I followed Nora outside, closing the door behind me. "You saw that, didn't you?"

I nodded. "She bled from the prick."

She shot me a pointed look. "And then she healed."

I sighed, leaning against the wall. "She isn't just a human, is she?"

"No," she answered, sounding very sure. "But she's not quite a rare one either."

I frowned in confusion. "Then what is she?"

"I don't know."

"How could you not know?" I pushed myself off the wall. "She clearly doesn't know it either. If we can't help her and we're from Arcane, from Ilea, then nobody else can. How could you not know? You're the nurse, you've seen the worst happen to people here," I groaned.

"Calm down," she said sternly. "If we don't know it yet, I'm sure we can figure it out. We have to start somewhere, let's start by testing her with all the powers."

"We can't do that without her realizing that we're questioning what she really is."

"Then so be it."

"No," I argued.

"Her reaction won't be good. I don't think she can handle it."

"Are you doubting her?"

I rolled my eyes. "She doesn't have an easy past, Nora. It's a lot for her to take."

She sighed in defeat and looked around the hallway before falling into thought. Then it was like a lightbulb went off in her head. "Look into the curse."

"What does that have to do with this? Plus, the library doesn't have any books mentioning the curse, I've already checked," I replied.

"Then ask someone. The curse affects the soulmate of a darkling more than the darkling itself. Look into it, Callum."

"You think she's my soulmate?" I asked in disbelief.

"I think anything could happen," she said. "Look into it. It's not possible for a human to heal and it's not possible for a rare one to not know that they are one. She's human. But something is changing that. Look into it as soon as you can and come back to tell me what you know."

"You know the curse, why don't you just tell me?"

"Because you won't believe me. I know you quite a bit and I know that you need to see it or hear it to believe it. So ask your father."

I planned to anyway, now I have an excuse to do it sooner, I guess.

"Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" My eyes widened.

"Do it tomorrow, first thing. Leave her in the health room with me. She needs to be watched, to be kept an eye on."

"Why?" I swallowed.

"The pain could get worse," she confirmed.

I groaned, closing my eyes.

"It has to before it settles. If I remember the curse correctly and if what I've heard is true, then she'll be in excruciating pain. Because after this, she'll never feel it again."

"What do you mean? Are you saying she'll develop the power to heal like a darkling?"

"I'm saying you need to look into that curse. Come on now, we shouldn't keep her waiting. Let's go."

What is happening to her?

The next morning, I took a sleeping Clara to the health room. She was shuffling, tossing, and turning throughout the night. She finally seemed to be in a deep slumber, I didn't dare to disturb that.

"She's still sleeping?" Nora asked while holding the door open for me. "You carried her the whole way? Did people stare?"

"Of course they did," I mumbled, setting her on the bed and pulling the covers over her. "But she's finally sleeping peacefully. She was in pain throughout the night, I think. Tossing and turning. I'm heading out now. Take care of her."

She nodded and then I left. I already texted my mom this morning and asked for a car. As I stepped out of the main gates, that car pulled up. I climbed in the back quickly.

"Where to, sir?"

"Home, please."

The short drive ended fast enough. I rushed inside, ringing the bell and our housemaid opened it. She bowed her head before stepping aside, letting me in.

"Where is my father?" I asked, scanning the room.

"In his study, sir."

"Callum!" my mom grinned walking over. She hugged me quickly, pressing a kiss to my cheek.

"I need to talk to dad," I said, pulling away from her.

"Is everything all right? You don't look too happy," she frowned.

"It's important." I walked to his study, knocking on the door.

"Come in!"

I opened the door, stepping inside, and closing it behind me.

"Callum, how come you're home?"

I sat in a chair opposite him. "Clara's sick," I answered.

"Oh, what's wrong?"

"We don't know," I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "But she can heal."

He blinked in utter shock. "W-what? How?"

"That's what I'm here to ask you." I put my phone on the table, sliding it over to him.

He looked down at the screen. "The curse. You want me to tell you about the curse?" He nodded at my screen which was opened to a website that told me nothing I didn't already know.

