NOVPUBMorning came late and groggy, the kind of grey, muddled dawn where even the castle ghosts preferred to stay curled under their bedsheets. I didn't sleep much. How could I, with the memory of last night's not-quite-a-date gnawing away at my thoughts like a nervous rat in a pantry?
I rolled over, face squashed into the pillow, and blinked blearily at the ceiling. Smaug, ever the picture of reptilian innocence, was snoring softly beside my knees, curled like a monstrous, fire-breathing croissant. He twitched in his sleep, a puffy cloud of smoke trailing from his nostrils and forming a perfect ring over my toes.
[You look like death warmed over and sprinkled with burnt toast crumbs,] the system drawled inside my head.
I groaned. "Thank you for that."
[It's a compliment. You should see yourself after battle practice.]
I flipped the pillow over, pressing it against my ear. "Go haunt someone else."
[Can't. You're contractually stuck with me. Now, are we going to talk about the fact that your girlfriend is a pod person, or are you just going to marinate in denial?]
I bolted upright. Smaug slid off the bed with an indignant thump and glared at me, wounded dignity smoldering.
"Don't look at me like that," I muttered, scrubbing my eyes. "There's something wrong with Velka, Smaug. Something really wrong."
He blinked, yawned, and flicked his tail, accidentally knocking my enchanted hairbrush off the bedside table.
[Now you're just projecting,] the system sniffed. [Maybe she finally got a good night's sleep. Or swapped spirits with a tax collector. These things happen.]
"No. She got the library story wrong," I whispered, my stomach knotting. "And she , she kissed my cheek. In public."
[The horror,] the system deadpanned.
I ignored it, pulling my knees to my chest. "She didn't even insult me once. Not one word. Not a single 'drama queen' or 'fire hazard.'"
Smaug padded over and dropped my boot onto my foot, like a scaly butler. I took it as a sign: action, not moping.
Downstairs, the academy bustled with its usual symphony of chaos. Students darted past, clutching spellbooks and croissants, hair in various states of singe. Mara and Elira on guard duty, as always watched the entrance with hawk-like focus, but I slipped past with a conspiratorial wink. I needed answers, and I needed them before I lost my mind.
Aria spotted me near the main staircase. She wore her "I'm investigating something" face eyebrows raised, lips pursed, the faint shimmer of a tracking spell woven into her hair.
"Hey, Elya!" she chirped, falling into step beside me. "You seen Velka this morning? She's everywhere like, she was in the potions lab at dawn and then at breakfast, but she never eats breakfast."
"Did she seem… off to you?" I asked, careful not to sound too desperate.
Aria shrugged. "I mean, she didn't insult anyone's boots, so yeah. Kind of. She asked if I wanted to play chess. Velka hates chess."
I chewed my lip, unease spiking. "Right."
We rounded the corner into the east corridor where, sure enough, Velka was waiting. Or rather, her doppelgänger. She leaned against the wall, arms crossed, a slightly dreamy smile stretched across her lips.
"There you are!" she said brightly, voice just a little too musical. "I was hoping we could spend more time together today. Alone."
Aria shot me a look. I gave her the subtlest head-shake I could manage.
"Um, actually, I need to talk to Mara and Elira first," I said quickly. "Guard business. You know how it is."
Velka pouted. "Can't it wait?"
My heart lurched. That pout was wrong, too. It was the kind of pout you read about in badly written romance novels. Not the sort Velka would ever let cross her face. The real Velka would have rolled her eyes and called me a royal brat, then demanded hot chocolate for her trouble.
Aria, to her credit, came to the rescue. "We'll catch up with you later, Velka!" she chirped, grabbing my arm and dragging me down the corridor with the speed of someone who'd just seen a basilisk in the laundry room.
The second we turned the corner, I pulled her aside. "We need to find the real Velka."
Aria's eyes widened. "You mean there's a fake one?"
"I think so. Or she's possessed. Or enchanted. Or something. But it's not her."
Smaug, who had trotted after us (his claws leaving little scorch marks on the stone), snorted in agreement. "You're not being paranoid, right?" Aria whispered.
"I wish I was. She got the library story wrong."
Aria's expression turned grave. "Nobody messes up a library story. Not at Arcanum."
"Exactly."
We set off, scouring every hidden nook, secret staircase, and gloomy alcove. I even braved the forbidden wing, though the ghosts were grumpy and the air tasted like old spells and socks. No sign of Velka. Not even a whiff of her signature perfume the one that smelled faintly of dark berries and stubbornness.
Hours passed. My nerves frayed like ancient scrolls. I checked everywhere she might have hidden a broom cupboard, the abandoned music hall, the attic full of screaming skulls. Nothing.
Finally, exhausted, I collapsed onto a bench in the greenhouse, surrounded by carnivorous orchids. Aria sat beside me, hair wild, shoes muddy, her usual cheer dimmed.
"What if we can't find her?" she asked softly.
"We will," I said, more stubborn than hopeful.
[You do realize,] the system cut in dryly, [that if this is a magical clone, it'll get… unpredictable. Attachment, possessiveness, mild-to-moderate murder attempts. You know. Tuesday stuff.]
I shuddered. "Great."
As if on cue, Velka's clone appeared in the doorway, eyes burning too bright. She marched over, every step purposeful.
"I've been looking for you everywhere," she said, voice trembling with forced sweetness. "Why do you keep running off, Elyzara? Don't you want to spend time with me?"
A chill crept up my spine. I stood, feigning confidence. "Of course. Just needed some air."
She smiled, wide and sharp. "You don't need anyone but me, you know. I can protect you. I'll always protect you. Forever."
Beside me, Aria's eyes widened. Smaug tensed, tail flicking.
I took a steadying breath, heart pounding. "Why don't we go for a walk, Velka?" I suggested, trying to keep her distracted. "Just the two of us."
She nodded eagerly, latching onto my arm.
