(Amaia)

Strange dreams woke me up. Some celestial lights, trying to reach me, are invading my heart.

"The five will protect you. Open your heart, Amaia and accept them all. The five stars of the Constellation of Orion."

Panting and sweating I sit up in bed. My right hand clutches the front part of my shirt as I try to calm my restless heart.

The bonds I share with my mates are thrumming wildly, tugging me towards them, pulling me to get out of bed and seek them out.

The feeling is not sexual but rather emotional with a sense of belonging.

What’s this strange feeling? Not only the three bonds, but there are more, like two wispy threads pulling me towards Rigel and Saiph.

I understand Rigel but also Saiph?

Did I see two sets of black hair in that nightmare Saiph induced? And words of Aziel echo in my brain too.

My heart grows restless, thundering against my chest. I glance around. The small candle is sputtering in the candlestick. Kacir is not here nor is Alnitak or Mintaka.

Where are they?

My eyes waver towards my nightstand, and I find a small vial with a blue liquid and a note underneath.

Picking up the vial, I grab the note. It’s Alnitak’s scrawny handwriting.

"Drink up, it’s an after (Haliso) potion. We will see you in the morning. Love you."

Smiling, I fold his note. Opening the drawer, I extract my diary and place it inside.

Removing the small cork, I bring the vial to my mouth and empty it inside.

It tastes like blueberries mixed with bitter gourd.

"Eewww!"

Why do women have to always deal with the aftermath of sex?

Putting the vial aside, I get out of bed and slip on my slippers. Padding my way towards the door, I open it and exit.

The corridor is dark and empty with only a few torches burning and lighting it.

Hardly do I reach the stairs when I see the twins making their way up the stairs.

"That prophecy was insane...." I hear Alnitak’s voice when my scent must have reached them and they pause, their stunned gazes up to find me standing on the top of the stairs. Instantly, they stop talking.

"What prophecy?" I ask, narrowing my eyes at them. Where were they coming from in the middle of the night and why was Alnitak carrying his candy jar?

"Hey! Why aren’t you sleeping?" Mintaka quickly asks, taking two steps at a time to reach me.

"You guys left me alone, and I woke up having some strange dreams." His arm goes around my shoulder, holding me to himself.

"Sorry, we went out for a walk," he answers and I sense a guilt coursing through the bond.

Alnitak comes and stands in front of me, holding his jar.

"With your candy jar?" I question, raising my brow at them.

"Yeah, I get hungry without my candies." Alnitak sheepishly smiles. That’s when I see a bloody stain on the side of the jar.

Blood?

Instinctively, I grab Alnitak’s hand, and he slightly winces when I remove the jar and see the state of his hand.

A long, deep and fresh cut has been made there.

I gasp. "What is that?"

"It’s nothing serious. You know how I am." He tries to play it cool but something is off.

My head sharply turns in Mintaka’s direction and I grab his right hand.

To my horror, he has the same cut on it.

"Why do both of you have the same cuts? And don’t say that both of you fell or something lame?" I sternly say and they only offer me sheepish looks.

No, no, no. Don’t tell me, they went and did the Blood Oath, when I specifically forbade them from doing it.

"Whose idea was it?" I question again, turning my head from Mintaka towards Alnitak.

"Come, let’s get you to bed. We can talk about it later," Alnitak tries to play it off again.

"Really? So now both of you are going to gaslight me and ignore what I am asking."

The anger surges and I feel my ears burning up. My arms shake and I cross them over my heaving chest.

"Don’t be angry." Mintaka squeezes my shoulders again.

"Then tell me the truth, where were both of you? Did you do the blood oath?"

They exchange glances and then Alnitak turns his attention towards me.

"Yes, we did. It was needed to protect you and your secret."

"What the hell? Didn’t I specifically say not to do it? Whose idea was it?" Both of them bunch up their lips, refusing to shift the blame. I know only one person could make all of them agree.

"It’s your brother. Isn’t it?" My angered eyes shift from one brother to the other and they flash me their stupid smiles.

"He and I are going to have words." I hand Alnitak’s candy jar back and push past them and begin to descend the stairs.

"Amaia! Wait! Slow down," Mintaka calls from behind me, his rapid footsteps I can hear.

Alnitak, on the other hand, chuckles. "This will be fun, I told him we won’t be able to hide it from her."

Mintaka joins me as I rapidly descend and make my way towards Alnilam’s office, huffing and puffing.

"Don’t be so angry," he softly says, lightly touching my arm.

"Excluding me from something that centres around me and then trying to hide it from me. How do you expect me to calm down?"

"I know his way was wrong but he just wants to protect you, like the rest of us."

I am enraged, and nothing Mintaka says is pacifying me, it just fuels my anger.

"Doesn’t give him the excuse to put everyone else’s life in danger."

Mintaka sighs but keeps walking beside me.

We reach outside Alnilam’s office and rapidly knock.

We wait. No answer comes.

"He will be in his room, probably getting ready to go to bed," Mintaka says quietly, observing my face.

I turn and realise, he is right. He doesn’t sleep in his office. A heartbeat skips me at the thought but I am determined to face him.

"Take me to his room."

"We can do it tomorrow." Mintaka offers me a small smile and tilts his head, trying to act cute. His carmine hair frames his handsome face.

Doesn’t work.

"We are doing it right now," I insist and Mintaka lowers his head.

"Come, but if he is with Jamina. You are on your own." He takes my hand and guides me in the opposite direction.

My head spins at the thought. That’s a sight I don’t want to see.

Staying quiet I let Mintaka lead me towards the dorms where our faculty stays. I realise I have never been to this part of the Academy, nor do I know where Alnilam’s room is.

We come to a pause outside a violet-painted door with a silver nameplate hanging on it. Alnilam Orion is carved into it, glinting from the light of the torches.

My heart beats rapidly when Mintaka softly knocks on his door and whispers in my ear.

"Here goes nothing."