Valentina stood in front of the small tarnished mirror in her room, the strands of her hair still lying disorderly over her shoulders. Distant laughter drifted up to her from the lower floors, where some students were having a good time. But tonight there was only one place she wanted to be – Innogen''s room, where they would celebrate Innogen''s birthday together with Crispin.


    With a deep breath, Valentina pulled the comb through her hair and tried to organize the thoughts buzzing in her head and her hair at the same time. It had been a while since she had attended such a normal, almost intimate occasion.


    "Really, Valentina? That''s the best you can do?" The voice in her head was soft, only slightly teasing. Vyxara had been interfering more often lately when she stood in front of the mirror.


    Valentina glanced in the mirror and gritted her teeth. "It''s just a simple meeting with friends," she muttered, more to herself than to the demon in her head.


    "But still… you dare to appear so... plain?" Vyxara''s voice dripped with mockery. "Innogen will be radiant. Crispin will be embarrassed and insecure, pining over you as always. But you... do you really want to be the wallflower again?"


    Valentina paused, the comb faltering in her hair. She knew that Vyxara was often right with her observations. Her insecurity always crept up on her when she least needed it. The thought of being outshone by Innogen nagged at her. And Crispin – well, he was always by their side, always silently admiring, but she couldn''t deny that she quite liked his attention, even if she didn''t return his infatuation.


    "You could... do a little more," Vyxara suggested. "With just a little touch of Essence, you could make the light of the patterns dance in your hair, make your eyes stand out, highlight your natural beauty. The others would look at you with completely different eyes."


    Valentina closed her eyes. She had sworn to herself that she would only follow Vyxara''s advice in extreme distress. But this was a harmless temptation. A bit of cosmetics, basically – nothing anyone would find suspicious. Her fingers trembled as she thought about it.


    "You know I''m right," whispered Vyxara. "A little bit of shine. You''ve earned it."


    Valentina put the comb aside and looked at her face in the mirror. Her skin looked pale in the dim light, and the shadows under her eyes betrayed her exhaustion. She had worked far too many all-nighters recently. A light touch of Essence couldn''t hurt... could it?


    She reached for the small vial of Distilled Essence that she kept hidden in her drawer. She had to be insane to consume the sinfully expensive substance for such a vanity. Vyxara''s laughter echoed softly in her head as Valentina dripped a single drop onto her fingertips and gently stroked it over her cheeks and hair. A soft glow blossomed on her skin, barely perceptible, but just what she needed. Her eyes suddenly seemed deeper, her hair fell softer and shone and shimmered in the twilight.


    "Perfect," Vyxara said with satisfaction. "You look... seductive. But there''s still something missing."


    Valentina closed the drawer with a bang and stood up. "That''s enough," she said firmly. "I don''t need any more tricks. I don''t want to seduce anyone."


    "As you wish," Vyxara replied in a tone that carried both approval and amusement.


    Valentina ignored the words and turned to her dress. She didn''t have much choice, but Innogen had insisted that it should be a relaxed celebration. No ball gown, no etiquette – just friends spending time together. Not that she even had a ballgown. Nevertheless, Valentina didn''t want to appear completely homely. She chose a dark red dress made of soft fabric that was simple but elegant and put it on. One of her best dresses. It clung easily to her figure and made her feel a little more comfortable.


    As she took one last look in the mirror, she noticed the slight smile that had sneaked on her lips. Vyxara hadn''t completely convinced her, but she was happy with what she saw. She felt good. She was ready.


    Just as she was about to turn away, a knock sounded at her door. Valentina flinched, then took a deep breath and opened it.


    There was no one there. She frowned, looked into the empty hallway and shook her head in confusion. A strange feeling crept up her spine, but she closed the door and tried to ignore it. Vyxara remained silent. Someone had probably made a mistake in the room or played a joke. Some evenings, some students behaved a bit boorishly in the dormitory when they went out drinking or crawled back home afterward.


