Velmora Academy
Three Months Later
Astrid’s POV
Velmora had never been this quiet.
The halls that once rang with whispers, rivalries, and the occasional clash of power now hummed with something startlingly foreign—peace. The academy had never been this calm. Not the classrooms, not the dormitories, not even the courtyards where grudges once simmered Even those who could barely stand to breathe the same air before had settled their grudges, walking the academy grounds like civil, responsible students. Velmora Academy, the fortress where supernatural heirs trained for war and dominance, now looked almost… normal.
I sprawled across the soft grass of the courtyard, right where the girls and I had decided to set up our picnic. My phone glowed in my hand, thumb lazily scrolling through Instagram reels. Who would’ve thought Velmora would one day permit us to keep gadgets, much less obsess over them like ordinary human teenagers? The ban on technology was lifted weeks ago, and ever since, everyone had been hooked.
Honestly, it made the place feel less like a battleground for the supernatural elite and more like a regular campus you’d find in the human world. And for once, I didn’t hate it.
The best news? Headmaster Donovan announced that in just a few days, those of us who had mastered our abilities—myself, Damon, Odin, Hera, Elsie, Dove, Zora, and Archie—would be spending several weeks in the human world. Not just blending in, but attending human schools, living among them, experiencing their way of life without enchantments or wards to shield us.
The second he’d said it, Archie nearly combusted. You’d think the boy was about to meet the love of his life after a decade-long online romance. He hasn’t shut up about it since.
I stretched, groaning lightly, before sitting up. The picnic spread was already laid out—snacks, drinks, enough food to feed an army—but the girls were nowhere in sight. Figures.
While waiting for them, I let my mind wander over the events of the last three months. A lot had changed. For starters, Headmaster Vale and Professor Sera were officially married—and, rumor had it, expecting a child. The academy was buzzing with excitement over the thought of a baby born into such powerful lineage. Their wedding had been lavish yet oddly intimate, the kind of affair that lingered in memory.
I hadn’t seen the headmaster estate until after the ceremony, but when I did… gods, the place was breathtaking. No surprise there. Donovan never did anything halfway.
A smile tugged at my lips as my phone buzzed again. This time it was a text from Nyxthera. I opened it to find a picture—her slender hand adorned with a stunning bracelet, another hand clasping hers. Masculine. Human.
James.
I chuckled softly, shaking my head. Nyx had been living in the human world for months now, wrapped up in this whirlwind romance. James treated her well, for now. But if he so much as breathed wrong, I wouldn’t hesitate to tear him limb from limb. Nyxthera deserved happiness, but she also deserved safety.
My own life with Jason and Killian had been… surprisingly calm. Balanced, even. For the first time in what felt like forever, everything had slipped into place.
“Did we keep you waiting too long?” a voice finally rang out, snapping me from my thoughts.
I rolled my eyes dramatically before turning. The girls were walking toward me, radiant in their outfits, laughter already spilling between them.
“No,” I said with a sly smile, holding up my phone, “you kept me entertained.”
They all laughed, Zora tossing a playful apology over her shoulder. “Sorryyyyyy.”
Elsie sighed, throwing herself onto the blanket like she was auditioning for a tragic play. “I had no idea what to wear, so I had my man select mu outfit.”
My jaw dropped. Wait, what? Did I forget to mention Elsie is in a relationship now?
“We know you and Damon are a thing now, let us breatheeeee” I dragged with a small laugh.
Her cheeks warmed, but she didn’t deny it. Elsie and Damon had been together since the wedding, and honestly, it made sense. They balanced each other in ways no one expected.
“I had my man select my outfit!” Hera mimicked her in a singsong voice, earning a round of laughter from all of us.
“Well, I’m happy for you two,” Hera added with a grin, nudging Elsie. “But we came here to eat and have fun, so shall we?”
“Jealous, Hera?” Dove teased, smirking as she helped herself to a drink.
Hera barked a laugh. “Please. I’m happy for them. Why would I be jealous?”
“I was just asking,” Dove shot back, feigning innocence.
I rolled my eyes again, though the warmth in my chest grew. For once, there was no blood, no shadows, no threat lurking over us. Just friends, laughter, and the promise of something new.
Of course, deep down I knew peace never lasted long in Velmora but let me see how long we can go in peace.
The picnic was already set like a little festival under the late afternoon sun—gingham blanket spread wide, baskets brimming with sandwiches, fruits, bottles of soda and wine. The air was alive with sweetness, honey mixed with grass, the kind of scent that made you forget you were part of something bigger than the world around you. For a moment, Velmora felt like paradise.
“Honestly, Astrid, you couldn’t have picked a better spot,” Zora stretched her legs out and flopped back dramatically, her sunglasses sliding halfway down her nose.
“I didn’t pick it, you lazy bird,” I snorted, popping a strawberry into my mouth. “It was my idea, you just happened to tag along like the leech you are.” Hera snorted.
“Leech?” Zora gasped, sitting up like she’d been stabbed. “Excuse me? Did you hear that? She called me a parasite. A literal parasite.”
I bit into a cookie just to hide my grin. “Well, I mean, if the fangs fit…”
The group erupted into laughter as Hera tossed a grape at her. Zora caught it in her mouth like she’d been preparing for the moment all her life, then raised her arms in triumph. “And yet I prevail. Still the superior being.”
“Superior at being annoying, maybe,” Hera fired back, and Elsie almost choked on her juice from laughing too hard.
We were in the middle of another wave of laughter when shadows stretched across the blanket. I didn’t need to look up to know who they belonged to. The scent of warmth and familiarity wrapped around me like a second skin. Jason dropped down beside me first, brushing a kiss to my cheek. Killian followed, pressing one of his own on the other side.
The girls instantly turned into an audience, erupting into dramatic “Oooooohhhhs!” like they were watching a cheesy romance movie.
“Wow, okay, PDA much?” Dove teased, fanning herself with a napkin.
“Should I make it worse?” Jason deadpanned, leaning like he might kiss me again. Killian smirked, and the two of them actually looked ready to outdo each other.
“Don’t you dare,” I warned through a laugh, pushing both their faces away with my hands. The girls’ laughter carried across the meadow.
Not far off, Damon strolled over with Elsie tucked close to his side. His arm draped lazily around her waist as though she belonged there—and maybe she always had. Elsie flushed pink as Damon leaned down, murmured something in her ear, then kissed her slow enough for us all to see.
“Woohooo!” Hera hooted, clapping. “Get it, girl!”
“Why are we clapping?” Zora questioned, already clapping anyway.
“Because love is gross,” Dove replied, pretending to gag, though her smile gave her away.
Food started disappearing fast after that. Plates passed back and forth, soda cans popping, someone unwrapped chocolate brownies that vanished within minutes. Elsie told a story about her wolf form getting stuck in a doorway that had us all doubled over, and Dove, not to be outdone, reenacted the time she accidentally set her hair on fire practicing a spell.
By the time the sun dipped lower, our little group was a mess of laughter, crumbs, and inside jokes.
“Maybe I would just take odin on a date.” Archie smirked.