<h4>Chapter 614: From Senior To Sister</h4>


    <strong>Evaline:</strong>


    Mallory linked her arm through mine as we stepped out of thest lecture hall of the day, thete afternoon sun stretching long golden lines across the academy courtyard.


    "I still can’t believe you got five reward points for disappearing," she muttered, nudging me with her shoulder. "Unfair."


    Iughed. "I didn’t disappear. I was working."


    The excuse was out of my mouth before I could stop myself, and I regretted it almost instantly.


    "Yes," she deadpanned. "Working."


    The way she stretched that word had heat creeping up my neck. "You are impossible," I told her.


    "And you," she shot back, grinning wickedly, "are glowing."


    "I am not glowing."


    "You are. It’s sickening. Radiant. Suspiciously satisfied."


    I swatted her arm, but I couldn’t stop smiling.


    It had been over a week.


    A life-changing, bond-deepening, breath-stealing week.


    And now I was back in the middle of academy life as if nothing monumental had shifted beneath my skin.


    Except everything had.


    We reached the path where our ways split - one leading toward the dormitories, the other toward the library tower.


    Mallory squeezed my hand. "Will you join us directly for dinner?" She asked, confirming the n.


    "Right."


    She nodded and released me. "Bye, mate-bonded menace." She muttered the words so low that even I would have missed them if not for the fact I was standing right there.


    I groaned as she walked away toward the dorms, waving once over her shoulder.


    Shaking my head, I adjusted the strap of my bag and headed toward the library instead where Charles was waiting.


    And after being gone for an entire week, I owed him more than just a quick catch-up.


    The library was quieter than usual when I stepped inside. The tall windows cast warm light over rows of polished tables and towering shelves.


    I didn’t even need to search.


    Our usual spot was on the first floor - third table from the farthest window, tucked between the Herbology and Alchemical Studies sections.


    And just as expected, Charles was already there.


    He sat perfectly straight, a stack of books neatly aligned in front of him, notes organized with color-coded tabs. His hair fell slightly into his eyes as he leaned over his notebook.


    He looked up the moment I approached.


    And the way his face lit up-


    "Sister Eva!"


    My heart melted instantly.


    Ever since we began these study hours together in the library about two weeks ago, he had started calling me ’sister’ instead of ’senior’. And every time I heard him call me that, it warmed my heart,


    I set my bag down with a smile. "Hello to you too."


    He stood up quickly, almost knocking his chair back in the process before catching it awkwardly.


    "I-I thought maybe you wouldn’te today since you just got back yesterday."


    "I promised, didn’t I?"


    His shoulders rxed slightly.


    "Yes."


    I sat down across from him, immediately pulling his notes toward me. "Let’s see what you have been up to."


    The next hour passed faster than I expected.


    Charles really was a bright student. He had carefully rewritten Kieran’s lecture notes from the sses this week - detailed exnations about the properties of Emberroot, the stabilizing effects of powdered Moon Thistle, and the proper brewing temperatures for vtile binding potions.


    I skimmed through his assignment draft, nodding approvingly.


    "This is good," I told him. "Your structure is clear. But here-" I tapped one section. "You need to exin why the catalyst reacts differently under lunar influence. You mentioned it briefly, but Professor Kieran would like further exnation."


    He leaned forward immediately, listening intently.


    "Because of the elixir saturation levels?" he asked cautiously.


    "Exactly. Expand on that."


    He scribbled it down quickly.


    For someone who had once barely spoken above a whisper, Charles hade a long way in these past few weeks.


    At first, he had called me "Senior" in that stiff, distant way.


    But ever since I started helping him regrly, something had shifted.


    Now it was "Sister."


    And somehow, that single word made these study hours with him worth it.


    We went over his questions about the dual-binding form Kieran had covered in ss earlier today. I exined the bnce between opposing reagents, the importance of steady moonlight flow, and how even the slightest emotional instability could disrupt the brew.


    Charles listened with wide, focused eyes.


    At one point, he hesitated.


    "Sister?"


    "Yes?"


    He fidgeted slightly with the edge of his notebook.


    "Can I ask where were you?"


    Ah.


    I had been waiting for that question.


    "I was assisting Alpha Grey," I replied smoothly. "He needed help with one of his ongoing council projects."


    Charles blinked, then said, "That must have been important."


    "It was," I said.


    He nodded slowly, epting the exnation without suspicion.


    Unlike my friends.


    Mallory and the others had not let me breathe since yesterday without throwing teasing nces or exaggerated sighs about "mate bonding leave."


    Charles, however, simply said, "I’m d you are back."


    The sincerity in his voice warmed me.


    "I’m d too."


    When the hour ended, he carefully stacked his books and stood.


    "Thank you, Sister," he said, bowing his head slightly.


    "You are wee. Keep reviewing the stabilization forms. I’ll test you on them next time."


    His eyes widened slightly at that, but he nodded determinedly.


    "I will."


    And then he left.


    I stayed behind.


    There were still two hours before dinner. Plenty of time to finish my own assignments.


    I pulled out myptop and textbooks, diving into Runes theory first. My mind worked steadily - reviewing glyph structures, spells, and alignment sequences for my uing project.


    Forty-eight minutester, I finally closed myptop with a satisfied exhale.


    Homework done.


    Mostly.


    Stretching my arms over my head, I nced at the clock.


    I still had time, so I headed up to the third floor.


    If I could find a few good guidebooks on advanced runeyering, it would make the assignment much easier.


    The third floor was quieter.


    Long aisles of tall shelves created narrow corridors of shadow and light.


    I wandered toward the far end, scanning titles with mild interest.


    That was when I heard it.


    My name.