    Valentina took a deep breath and picked up her bag. The corridor was quiet as she made her way to Innogen''s room. Her heart was beating faster, not with nervousness, but in anticipation of the evening. It had been a long time since she had simply spent time not working, just enjoying herself, and Innogen had promised that it would be a nice, relaxed evening. But deep down, she knew that with Vyxara in her head, nothing was ever really relaxed.


    Valentina pushed down the handle and entered.


    When Valentina entered Innogen''s room, she was immediately enveloped in an atmosphere of warmth and coziness. The beautiful room was bathed in soft candlelight, and the scent of freshly baked pastries and warm, spiced milk hung in the air. Innogen and Crispin sat on soft cushions on the floor, surrounded by a small selection of treats and drinks.


    "Val!" cried Innogen happily, jumping up to hug her friend. "You look gorgeous! Come and sit with us."


    Valentina smiled and sat down next to Crispin, who gave her a shy smile. She noticed how his gaze wandered briefly over her dress and lingered on the swell of her breast before he looked away, blushing.


    "Oh, how sweet," Vyxara commented amusedly. "The poor boy is completely smitten with you."


    Valentina ignored the demon and concentrated on Innogen instead. "Happy birthday," she said warmly, pulling a small, cloth-wrapped package from her pocket. "I hope you like it."


    Innogen beamed and carefully began to open the cloth. When she opened the small wooden box and saw the Essence flower, her breath caught in her throat. "Oh, Val," she breathed, her eyes wide with wonder. "This is... this is incredible!"


    The flower shimmered softly in the candlelight, its petals in constant, gentle movement. Crispin leaned forward curiously, his eyes shining with admiration. "Wow, Valentina," he said quietly. "That''s really impressive Essence Weaving. How did you do it?"


    Valentina felt the blush rise to her face. "Oh, I... I''ve been practicing a lot, I don''t know how many nights I''ve been pulling all-nighters lately," she stammered, suddenly unsure of how to explain the complexity of her creation without mentioning Vyxara''s influence.


    "Now, now," Vyxara purred. "A little white lie won''t hurt, will it?"


    Fortunately, Innogen drew attention to herself by carefully placing the flower on her bedside table. "It''s beautiful, Val. I''ll always treasure it."


    Crispin cleared his throat nervously and pulled out a small package wrapped in leather. "Um, here''s my present," he said shyly. "It''s not as spectacular as Valentina''s, but I hope you like it anyway."


    Innogen carefully opened the package to reveal a hand-bound book. When she opened it, Valentina saw that it was filled with beautiful drawings of plants and animals, each page with detailed notes about their Essence properties.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    "Oh, Crispin," Innogen said softly. "That''s wonderful. Did you do all this yourself?"


    Crispin nodded, his face red with embarrassment. "I thought it might be useful for your studies on Leb-Essence."


    "How touching," Vyxara commented dryly. "The boy really has talent. Too bad he''s wasting it like this."


    Valentina suppressed the impulse to contradict the demon. Instead, she smiled warmly at Crispin. "That''s really impressive, Crispin. Your drawings show real talent." He blushed like a ripe red apple to be praised by her like that, but he straightened up proudly.


    The next hour flew by as the three friends chatted, laughed and enjoyed the treats Innogen had prepared and even drank some thin ale Crispin had brought. But as the evening wore on, Valentina noticed a certain melancholy creeping into Innogen''s eyes.


    "Is everything all right?" she asked gently, placing a hand on her friend''s arm.


    Innogen sighed deeply. "It''s just... I got a letter from my parents today. They reminded me how important it is that I ''make the right connections'' here." She rolled her eyes. "As if my studies weren''t important enough."


    Crispin frowned. "That sounds frustrating. Don''t they understand how talented you are?"


    "Oh, they understand," Innogen said bitterly. "They see it as just another tool to improve our dynastic position. Sometimes I feel like a pawn in their great political game. Marry the right man. Have the right children. Once my time here at the university is over, I won''t be able to postpone it much longer."


