A crowd gathered, but the trumpets did not sound as the drawbridge lowered. Standing on the bridge was Sheehan’s Nightmare, its immaculate black fur drenched in water, mud and blood. Slumped in the saddle was Arthur Sheehan. Five holes blown through his neck, spine and shoulder blades.
Ivory Knights pulled Sheehan down off his Nightmare. Genevieve pushed through the crowd to Sheehan’s body. She prayed to the Pantheon to take care of their headmaster in the next life.
Arthur deserves to be an angel.
There was nothing she could do to bring the man who saved her from her father back. Taking control of the situation, Genevieve ordered the teachers to initiate a lockdown.
I was trai- She caught herself. I was raised to be a lady first. Not a Knight. It is my duty to step into his shoes. I will have to leave the fighting to the Knights. Sheehan would want this school to remain open. I shall send a letter to Ms. Chikyū and Ms. Valentine’s children. For some, this is their only sanctuary. Where would I be without him? I would be a baby maker, just like Suki said.
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When Dawn was called over, she plummeted to her knees, screaming at the sky. Sheehan's body was wearing his coat, still stained with ink splatters from her argument with him over Pan.
“No! If you know mercy of any kind, bring Sheehan back to us. We need him! Please!”
“I’ll make su…We can d-” Florimal stuttered as her own man servant stepped forward, pulling Dawn to her feet. Florimal hadn’t known their Headmaster that well, but everyone else had a story to tell.
That night, Dawn marched to the shrines to pray to the Pantheon. Everyone in the school felt less secure without their headmaster. Doors were locked and then enchanted to stay that way. Candles and lanterns burned throughout the night when once it was safe enough to blow lights out. Students and teachers alike slept in shifts. Everyone slept with their Magi in gloved hands or close by in the event of an attack. Dawn had prayed at the shrines twice since Sheehan had invited her to the school. At the shrines, Dawn prayed to the Pantheon for Sheehan.
I hope his death was swift and painless. He did not deserve to die like this. Virgo. Please whoever rules over whichever fairy he reincarnates as. Please take care of him in the next life.
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Details emerged about his death. Sheehan had left the protection of his school to offer the Fomorians an end to the war. Fomorian Bishops shot him in the back. The tips of his Nightmare’s ears were burnt off when the first curse passed through Sheehan’s spine and zipped over Grommet’s head.
Dawn screamed. “Every man, woman and child that has ever been associated with Fomorians. Kill them!”
“‘Kill them all?’ Dawn. You can’t say those things. Not in times like this.” Florimal said.
Dawn slammed her hands down onto the table in their common room. Florimal jumped. She was just in the nick of time to stop someone’s homework from being ruined by a bottle of ink.
“Why can’t I? They killed someone who rode over unarmed to offer a peaceful alternative to war.”
Florimal noticed the look in Dawn’s eyes as she dabbed ink spots up with the corner of her blazer.
“Maybe they were bad shots?”
“They could have ended him with one single word, Flo. This was murder.”
“What can we do about it?”
“I’m going to find whoever did this to Sheehan. I’m going to kill them.”
“You can’t! It’s too dangerous.”
“I won’t be alone. Randy’s going with me.”
He would never agree to that, Dawn. You can’t ask that of him.
Florimal said, “How are you going to do that? He may be gifted, but…”
“We’re going to find the Pantheon’s champions.”
“All twelve?” Florimal quirked her brow. “What if they don’t exist?”
For twelve champions of the Pantheon to exist, the generation before them had to be dead. If one champion survived, no more would be born. Some fairies had almost immortal lifespans. If the gods were not feeling generous, there would be twelve champions across the four regions. It was not like the champions wore their title with pride. Most of the champions didn’t know what they were. If they knew they were chosen, they would be in hiding. Champions were destined to die.
“Excuse me.” Came a masculine voice from the door. It was Randolph. “Am I interrupting?”
“No.” Florimal said. “I was just leaving.” She muscled past him. He stood in the doorway.
“Good evening, Miss Nuage. Miss Young.” Randolph bowed his head to them.
“Good evening, Mr. Tranter.” Florimal said for the sake of formalities. “Don’t let her do this.”
“I’ll do my best.”
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Dawn broke like an eggshell against the side of a bowl. The sun’s soft, orange light oozed through stained glass windows. Hallways were deserted. Genevieve delivered breakfast to the students’ dorms. The staff did not want to risk everyone gathering in the dining hall in case of another attack. Without Sheehan the school fought closure. Parents arrived to take young students’ home. Florimal got out of bed after a night of restless tossing and turning. She took her wings out of the drawer in her bedside table. She called for Graham Greenwood to put her wings. She grabbed underwear and threw them on without bothering to check if they matched. She dug her hand down into the cup of her bra to unhook her odd-coloured nipple piercings from the fluff. With much deliberation, she decided to keep them on. Florimal had a feeling that she would need all the luck that she could muster today.
“Thanks Green.”
Her servant said nothing, but he appreciated it.
Once Graham fastened her butterfly wings, she flapped them and tousled her own hair with her hands. Florimal did not have time to hunt for a comb or brush. Breakfast could wait too. Her name –Young– was near the bottom of the roll. Her thoughts were distracted. Had Randolph succeeded? It did not mean much if he had gone to bed expecting Dawn to stay. Dawn could have left in the middle of the night. Randolph had to sleep sometime. She HAD to know. It could not wait. If Dawn had left, she might still be able to catch up with her. To change her mind. It was not like Florimal or Dawn had a home to go to if the school closed. Florimal would return to the wilderness of Caeli with Graham. Bark huts and campfire living. Dawn would have to…Good question. What would Dawn do?
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