Moonlit Vows Of Vengeance-Chapter 62: Being Called An Anomaly

"I don’t like anomalies," he said, voice calm but clipped. "They make things... unpredictable."

I crossed my arms. "So I’m an anomaly now?"

"Your kind isn’t in any of the archives. Not on any registry. Your essence is unreadable, your casting is nonexistent, and now it seems your body rejects magic like oil rejects water."

He stopped walking. Turned toward me.

"That either means you’re a threat... or something much worse."

My mouth went dry. "I didn’t ask to be any of that."

"No. But you are." His gaze softened just slightly. "And you should know... this school protects many secrets. But it doesn’t tolerate disruption."

I stared at him, jaw tight. "So what am I supposed to do? I’m clearly not like the rest of them?"

He smiled faintly, but it wasn’t kind. "Well then. Survive long enough to find out what you really are."

With that, he turned and strode away, leaving me in the shifting shadows.

Later, after the tests had ended and the courtyard swelled with murmuring students, I found myself on a bench in the garden square, surrounded by laughter that didn’t reach me.

"Athena!" a voice called.

I looked up—relieved to see the kind girl from my first day jogging over. Her braid was half undone, and her sleeves were rolled to her elbows, still dusted with faint spell powder.

"Hey," she said, sitting beside me. "You okay? That was... weird back there."

I let out a breath. "Yeah. I think that’s the word of the week for me."

She smiled. "Well, weird doesn’t mean bad. I think it’s kind of cool, honestly. Everyone’s trying so hard to fit into one kind of magic. You’re something else entirely."

I blinked at her. "You really don’t think it’s... freakish?"

She shrugged. "Maybe. But so what? Most of the greatest mages in history were freaks by academy standards. You’ll just have to be one of them."

I laughed softly. For the first time since I’d arrived, the weight on my chest eased a little.

"What’s your name again?" I asked.

"llira," she said, smiling wider. "And if you ever need a partner in crime, I’m your girl."

Just then, a sharp voice cut in. "If you’re hoping to ride her coattails, you’re wasting your time."

I looked up. Kaelin stood a few paces away, arms crossed, lips curled in disdain.

"She’s not some secret power hidden in plain sight," Kaelin sneered. "She’s just broken. The sooner you realize that, the better."

Ilira stood, stepping protectively between us. "You don’t even know her."

"I don’t need to," Ilira said. "I can smell weakness a mile away."

I stood too, my muscles tensing.

"You don’t know what I am," I said quietly. "None of you do."

Kaelin leaned in slightly. "You’re right. And that’s exactly why I don’t trust you."

She turned and walked away, her silken robes trailing behind her like smoke.

Ilira let out a huff. "She thinks she owns this place just because her sister graduated top of class three years ago."

"She’s scared," I said before I could stop myself.

Ilira blinked. "Of you?"

I nodded slowly. "Maybe she should be."

The garden’s golden light began to soften as Kaelin and I stood up from the bench. The laughter and chatter of students filled the air, but to me, it all felt distant — like I was watching from underwater.

"Come on," Ilira said, looping her arm through mine. "Come and show me where your room are. You’re not alone here, Athena. Not unless you want to be."

I nodded, the warmth of her touch steadying me more than I expected. As we walked through the twisting cobbled paths of the academy grounds, my thoughts kept circling back to Ilira’s bitter words. Weak. Broken. I shoved the thought down deep. They didn’t know me. They couldn’t.

The dormitories loomed ahead, tall and old with ivy crawling up their stone walls. Lanterns flickered to life along the paths, casting shadows that danced like ghosts. Ilira squeezed my arm gently.

"Here," she said, opening the heavy oak door marked with the crest of the academy. "Wow. Is is your room. Its so so much better than the ones in the general dorms."

I thanked her, already feeling the weight of solitude settling over me like a thick cloak.

Before I could say anything else, she smiled and added, "Try not to let her get to you. She’s all bark and no bite."

I smiled back, grateful. "Thanks, Ilira ."

I set my bag down and looked around, feeling the strange mix of exhaustion and anticipation knotting inside me.

The next day during dinner.....

The dining hall buzzed with the usual noise—clattering plates, laughter, and bursts of magic lighting up the air in tiny sparks. I slid into an empty seat near the window, hoping to eat in peace. Ilira was already there, giving me a warm smile that made the tight knot in my chest loosen just a little.

But peace was a luxury I didn’t get.

"I didn’t expect the great ’powerless’ Athena to actually show up for lunch," a sharp voice cut through the hum. I looked up to see Lira standing by the table, that cruel smile plastered across her face.

"Funny," she said, flicking her silver hair over her shoulder. "I was wondering if you’d chicken out and hide in your room all day."

I clenched my fists under the table but forced myself to stay calm. "I’m here," I said evenly. "So what’s your point?"

Kaelin’s eyes gleamed with something like amusement. "Oh, no point—except to remind everyone that you’re just a joke here. No powers, no talent, nothing but a weak little shadow pretending to be something you’re not."

Heat surged through me. I could feel the familiar roar rising beneath my skin—the wolf’s hunger to lash out. But I swallowed it down, steadying my breath.

"If you’re so sure I’m weak," I said, voice low but steady, "why don’t you prove it?"