Cassamire flings the door open just as Xara's eyes adjust to the slightly dark room. Her brother smiles cheerily and places a tray of steaming food on the wood of her table. Although he's smiling, his eyes are wary. Xara's chest pangs; it's not at all a pleasant feeling to have your own family cautious of you.

"How long have I been out?" She asks in a faint voice. The small action seems to drain the majority of her energy. The idea of ingesting food makes her stomach rumble in displeasure. Whatever came over her at the Summoning has left a bad, acidic feeling through her body.

"Just a few hours. Mum thought you would go into a coma," jokes Cassamire, though his voice is dull.

Xara's quiet for a few moments before speaking.

"You're scared of me, aren't you?"

Cassamire doesn't deny it, just looks downcast with flaming cheeks. She attempts a smile.

"I don't blame you, Cass. It's quite alright. I don't know what happened to me at the Summoning."

One of her brothers' dragoni screeches outside just before Cassamire responds. It's late now and the rain has begun to knock against the wood. Xara's always loved the constant rain; it wouldn't be Closorths without rain.

"I'm sorry, little sister." Cassamire admits, his voice heavy.

Xara puffs out a sad little laugh. "Don't be. I understand why you feel that way. Being possessed two times by the very man every person in the region fears isn't exactly a reputation you would want, am I right?"

Cassamire chuckles, more of a grumble than a laugh. He plunks down in the chair where her grandmother had sat just days ago.

"You're sure it's him?"

Xara nods. "I know it's him. I don't know how but I just know."

"I just hope they don't blame you for all this." Cassamire says wistfully, his gaze grazing the droplets freckling the window. "I know how much you want to attend the academy."

"If they expel me, at least I will know why." The words are heavy in her mouth. She wants to take everything back, wishing she had been chosen as anything but a Storm. She has a nasty feeling, pungent in her gut, that her being a Storm will only affect her in the future.

"They shouldn't, without hearing what you have to say."

"But why would they? Everything lines up, Cass. It's a precaution. Who knows if something else will happen? It's not like I have any control over it."

"They still have to give you a chance," persists her brother. Cassamire has always been pig-headed, a brash, stubborn young man and usually, Xara could empathize with him. But in this case, his words only make her feel worse. She just wants to wallow in her own self-pity, left only with her thoughts.

"I completely agree, Mr. Roffinnes," a deep, velvet-like voice pipes up from the door. Xara's head snaps up to see Headmistress Casktalon standing regally in the entrance of Xara's bedroom. Cassamire shoots her a look and shuffles around the headmistress. She looks at him with an eye of bemusement.

"I look forward to seeing you in a few days, Cassamire."

He nods, ducks his head, and dashes off, almost like a shy child. Liira Casktalon is known as one of the most fearsome, intimidating women in all the regions, and it's not hard to see why. With jet black hair and eyes to match, and alabaster skin, she has a youthful look to her. However, the deepness of her almond eyes speak of an impenetrable wisdom. But also the hint of a threat.

The headmistress sits easily, taking her cloak off and lying in on the rim of the chair. Xara watches this with a heavy gaze. The headmistress is obviously here to inform her that she is forbidden from attending Ruxnorth Academy.

"I'm not expelling you from the academy, Ms. Roffinnes." Xara's mouth falls open. The headmistress laughs, a sound that reminds Xara of mulled wine. Deep, dark, and smooth.

"I assume you did not expect that."

"Not at all, Headmistress."

"You're a smart, sensible girl, Xara. I haven't found any reason to believe that you are involved with the Warlord." Headmistress Casktalon pauses. "Is there a reason?"

Xara can tell that this woman is practically overflowing with magic. It spills from her, like a burbling teapot. She will have no trouble defeating Xara, if necessary. Though she is not involved, Xara can't help but feel nervous.

Xara looks at her hands, embarrassed and humiliated by the tears welling in her eyes.

"You can trust me, Xara," says the headmistress softly.

"I don't want anything to do with him." Her bottom lip wobbles. "I don't know what he wants with me, or why he's targeting me. I just want him to leave."

The headmistress seems to approve of her answer and smiles kindly at Xara.

"That's all I needed to know, child." Her smile fades away. "But I have a theory about why he's chosen to communicate through you."

Xara inhales sharply. What she told Headmistress Casktalon had been true: she doesn't know why the Warlord is choosing to use her but all she wants is for him to stop, to leave her. Even now, she can almost feel him lingering, like a terrible aftertaste. Fear grasps her heart with inky black claws, squeezing again and again.

"It's alright to feel fear, Xara. Fear is what makes us human." The headmistress offers her a handkerchief but Xara refuses, electing to quickly brush away her tears with her fists. "If you don't want to hear, I won't push it."

She gathers her composure and looks the headmistress straight in the eye.

"I want to hear." She's surprised about how strong and clear her voice comes out. The headmistress smiles again, nodding.

"I have a feeling we'll be great friends, Ms. Roffinnes."

✡✡✡

"So you think that the Warlord has chosen me because of the fact that I'm a Storm mage?" Xara repeats, rolling the thought around in her head like a marble.

"Precisely."

"But... why would he choose me when he could have an all-powerful Arcane?"

The headmistress leans towards her, shining black hair escaping her loose knot.

"Mages are a very selective species, Ms. Roffinnes," the headmistress tells her, not unkindly. "They like to dwell with their own."

The thought that the Warlord is her own makes Xara want to vomit. It must show on her face because the headmistress laughs.

"What mage are you, headmistress?" Xara asks. No one, other than her most trusted teachers, know what kind of mage Liira Casktalon is. She's a secretive woman.

"I am an Arcane." There's no surprise in that. To be headmistress, you would have to be very strong. It makes perfect sense that the Ruxnorth Academy of the Magics's headmistress is the strongest mage there is.

Xara stares ahead as Headmistress Casktalon speaks again.

"Do you know I'm also Closorthian?" A small, wistful smile touches the headmistress's lips.

"Really?" Xara questions, intrigued. It's hard for her to think of Headmistress Casktalon as a girl.

"Oh yes. I love it here. It's been quite nice to return." The headmistress stands, brushing off her long skirts. "Which reminds me, unfortunately, I must be going."

Xara is surprised when she feels a coil of disappointment spring in her.

"I look forward to seeing you at the academy, Ms. Roffinnes." Without another word, Headmistress Casktalon leaves, as if she were never there.