“Professor.” Umbra was holding books to her chest as she approached Mikhailo at the end of his lecture. His eyes glanced over the room looking for Ayden, but he couldn’t see him. Oddly, he had been observing the lecture up until now. Where could he have gone?

“Yes, how can I help you?” He smiled as he finished arranging the papers on his desk.

“Your lecture about Kindred Souls and Soulmates.” She began, “What happens when you find your Soulmate?” She was staring at him intensely.

Mikhailo tilted his head slightly as he straightened his posture while crossing his arms against his chest. “That is rather vague.” He looked her in the eyes, meeting her unbreakable gaze, “What is your question exactly?” He probed.

She gripped her books tighter, “I just meant, before the ceremony, how do you know someone is your Soulmate?” She paused for a moment, “And what if they don’t know they are?”

Mikhailo could feel the sensation of biting straight into a whole lemon. A sour and bitterness causing discomfort, the feeling spread throughout his body.

“Well… I suppose most people know before their ceremony; it’s more of a confirmation of what’s already there than a tool to find Soulmates.” He paused in thought as she eagerly awaited his answer. “It’s been described as being struck with lightning that warms your body rather than harms. But it’s different for everyone. As far as your second question... ” He was at a loss for words, which rarely happened to him. Something about the context of this conversation, which he didn’t have, was leaning towards wildly inappropriate. But that couldn’t have been right? Umbra was his best student. She was determined to be the greatest student the Aptitude Academy had ever seen. She would never insinuate what it sounded like.

“Ask your mother.” Ayden’s voice cut in, causing her to jump slightly. 

He was suddenly sitting in a chair less than two feet away. The tall-tale signs of shadows slinking back into the darkness from whence they came, dispersing at his feet. Umbra turned to face him and he was smiling charismatically. It was fake. Only Mikhailo could tell.

“This conversation borders on the line of what is appropriate; does it not, Mrs. Chamberlain?” 

Her voice stuttered, “You know my name?”

“There’s power in knowing the name, is there not?” His tone was playfully threatening.

“A-apologies; I didn’t mean to offend.” She bowed her head toward Ayden, then to Mikhailo.

“You did.” Ayden’s response was sharp.

“What Professor Dreddour is trying to say is that, within the context of the subject you are referencing, certain questions would be seen as disrespectful to pose to a higher authority in charge of your education, such as I am.” Umbra looked up at  Mikhailo with tearful eyes and a small nod.

She began to walk towards the door as Ayden got up.

“Write me a thousand-word essay on the importance of socially acceptable topics of conversation pertaining to figures of authority.” She turned to look at him. Her face said that she had so much she wanted to say but she simply nodded once more. “And how Unseelie treats those who disrespect them.” This time his words were in her mind. Shadows licking the edges of her eyeballs as she rushed out of the room.

“You can’t threaten students.” Mikhailo sighed.

“I was educating.” Ayden turned around to face Mikhailo with a smile.

“Enough with that smile.”

“It’s my smile, I can’t change it.” Ayden’s smile turned into a bold smirk, “Soulmates.” He scoffed as his playful gaze turned hard, “What a fickle thing.”

“Not everyone feels the same way you do.” Mikhailo went back to organizing his desk.

“You don’t know how I feel.” 

Mikhailo’s entire posture changed and his expression became serious. “Unfortunately I do.”

“Then tell me, since you have all the answers.” 

“You’re going to say we’re soulmates.” Mikhailo deadpanned at Ayden.

“I love hearing that from your lips.” Ayden closed his eyes and drank in the sound.

“We are not.” Mikhailo’s voice was sharp enough to cut away Ayden’s delusion, “You know as well as I do that it is impossible. You saw to that yourself.” There was an inflection in Mikhailo’s voice that Ayden did not miss.

“It takes two to tango, or so the saying goes.” He suddenly flicked his wrist out and caught a paper crane between his fingers. Mikhailo watched as he unfolded the message sent to him and waited patiently as he read it.

“Looks like the Headmistress requires our attention.” He whispered something into the paper, and Mikhailo watched as it folded itself into an owl and flew away, presumably back to its sender.

“What for?” 

“Missing students.” Ayden placed his hands in his pockets as he turned to head towards Annette’s office.

“Missing students?” Mikhailo hurriedly followed in the Unseelie’s footsteps.