landed on Farrah and her surrounding group of friends who were congregated near the entrance.

    "Excuse me," I muttered, trying to squeeze past them.

    To my annoyance, Farrah noticed me before I could open the door. "Chloe! Hey, what's up? Listen, I need to talk to you real quick."

    I arched one eyebrow. "Why?"

    She smiled. "Chill, it's nothing bad. Just thought I'd let you know that Luke and I are, like...pretty much dating now, so..."

    "You are?"

    "Yep. So, you know... You can like, back off or whatever," she laughed. Her lighthearted tone didn't match her words.

    "Right. Okay." I just walked right past her and into the library.

    As if I didn't already have enough to deal with already, now Farrah was becoming a nuisance. I didn't care about who she was dating, but the fact that it was Luke bothered me a tiny bit. I didn't understand how someone like him could be with someone like her. Although, I soon realized that I had no real incentive to believe her. After all, maybe she was pulling the same thing that Nathan did.

    I approached the reading circle in the back of the library, waving to Spencer. She waved back excitedly, then jerked her head towards the chair next to her, instructing me to sit down. But before I could, I was taken aback upon realizing who was situated on the other side of the empty seat.

    "Luke?" I asked when I walked over, trying to contain my surprise.

    He grinned. "Hey, nice to see you."

    I mirrored his expression. "What are you doing here?"

    "I decided to join the club. The book you guys are reading right now is one of my favourites," he replied.

    "Cool! You'll fit right in." I turned to Spencer. She winked at me while wiggling her eyebrows. "Cut it out," I whispered, retrieving my novel from my backpack. She simply shrugged and opened her own book.

    I sighed quietly. There was something so ironic about how the further I progressed with my training, and the more ready I was for the war, the more complicated things around me seemed to get. Not only with school and the prophecy and things I was expecting, but also with people and relationships and everything I wasn't expecting. I had a feeling that the worst was still yet to come. I also had a bigger sense that things were changing, and they weren't going to stop changing anytime soon. Nobody knew what was going to happen. Nobody could predict anything. So I was taking everything one step at a time, and slowly learning the things that were good for me, and things that weren't going to help me in any way. One step at a time.

    I just hoped I could keep up.