    Valentina felt a pang of sympathy. "That must be hard," she said quietly. "I can''t imagine being under so much pressure."


    "Oh, but you can," Vyxara whispered. "Think of your own family, of their expectations, of the debts that weigh on them."


    Valentina swallowed hard and tried to ignore the demon''s voice. Instead, she turned to Crispin. "How are things with you? Are your parents pressuring you too?"


    Crispin shrugged his shoulders, his gaze fixed on the floor. "Not really. They... they don''t really expect much from me. I''m just the second son, you know? My older brother will inherit. I''m here because... well because I don''t belong anywhere else."


    Innogen put a hand on his arm, comforting him. "Oh, Crispin. You belong here. You''re so talented and smart. Your family should be proud of you."


    Crispin smiled weakly. "Thank you. It''s just... I feel so insecure sometimes. Like I''m not good enough to be here."


    "I understand how you feel," Valentina said quietly. "Sometimes I feel like that too. As if I don''t belong here."


    Innogen and Crispin looked at her in surprise. "But Val," Innogen said gently, "you''re one of the most talented students in our year. How can you feel insecure?"


    Valentina felt tears welling up in her eyes. She wanted so much to tell her friends the truth, to tell them about Vyxara, about the feelings of guilt and fear that plagued her. But she knew she couldn''t.


    Instead, she took a deep breath and said, "It''s just... My family has sacrificed so much for me to be here. The debt they''ve taken on... They have trouble paying it all back, and the moneylenders are relentless. Sometimes I feel like I''m being crushed under the weight of all the expectations."


    Her friends looked at her sympathetically. Innogen reached for her hand and squeezed it gently. "Oh, Val. Why didn''t you ever tell us?"


    Valentina shrugged her shoulders, unable to look her friends in the eye. "I didn''t want to burden you. You have your own problems."


    Crispin leaned forward, his eyes full of concern. "Val, we''re your friends. You can tell us anything. We''re here for you. If we can do something to help, you need to tell us!"


    Valentina smiled faintly, her heart heavy with the secret she couldn''t share. "Thank you," she said softly. "That really means a lot to me."


    Silence reigned in the room for a moment, everyone lost in their own thoughts. Then Innogen cleared her throat, pinched her eyes, and reached for the mug of ale. "More ale, anyone?" she asked with a forced smile, obviously trying to lighten the mood.


    As Innogen poured the ale, Valentina felt Vyxara stirring in her mind. "You must still be careful," the demon whispered. "They can''t know about me or you''ll end up on the pyre. You''ll never really be able to tell them everything."


    Valentina suppressed a shudder and focused on her friends'' conversation instead. The sadness hung between them only briefly, and then they laughed again at an anecdote from Crispin''s last Essence practice tutorial, and for a moment, everything felt normal.


    But as the evening drew to a close and they said goodbye, Valentina felt the weight of her secret heavier than ever. She hugged Innogen tightly and wished her a happy birthday once again. "Thank you for coming," Innogen whispered softly in her ear. "It... it means a lot to me to have you as a friend."


    Valentina smiled warmly. "Me too, Innogen."


    As she walked down the corridor, she heard Vyxara''s voice in her head. "Friends," the demon murmured thoughtfully. "How long do you think they would be your friends if they discovered the truth?"


    Valentina closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She knew that Vyxara was right. No matter how much she wanted to tell the truth, she couldn''t. The consequences would be far too dire.


    She returned to her room with a heavy heart, the laughter and warmth of the evening still in her ears, but the cold sting of loneliness already in her chest. Valentina quietly closed the door behind her and leaned against it, exhausted, caught between the longing for closeness and the fear of discovery.


    "Well, that was an interesting evening," Vyxara spoke up, her voice full of sweet irony. "Your friends are really... charming."


    Valentina sighed deeply and lowered herself onto her narrow bed. "Please not now, Vyxara. I''m tired."


