Ethan had hurried away from the stands the moment he saw Lily rushing towards Mia, knowing well that the young fairy would take care of her human friend attentively. He had bigger problems looming over him that could come crashing down at any moment. It wasn't enough that his vila had chosen her, now everyone was aware. And if the entire school knew, his mother wouldn't be far behind in finding out, which was really, really not a good thing.

He walked briskly toward the tunnel leading back to the castle, but the grimace of pain and the remnants of his scorched wings betrayed his pitiful state. Yet, his physical suffering was nothing compared to the turmoil of his thoughts. His wings would eventually regrow, and his vila had finally granted him a bit of respite, satisfied with having protected the human. However, he had signed the death warrant for his peace of mind the moment his instincts took over at the approach of that fireball.

Before entering the tunnel, Ethan paused for a moment to lean against the cool stone of the plaza, one hand gripping his ribs (some of which had been broken upon impact) and the other supporting his forehead. He allowed himself two seconds of respite before continuing his ascent to his room. A respite he couldn't find. Closing his eyes and blocking out the world around him, he could almost hear the shrill sound of his mother's heels resonating on the icy stone of the school, heralding a sentence he wished he never had to hear.

Damn, it was obvious it was going to happen sooner or later the moment my vila sensed her. Why now? The universe must hate me, there's no other explanation. Adam...

A hand on his shoulder brought him out of his reverie. He immediately pushed it away, a bit too forcefully. He didn't like being caught off guard, especially when he wasn't at his best.

"You're hurt. Come, I'll take you to..." started a young fairy in a tone he didn't appreciate. She spoke to him as if he were a wounded and frightened animal that would bite her at the slightest sudden movement.

"Get lost," he replied sharply.

When she still didn't seem ready to leave, he fixed his stern gaze on her. She held it for a few seconds and eventually averted her eyes, conceding defeat. Fairies were fiercer than they appeared, and could be very stubborn and persistent with uncooperative patients. Except when the patient in question was a vila. In that case, it was better not to insist too much.

"Fine. At least take some ointments," she sighed, rummaging in her pouch and pulling out two jars.

She held them out to him, and, as he didn't seem inclined to take them, she pushed them against his broken ribs. A groan escaped Ethan's lips, turning into a sigh when he realized that if he wanted to escape as quickly as possible, he'd better accept what she had to give him.

When the fairy finally decided to leave him alone, he resumed his walk to his room. A few panicked students passed him by, but he didn't pay them any attention. What had happened in the arena itself was the least of his concerns at this moment.

A few minutes later, Ethan closed the door of his sacred haven behind him. A sigh of relief ran through him as he gingerly placed his battered body on the bed, sitting down. Holding the jars of ointments up to eye level, he quickly scanned them to understand their purpose. One was meant to treat burns, and the second to mend broken bones.

Perfect. At least she didn't completely waste my time.

The vila delicately removed his T-shirt, although the task wasn't as complicated as expected considering the scorched state of the said garment, and quickly applied a generous layer of ointment to his broken ribs. The effect was immediate: a warm sensation flooded his chest as the creamy texture penetrated his skin. He could almost feel his bones returning to their original positions, but the numbing effect of the remedy prevented him from feeling any pain.

Then he moved on to the burn cream, which proved to be much more complicated to apply since the affected area was mainly where his wings originated. He could have simply retracted them entirely, as if they had never been there, but he was afraid that neglecting them like that would prolong their healing time.

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Ethan stood in front of the long full-length mirror next to his bed, with his back facing the glass to assess the damage. The fireball had been much more powerful than he had anticipated. A simple spell shouldn't have charred the entirety of his wings. However, the two membranes protruding from his back bore witness to it: nothing was left except these two masses of flesh and skin. When he tried to touch them, he found that the area was still warm, and the fire was still trying to gain a few more inches of flesh.

He sighed, grimacing, before applying the ointment as best as he could. At least, they wouldn't get worse than they already were at the moment. He massaged the cream to penetrate his flesh, then finally retracted his wings to let them heal in peace.

When he finished tending to his wounds, he headed to the bathroom in the vila's quarters for a quick shower and change of clothes. He didn't have the luxury of resting immediately; that would have to wait a few more hours.

The glances that fell upon him as he crossed the castle's corridors did nothing to ease his mind. Some were filled with pity, others brimming with hatred and promises of revenge.

Great, that means everyone knows. News travels fast around here.

True to himself, he responded with a condescending glance, challenging them to say or do anything that he wouldn't like. Some quickly gave up and shifted their attention to other things, while others persisted. He was used to the severe looks from some of the students, but it was different now. They had a way to reach him, a way to seek vengeance.

Vassili was waiting for him at the entrance to his office, barely back from the arena, having anticipated his arrival. The vampire waved him inside and followed, closing the door behind him.

Before he even had a chance to sit down, Ethan began pacing back and forth.

"This is a fucking disaster. Everyone already knows. I told you it was going to happen!"

"Calm down," Vassili urged him, taking a seat in his chair. "They won't do anything to her within the academy grounds."

"How can you be so sure? You think the school rules will stop them from getting their revenge? This is exactly what they've been waiting for all along: a way to hurt my family."

Ethan couldn't help but coldly smirk as he spoke these words.

"They don't even realize that they're going to play into my mother's game by trying to reach me through the human. I know exactly what they're already imagining, that they'll use her to make me end up destroying my family. Too bad for them: if I had the power, I would have already choked my mother with my own hands. Threatening Mia won't change the game. Furthermore, she would be extremely pleased if they ended up killing her. She wouldn't have to get her hands dirty like with my brother..."

"Maybe, but I don't think they'll go as far as trying to kill her. It wouldn't make any sense."

"Only you would bet on the fact that they can still form a coherent thought when they're so blinded by the hatred their parents instilled in them. They despise my family to the core, even though my mother is the only one responsible for all of this."

"So you'll have to protect her. You don't really have a choice anymore."

Ethan stopped pacing and finally sat down in the chair opposite his teacher's desk, seething. A jolt of electricity ran through his ribs in response to his sudden and rapid movement. They might have been healed, but they were still relatively fragile.

Vassili waited a few seconds for the young man to gather his thoughts once more before speaking again:

"I know you thought you could fight your inner vila, but what happened today should make it clear: you won't win this battle."

Once again, Ethan coldly chuckled but remained silent. He had already realized it the day before, as his dreams were filled with the presence of the young woman. Although he hadn't fully accepted his fate, his body and his inner vila exerted such pressure that it didn't take him long to understand that he couldn't stay away from her for long. All he had left was the pleasure he derived from acting like a complete jerk with her. Maybe his inner vila was forcing him to appreciate her physical presence, but his mind was still far from it. And even that, he could no longer afford. If he had to protect her, he had to be a part of her life. That wouldn't be possible if she continued to find his presence uncomfortable.

Damn it, as if the situation wasn't complicated enough, now I have to make an effort with my attitude.

"I know," Ethan finally responded as he stood up. "Let me know if you hear anything new. Especially if it's from my mother."

Vassili nodded before he took his leave, closing the door behind him.

Rest now, he decided. She's not in immediate danger with the fairies busy healing her.

Because if he had to face her right now, he couldn't guarantee he'd remain calm and polite after this nightmarish day.

Might as well make the most of the few hours I have left to sleep peacefully before it truly becomes my problem.

At least, that's what he tried to convince himself before crashing on his bed. The attempt wasn't very successful. He quickly fell asleep, exhausted, but his subconscious seemed determined to torment him through nightmares that woke him up several times during the night. In each one, they showed him a new way Mia could die. He almost came to regret the steamy dreams involving the young human.

Almost.