Miria slowly opened her eyes. The ceiling above her didn't ring a bell. Neither did the bed. Soft. Plush. Nothing like the one in her room.
She lifted her head a little and blinked several times. The dim lighting gave the room an almost magical atmosphere. The walls were painted in soothing tones, a few paintings depicting nightscapes, and a large window let in the pale light of dusk.
"Where am I…?" she murmured, lost.
A calm, slightly amused voice pulled her from her thoughts.
"Are you better now?"
Miria jumped and turned quickly. In the doorway, Asher stood with his arms crossed, a charming smile on his lips. That same enigmatic, reassuring smile… almost annoyingly perfect.
She nodded shyly, relieved without really knowing why. But this calm lasted only a moment.
A searing pain shot through her. Her forehead furrowed, and her hands instinctively came to rest on her temples.
"Aaah... my head..."
Asher immediately jumped up and sat on the edge of the bed, worried.
"Miria! Breathe... breathe slowly... How long ago did this pain start?"
"Three... or two days... I'm not sure anymore," she replied, her eyes brimming with tears.
He placed a hand on her head, then gently slid his fingers through her hair, slowly sliding them down her back, as if he wanted to erase the pain.
"It's your mind," he said calmly. "It's waking up. Your power... awakening."
Miria opened her eyes, troubled.
"My power...?"
"What you're hearing... those voices in your head, they're not hallucinations. They're the thoughts of the people around you."
She stared at him, stunned.
"You mean I can... read minds?"
"Yes. It's telepathy. And this is just the beginning. There may be other gifts still dormant within you. You're... special, Miria. You're the descendant of a powerful witch."
A silence fell, heavy with meaning.
"But... why now? I've never felt anything before…"
"Powers sometimes trigger under stress, or when a mind is ready. And you, even if you didn't know it, were born with this potential."
"It's horrible, Asher. I'm hearing thoughts I don't want to hear. It's like... like someone's screaming inside my head." Isn't there a way to... shut them up?
He nodded.
"There is. And that's precisely why I'm going to train you. You're going to learn to control your powers, to set up mental barriers, to protect yourself. But for that... you're going to have to stay here with me."
"Stay here?" she asked, her cheeks suddenly flushing. "You mean... live with you?"
"Yes. I can't leave you alone with those voices in your head. And besides... I admit I want you to stay safe."
Miria felt her heart skip a beat. Living... with Asher? Him, as handsome as a dream, with his piercing eyes and mysterious aura?
Her conscience: What's wrong, Miria?! Stop blushing like a tomato! He's a mentor, not a crush!
Miria (embarrassed): Oh, really?
Her conscience (sarcastic): And why did you imagine sleeping in his arms for two seconds? Huh?
Miria (embarrassed): Shut up, conscience!
She blinked when she realized Asher was still looking at her. He raised his hand and gently clapped her palms.
"You were off in your own world there. FYI, I also called your school and told them you'd be absent for the next few weeks."
"And they accepted it like that?" she asked, surprised.
"Let's just say I was... very convincing," he said with a mischievous wink.
Miria rolled her eyes, half amused, half unsettled.
"Go get some rest. Tomorrow, your real training begins."
He stood up, gave her one last look before leaving the room. The door closed softly behind him.
Miria remained alone, her head filled with a thousand questions. Her heart was beating fast, but not with fear. More like... excitement? Or anxiety? Maybe a bit of both.
"Telepathy... descendant of a witch... living here..." she murmured, sinking into the cushions.
Too many revelations. She closed her eyes, exhausted. And fell asleep almost immediately.