Kyle stepped out of Seris's office. The heavy oak door clicking shut behind him.
He paused in the hallway for a moment. Blinking as his eyes adjusted to the bright afternoon light streaming through the tall windows.
The polished marble floors gleamed underfoot as he glanced at his mana band to check the time.
He still had Advanced Mana Theory in thirteen minutes.
Professor Zeke would probably mark him absent if he skipped, but right now, that didn't matter.
Not compared to what he needed to do.
His fingers tightened around the small wooden box. He could still hear Seris's voice in his head.
"It's not a cure... but it should help."
The hallway echoed with distant voices as other students moved between classes.
Kyle ducked his head and quickened his pace. His boots making soft tapping sounds against the floor. He needed to get to the hospital. Now.
As he pushed through the academy's main gates. The crisp autumn air hit his face. Leaves swirled across the cobblestone path in shades of gold and red.
Kyle pulled out his phone with one hand while flagging down a city bus with the other.
The message to Mira was short.
Kyle: Heading to the hospital now. Meet me there?
The bus doors hissed open. Kyle climbed aboard, swiping his transit pass as his phone buzzed in his hand. Mira's reply popped up almost immediately:
Mira: Already here. What's going on? Is everything okay?
Kyle typed quickly as he found a seat near the back:
Kyle: I'll explain when I get there.
He hit send just as the bus lurched forward. Leaning his head against the window.
The glass of the window was cool against his temple as he leaned his head on it. Watching the world blur past.
Shops, trees, people... they all faded as his thoughts returned to Seris.
In the novel he had read in his past life. Seris hadn't helped Mira. She had never gotten involved.
Did she not know about Lila's condition back then?
Was it too late for her to help Lila when she found about her condition.
Or had someone told her this time? Kyle frowned, rubbing his eyes.
Or Maybe things were changing because of his presence here. The thought sent a weird mix of hope and fear through his chest.
The bus ride passed in a blur of city streets and crowded sidewalks.
Kyle barely noticed the stops until his phone alarm buzzed. His cue to get off.
He stood up just as the bus pulled to a stop in front of Valtheras City Hospital.
The hospital loomed over him as he stepped onto the pavement.
Its glass windows reflected the afternoon sun, making the whole building seem to glow.
Kyle took a deep breath. The sterile scent of antiseptic already reaching him even from outside.
Inside, the lobby buzzed with activity.
Nurses in pale blue scrubs hurried past with clipboards. Visitors clustered around the reception desk, and the occasional patient shuffled by in slippers and gowns.
The air smelled like disinfectant and stale coffee.
Kyle spotted Mira almost immediately.
The hospital chair dug into Mira's back.
She'd been sitting in it for hours, watching the slow rise and fall of Lila's chest beneath the thin hospital blanket.
The rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor was the only sound in the room, steady and unchanging, like a metronome counting down the seconds.
Lila looked so small in the bed.
Her freckles stood out starkly against her pale skin, her red hair, usually wild and untamed. Lay flat against the pillow.
The IV in her arm pumped clear fluids into her veins, keeping her hydrated, keeping her alive. For now.
Mira's fingers tightened around the edge of the coloring book in her lap. Lila had fallen asleep mid-stroke, a purple crayon still clutched in her hand.
The dragon on the page was only half-finished, its wings a swirl of glitter and color.
'She was so happy yesterday.'
The thought made Mira's throat tighten.
She hadn't seen Lila smile like that in weeks. Not since the last round of tests, not since the doctors had sat them down and said the words no sister should ever have to hear.
Mira swallowed hard, forcing the memory away.
Her comm-crystal buzzed in her pocket.
She pulled it out, blinking at the message glowing across the surface.
Kyle: Heading to the hospital now. Meet me there?
Mira's breath caught.
She hadn't expected to hear from him again so soon. Not after yesterday.
Not after she'd poured her heart out in that stupid letter and then practically thrown it at him in the cafeteria like some desperate, lovesick idiot.
He'd actually come to see Lila.
And Lila had lit up because of it.
Mira typed back quickly, fingers shaking.
Mira: Already here. What's going on? Is everything okay?
