Legend | Celeste Academy Series BK #2

Chapter 23 ♕ The City of Loquin (pt. 1)

Valeriana seriously hated being the center of everyone's attention. Every time something big happened, she always seemed to end up being interrogated after discovering something important. This time though, she was lucky. Still . . . why did this always have to happen?

Charles had fortunately sent the others away and ordered them to rest and recover the energy they spent fighting while he asked Rowe and Corvan to join the discussion. It disappointed the others who were expecting to leave immediately, but they all cheered up when food came into the discussion. It just suddenly occurred to everyone that they were hungry. However, for Keelan, it was a whole 'nother story.

Zion was sulking in one corner. His face resembled an angry bull crossed with a lost puppy while he sat on one corner within the tunnel, angrily munching on an apple. He huffed. "And I thought . . ." He grumbled.

"Thought what?" Tamara laughed, appearing in his sight. She had her eyebrows raised as she looked down at Zion.

"Nwothing." He mumbled, his mouth full.

"Venting your frustration through food? That apple won't solve your problems." She told him.

He continued chewing before biting out a big piece, ignoring her. "What are they talking about anyway?"

Tamara shrugged. "Who knows? I want to know too."

They both looked towards the small circle the other four had formed. The look on Valeriana's face said that they were discussing a very serious matter—Tamara betted that it was all about the sudden appearance of Valeriana's ability.

"How do you feel?" Charles asked.

"Um . . . fine, I guess." She muttered. "But why do we have to do this again?"

"Look, Valeriana." Rowe started. "I now know that there is more to you than it seems." He said. The look on his face was of pure concern. "You have a very strong connection with your soul that you are blessed with the ability of touching both worlds."

"Touching both worlds?"

"There are technically two worlds—where we are moving now while the other is called the 'Spirit Realm'."

"Oh . . . that." She nodded.

"So that explains it." Charles nodded. "Animals, too, have souls. Yet, seeing as we cannot understand their language normally, you listen to the words of their souls instead. That's the reason why you can talk to them."

"What I'm curious about is why this only showed now." Corvan interjected.

"The Blessing of the Sea." The words rolled out of her tongue before she could even stop it. "It just suddenly came to me a while ago."

"The Blessing of the Sea?" They simultaneously inquired, brows knitting and exchanging glances.

"I think that, it was after I fell from the ship. I knew it was a very important encounter, but I can only remember the words I was told, but the exact memories of it were erased from my head." She told them. "And I heard something about a gift and one which cannot be taken away by another."

"A gift, you say?" Corvan was more than unconvinced.

"A gift . . . " She trailed off. "From Eugene."

"Eugene?!" Charles looked uncertain. "Who in the world is he?"

"No . . . uh . . . it sounds like that. Foundin. It has a 'u' and an 'n' somewhere!" She puffed out her cheeks in frustration, narrowing her eyes as she tried to put her entire focus into remembering the exact word.

"You don't mean undine, perhaps?" Rowe corrected, a small smile toying with his lips as he scratched his forehead in amusement.

"Yes!" Valeriana clapped, jumped, and cheered. The nagging itch she had been feeling since the last few minutes was finally scratched at last. "Yes! That's exactly it! Thank you!"