"It's unknown to most people, books, and websites. And I already know the basics. I want the details." He seemed hesitant. "I want to know what happens to a darkling's soulmate."

"You think Clara is your soulmate?"

"I'm tethered to her, so it's not a long shot. She could be. What is happening to her, tell me."

"How would I know?" he chuckled dryly. "You're the first darkling in our family since at least a century."

"Every Nikolai is told about it as a precaution, you can't possibly not know. Tell me. All of it," I demanded.

"Why do you seem so frustrated?" He lifted a brow at me sharply.

"Because if I can't figure this out, then I can't help her. And I have to help her. Spit it out. Please," I huffed.

He sighed, sliding my phone back to me. "Fine, I'll tell you what I know."

☆*･ﾟ✫ ✫*･ﾟ☆ ✫*･ﾟ☆ ✫*･ﾟ☆

"Sir." I snapped out of my daze, looking at the driver instead of staring out the window. "We're here."

"Thank you," I sighed, climbing out of the car and walking back through the main gates of campus. I went straight for the nurse's office, running into Wyatt on the way.

"Where have you been?" he asked, walking with me.

"I went home. I had some stuff to do."

"What's going on?"

"Clara can heal," I said, lowering my voice.

"Like you?" I nodded and his eyes widened. "How is that possible?"

"Let's just say it has everything to do with the curse on darklings. I need to find Nora, Clara's with her."

"What? No, she isn't."

"What do you mean?"

"I took Daisy to the office earlier, she cut herself with a blade in art. Nobody was there. Except for Nora," he shrugged.

I fell into thought, I had a thousand racing through my head. "I gotta go." I ran all the way to the nurse's office, sighing in exhaustion. I'm extremely exhausted today. Physically, mentally, emotionally, all of the above. I stumbled through the door. "Where's Clara?" I sighed.

"Your friend took her ten minutes ago."

"Which friend?" I asked, ready to run back already. I know I'll have to.

"Uh, what was his name? Nate!"

"Goddamn it, Nora. I told you to keep her here and take care of her."

"He said he's your friend and he needs to speak to her. I thought you had a message for her."

"And she went with him?"

"She was still sleeping."

I frowned in utter confusion.

"He carried her out."

"And you let him? You let one of Atticus's friends take Clara?" I scoffed. "Aren't you the one who said she needs to be watched?"

She opened her mouth to argue but I just rolled my eyes and ran back before she could stop me. Now, where the hell do I find her?

I rounded up to the staircase, panting slightly and after climbing the first set, I froze, spotting Clara. She was coming downstairs but stopped when she saw me. "Hey," she smiled softly, rubbing her eyes.

"You okay?" I asked, getting closer to her.

"Yeah, I was about to go back to the nurse's office. She told me to wait until you come back."

"Where were you?"

"Um, Nate took me."

"I heard. What happened? What did they do?"

"Nothing, actually," she mumbled. "It was just Nate, none of the others."

"What did he say?"

"I can't really remember, I was on a lot of painkillers and half asleep but uh," she groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Something about not going to the party on Friday because it wouldn't be good if I did. He didn't say it as a threat though. More like... a concern."

I'm not convinced that she's okay. "Are you really okay, Clara? Where are you coming from?"

"Nate's room. He let me lay down for a while and then... he told me to go back to the nurse's office. I don't—" She stopped, both of us looking behind me where Atticus was standing.

He walked past us but he was hoping to eavesdrop, I know it.

"Are you feeling any better?" I asked, sighing.

"A little but it's still really hurting," she whimpered.

I took a breath, stepping one step higher so we were eye-eye. After knowing what I learned today, I can breathe a sigh of relief. She'll be okay. No matter what happens, she'll be okay. Guaranteed.

I leaned down, kissing her, my hands going to her waist and pulling her closer. She seemed surprised but she kissed me back fast enough. "I don't think butterflies are good for me right now," she whispered once I pulled back.

I chuckled, hugging her.

"Are you okay? You seem really worried," she said while hugging me back.

"I was worried," I exhaled. "I'm not anymore."

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