Newborough - Book Three

Fire

The Identification Test run smoothly. I see a few people running and HQ Agents running after them. Besides that drama, the students are chatting excitedly about finally knowing the existence of other supernatural creatures. 

Val, Jasper and I are probably the only ones who doesn't talk about it after we left the cafeteria. What's done is done. Now dad's secret contact is tasked to make sure my blood samples are replaced to ensure my secret is safe. 

For Val's case, I have no idea what the Minotaurs are planning. I overhear dad talking to Miss Lisbeth on the phone about it, but I doubt dad is able to help. He sounds pretty pissed and stressed about the Siren hunter and Identification Test. I plan to not get into more trouble just to not further anger him.

"Are you texting Polly?" Val ask in hushed voices as she accompanies me to have a cup of coffee at a nearby cafe. I sent a simple 'Are you okay?' text to Polly out of concern. If she knows what I am, I need to know her motive and I have to tell dad. Lord knows he has enough on his plate.

"Yeah," I respond, as we enter the cafe. "There's something about her..."

"Jasper's going out of his mind trying to come up with a rational explanation," Val hints with a smile after I order a cappuccino at a counter. The cashier tells me the price and I gave her exact money.

"So?" 

"He likes you!"

"Of course my friends would like me," I pretend to be dumb. 

Valerie rolls her eyes at my shallowness. "You know what I mean, Mel."

"Hmm..."

We sit in silence while the barista makes my order. It's funny how I am sitting calmly in the middle of a stressful situation. Everyone have their own secrets and I know I'm going to explode soon. Val doesn't seem to notice that I have a lot on my shoulders during her absence. 

Val does have her own problems to worry about. I cannot imagine being in her shoes, not knowing who she truly is. Not being the person people expects her to be. 

I remember the times her father had been in denial of the fact that his daughter doesn't inherit his Minotaur or her mother's demigoddess genes. Aunt Beth told me a long time ago that Val is most probably a demigoddess since Miss Lisbeth's powers also didn't appear until she was 17 or 18. 

The chances are low, though. Her goddess relation is very diluted.

My coffee arrives.

"Have you ever wondered why your dad or Miss Beth or Mr. Sebastian never call you Mel?" Valerie asks out of the blue. 

My throat hitches as I realise what she says is true. All my life, they never called me 'Mel', only Linda or Linz.

"No idea," I answer truthfully. "I think I asked dad that question years ago... Don't remember his answer."

"Huh... maybe it reminds him or your mother?" she suggests.

I shake my head. "Nah, her name was Aurora..."

Speaking her name outloud makes me feel nothing towards my biological mother. The more I think of it, the more I feel like I should have some sort of connection to her. I never had the urge to find out more about her, despite the fact that she birthed me and is my adopted dad's sister. The thought of my dad as my biological uncle doesn't sit right with me, since dad is the father I was brought up with. 

"Aurora Caesar," Valerie tests out my true mother's name. "Then I wonder where they got your name from."

"Say that for yourself, Val," I shoots back playfully. "Valerie sounds like the Little Red Riding Hood character."

"They needed a name that starts with V, just so it sounds like Vaughn and I are siblings," Val says with a roll of her eyes. She then wrinkles her nose in disgust. "Bad enough people thought we are a couple in public."

"Ew."

"I know right! Like come on! Speaking of Vaughn, I think he found his mate. He's been sneaking out of the house at night. That asshole bribed me to not tell them," she complains.

"What did he have against you?"

"Elise and I."

With that I laugh out loud. I should have expected this from Vaughn. He's smart, if he wants to be. 

"Where is Elise anyway?" I ask out of curiosity.

"Her family is having some sort of meeting. I think they're worried about the Identification Test too, since Elise and Eli are technically hybrids. This is a strange world we are living in."

"The strangest," I agree. 

Out of nowhere, I can smell something burning. I look at the kitchen of the cafe to see if there's any smoke. Val also looks confused as she sees a few people running outside through the window. 

"Fire!" says a muffled scream. Everyone in the cafe starts to panic as people topple over one another to get outside. 

I grab Val's hand and drag her along with the crowd. Safety in numbers, after all. My only goal is to get us to a safe place. 

It is chaotic. People running in all directions as long as they're getting away from the blazing flames. The fire chases people through buildings, rapidly spreading. I stare in wonder as the fire reaches the cafe where we just were.

What is this fire? Uncle Seb never made a fire this big.

"Mel!" Valerie screams to get my attention, pulling me away. "We have to get out of here!"

My Siren instincts is yelling at me to get to anywhere with water. The thought of flames touching my skin makes me shudder as I start to feel faint. Valerie seems to know that I've frozen in terror is she drags me towards the arriving ambulance.

Firefighters arrive on scene to put out the fire as policemen keeps civilians away from the burning lot. I see a few HQ Agents with their guardians also on sight.

The fire reminds me of the Florence Fire pictures. This is definitely someone's doing.

"Miss, please step back," a policeman instructs me, gently pushing back the curious crowd. Val tugs at me to leave the place, but I stand my ground, noting something off.

Within the flames, I see bright emerald green eyes and long curly black hair of blur.

Then, the figure disappears right into the growing fire.

That is definitely not Uncle Seb.