Kyle: I'll explain when I get there.
Mira stared at the words, her stomach twisting.
What could he possibly have to explain? Had something happened? Had he changed his mind? Had he—
She forced herself to take a deep breath.
Overthinking wouldn't help.
Gently. She set the coloring book aside and stood. Stretching her stiff legs.
Lila didn't stir, her breathing slow and even. Mira brushed a strand of hair from her sister's forehead.
Then quietly slipped out of the room.
The hallway was bright, sterile. The sharp scent of antiseptic burned her nose as she made her way toward the elevators.
Her sneakers squeaking against the floor. Nurses bustled past, pushing carts or carrying clipboards, their faces tired but kind.
Mira leaned against the wall near the elevators, arms crossed over her chest.
She didn't have to wait long.
The doors slid open, and Kyle stepped out.
He looked exhausted. Dark circles shadowed his eyes. His uniform was rumpled, and his hair was a mess. Like he'd been running his hands through it too much.
But when he saw her, he straightened, his expression shifting into something determined.
Mira pushed off the wall.
"What's going on?" she asked, voice low.
Kyle hesitated, then said, "It's good news, actually."
Mira didn't relax. Good news didn't exist in hospitals. Not for people like her. Not for people like Lila.
"I talked to Vice Principal Seris," Kyle continued. "About Lila's condition."
Mira's breath hitched.
Seris Voidcrest. The Void Empress. One of the most powerful mages in the kingdom.
And Kyle had talked to her?
Mira's hands curled into fists at her sides, nails biting into her palms. She didn't dare hope. Not yet.
"She said she'll help," Kyle said.
"Not a cure. She didn't promise that. But she's going to look into experimental treatments. Rare artifacts. Things that might slow the degeneration." He paused.
"And she'll help with the costs, too."
The words hit Mira like a physical blow.
She hit the floor hard. The impact jarring up her legs, but she barely felt it.
A choked sound escaped her. Half laugh. Half sob. As her vision blurred.
Someone was actually trying.
"Thank you," she gasped, voice breaking. "Thank you, thank you—"
Kyle crouched beside her, awkwardly patting her shoulder. "You should thank Vice Principal, not me. She's the one pulling strings."
Mira shook her head violently, tears spilling down her cheeks.
"No, this... this is enough. Just knowing someone's trying—"
Her voice broke on the last word, the months of fear and helplessness and quiet desperation finally overwhelming her.
Her breath hitched, and she pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes, trying to stop the tears.
She hadn't cried in front of anyone in months. Not since the diagnosis.
Not when she'd sat through countless treatments. Not even when she'd written that desperate letter to Kyle.
Not since she'd promised herself she'd be strong for Lila.
This fragile hope, this sudden possibility that things might not be as hopeless as they seemed? It shattered something inside her.
Kyle waited silently, giving her space. The hospital noises.
The distant chatter of nurses. The squeak of wheels. The hum of the overhead lights, filled the quiet between them.
Finally. Mira dragged in a shuddering breath and wiped her face with her sleeve.
Kyle reached into his storage ring and pulled out a small wooden box.
"She sent this, too," he said. Opening it.
Inside. Nestled against dark velvet, was a silver bracelet. A single blue gem glowed faintly at its center, pulsing like a slow, steady heartbeat.
Mira reached out with trembling fingers, brushing the bracelet like she was afraid it might vanish.
The metal felt warm against her skin. The runes tingling slightly where they made contact with her fingertips.
"It's an artifact," Kyle explained. "Helps with pain and gives a little energy boost."
Mira swallowed hard, her throat tight with emotions she couldn't name.
She could already picture Lila's face when she saw it.
The way her eyes would light up. The delighted grin that would spread across her face as she examined every detail.
She always loved shiny things.
"Let's go give it to her," she whispered.
Mira pushed herself up, using the wall for Read the latest chapters on NovelHub - completely free! Her legs felt weak. But she stood straighter than she had in weeks.
Like maybe, just maybe, things could get better.
Author Note: Hey, lovely readers! Newbie here. 😊
So, what did you think of this arc? I wanted to experiment with something a little different. Did it land for you? Let me know your thoughts!