    "Oh, but now is the perfect time to think," the demon insisted. "Can''t you see how much you''ve changed already? How far you''ve come?"


    Valentina stared at her hands, which were still shimmering slightly from the Essence she had used on her appearance. "I don''t know if that''s a good thing," she muttered.


    She got up and went to the window, opening it a crack. The cool night air flooded in, bringing with it the smell of damp grass and distant smoke. Somewhere in the distance, the bells of the Burning Tower rang out the midnight hour.


    "Of course it is," purred Vyxara. "Look what you''ve created. The Essence flower for Innogen was a masterpiece. Your friends were impressed, weren''t they?"


    Valentina nodded slowly. "Yes, they were. But..." She hesitated, searching for the right words. "It feels wrong to deceive them. To lie to them."


    "Lies?" Vyxara sounded almost offended. "You didn''t lie to them. You just didn''t tell them everything. There''s a difference."


    Valentina turned away from the window and began to walk restlessly up and down the room. Her footsteps creaked on the cold floorboards. "But isn''t it the same? I''m hiding something important from them. Something that would make them think and behave differently if they knew. Something that has changed my whole life."


    She stopped in front of the small mirror and looked at her reflection. Was she still the same person she was two weeks ago? The dark circles under her eyes bore witness to the sleepless nights she had spent practising and studying. But there was also a new sparkle in her eyes, a hint of a self-confidence she had never had before.


    "You''ve changed, yes," Vyxara agreed. "But for the better. You''ve become stronger, more determined. Isn''t that what you wanted?"


    Valentina swallowed hard. "I wanted to be strong enough to help my family. To become a good Essence Weaver. But not as... as..."


    "Not as what?" Vyxara asked gently. "Not as successful? Not as talented? Not as admired?"


    Valentina shook her head, unable to find the right words. She went to her desk and pulled open the top drawer. Inside was the letter from her family that she had received a week ago. She took it out and read it again, her father''s words, full of hope and expectation.


    "I don''t want to disappoint them," she whispered.


    "And you won''t," Vyxara assured her. "With my help, you will exceed all their expectations. You will become a legend."


    Valentina put the letter back and closed the drawer. She took a deep breath and straightened up. "Maybe you''re right," she said slowly. "But we have to set boundaries. I can''t let you control my whole life."


    She felt Vyxara''s surprise like a wave in her mind. "Boundaries?" The demon sounded amused. "And what kind of boundaries do you have in mind, little Weaver? You had your chance to set boundaries for me after you summoned me. And you didn''t let it go completely unused. That’s the very reason we are in this predicament."


    Valentina went back to the window and looked out into the night. The moon was high in the sky, its silvery light bathing the rooftops of Bridgewater in a ghostly glow. "No tampering with my friends," she said firmly. "No dangerous or illegal activities. And..." She hesitated briefly. "I want you to warn me if anything you propose is dangerous or morally questionable."


    There was silence for a moment. Then Vyxara laughed softly. "Oh, little Weaver. You really are something special. Most people would strive for unlimited power, but you... You care about morality."


    "Is that a problem?" asked Valentina.


    "Not at all," Vyxara replied gently. "It makes you interesting. And it shows you''re smart enough to recognize the real dangers. I agree to your terms... For now."


    Valentina breathed a sigh of relief. She knew this was only a small victory, but it felt like an important step. "Good," she said, "then... then we''re partners?"


    "Partners," Vyxara repeated, and Valentina could hear the satisfaction in the demon''s voice. "Yes, I think we are. Partners in a great adventure."


    Valentina nodded slowly. She knew that it wouldn''t be easy, despite Vyxara''s help. That dicey situations and difficult decisions awaited her.


    She lay down in bed, the events of the evening still circling in her mind. As she closed her eyes, she heard Vyxara''s voice one last time: "Sleep well, little Weaver. A new day full of possibilities awaits us tomorrow.