There wasn't much of a winter break left before I had to return to Mythos Academy after going back to Avalon with my family.
The journey home had been quiet, my parents' concerned glances speaking volumes where words failed. My father had attempted several awkward conversations about "knowing one's limits," while my mother simply fussed over my still-healing wounds. Aria, for her part, had been surprisingly supportive, offering rare moments of genuine encouragement between her usual barbed comments.
But now I was back, standing at the entrance to Class 2-A on the first day of the second semester.
Sixteen months. I'd been in this world for over sixteen months now. What had started as confusion and disorientation had evolved into purpose and determination, though questions still lingered beneath the surface of my thoughts.
