29.
chapter twenty-nine
soothsayer theory

"And why would you run when I asked you about what you were up to?"

"Because I have something called personal space!"

"That wasn't an intrusion of personal space!"

I sighed sharply, hoping to shut them up, but of course, it didn't work. "Guys, Dawn's resting here!" I exclaimed, pointedly tilting my head to the bluette. Nurse Joy had informed us this morning that she was showing signs of waking.

Misty's expression softened, although the anger hadn't completely oozed out of her system. Gary, however, still looked bitter before he was dragged out by his soulmate.

Before I could breathe, someone entered the ward. "Oh, hello, Lillie." I smiled.

She returned the gesture, albeit shyly. "Good evening, Serena. How's she?"

I turned to my friend, a weight pressing on my bosom. "Recovering."

She nodded, clutching a book to her chest. I absent-mindedly caught the title: Soothsayers and Destiny Threads.

"Wait, you're into that?" I blurted out before cupping my mouth. What am I telling?!

Lillie looked mildly surprised before her pale cheeks flushed and she nodded timidly. "Yeah, well, we've got it for the next sem, so I was just doing a little bit of light reading."

"Is it interesting to start before you get it?"

She nodded again, her silver-blonde locks bouncing about her shoulders. "Sure is mildly shocking and bizarre, but I've got no other option."

"Mhm." My mind wandered to Ash's possible reaction to studying something he hates the name of. I could almost imagine his set jaws and pale countenance.

Spiralling in my thoughts, it slipped my mind that I was sitting amidst an unconscious Dawn and an awkwardly introverted Lillie.

"Um—" we started in unison before she blushed again. So I let her continue. "Would you like—like to read it?"

"Sure?" It was more of a question than an answer, but she seemed to have taken it as affirmative. Her lips tugged into a smile and she nodded again. I briefly wondered if she was obsessed with nodding before she spoke up.

"It's better to sit elsewhere. Trust me, this isn't the best place to read a book like this."

My mind reeled. I didn't wish to hurt Lillie, but with Misty away, who was to look after Dawn? What if she woke up to find no one? But seeing the girl biting her lip, hoping I wouldn't turn her down, was tugging at my heart. Quite literally.

Wait...

My head jerked to the entrance instinctively, and without failing, someone else stepped in. His hair was messy, but he wore a goofy grin that only widened when our eyes met. "Ash!"

The lopsided smirk softened, and he approached us, sending a curt nod of greeting to Lillie. Paul followed suit behind him. Slipping into my ballet flats, I shot to my feet. "Could you stay and watch over Dawn until Misty comes, please? I've got somewhere to be."

He tilted his head, eyebrows shooting up to his fringes, before he nodded with a smile. Paul cursed something incoherently from behind.

Ash's honestly the sweetest!

Sending Lillie a subtle smile, I brushed past Ash and felt him stiffen. The poor girl didn't understand—seeing from how she was shooting me weird looks—why I was smiling secretly as we walked to the courtyards.

But I could have sworn Paul's comment to my soulmate: "What's got you blushing like a shy wall?"

Making Ash blush was my new routine. A routine I wished to keep honing to absolute perfection.

The crisp air reminded me of my stinging cheeks. We chose a spot by the meadows, wishing for some privacy. Setting my scarf right, I began delving into the book while Lillie was going through my designs.

Introduction: Soothsayer is any person who deals with the threads of destiny. He or she holds the power to alter the universe's existence, but it comes at a cost: nullification of magical blood.

Nullification of magical blood? As in, they can never get a soulmate themselves?

I had never come across such a person, though.

Lackers: Despite not dealing with destiny directly, if a person lacks magical blood, they're termed as the Lackers. It's more of a vulgar term than anything.

I flipped.

Changing Threads of Destiny: To change one's soulmate, three people—the previous soulmate, the one you wish to be intertwined with, and the host—should sacrifice one-third of their blood to the Soothsayer's courtesy. The process starts with drawing the previous soulmate's lifeline and injecting the same into the desired soulmate's. This is followed by the most gory ritual of—

I shut the book, shivers running down my spine. I swallowed the bile rising to my throat. One-third of one's blood? The very idea was downright terrifying. No wonder Ash and Gary despised the Void.

Injecting someone else's lifeline into another for the selfish desire of wandering eyes? Now that was something I don't wish to ever see. Useless questions flickered in my mind, the curiosity that was buried deep on the topic ever since treating Ash's wounds resurfacing.

"Serena," Lillie's voice broke through my internal storm. "Are you okay?"

I turned to her, a stutter at the tip of my tongue. "I'm fine, thank you."

She looked unconvinced. Meddling with her frock, she remarked, "You look really blanched out. That's why I asked."

My eyes flitted down to my knuckles, and I realised I had involuntarily balled them. Releasing the right grip, I offered her a weak smile. "I'm alright, really, Lillie. Do you mind if I borrow this for today?"

She considered my request for a moment before nodding. "It would be my pleasure to be of help."

"You're really kind!" I quipped, feeling warm feelings for this sweet girl. "Thank you so much!"

She nodded again, returning my sketchbook. Her fingers seemed to linger on the spine as she did, leading me to probe. "Did you like them?"

She looked like a deer caught in headlights. "Oh, they're amazing! Especially the realistic ones of your friends, and... Ash too! You have an inherent talent!"

I blushed at her words, pride bubbling within me. "It's all on the models. Say, why don't I sketch you once when you're free?"

Her eyes widened in surprise before they began glimmering. "I would appreciate it very much, Serena!"

I smiled happily, the effects of reading the vile info fading slowly. Perhaps that was something small I could do for this girl who had protected Ash. The one who probably had a fancy for my soulmate.

— 🫧 —

Hey guys!
Another act is
ending.
How was it?
I hope some
bit of confusion
was cleared here.

I'm going on
a hiatus for
this month
due to finals.
So updates might
be irregular.
I'll try to update
every three or four
days. At least
once a week.
Please bear with
me. :')

Thank you for reading!

Miyoko x