As she walked down the corridor, on her way to her next class, she suddenly heard hurried footsteps behind her. She turned and saw Crispin coming towards her, his face a mixture of nervousness and determination.


    "Valentina," he called, slightly out of breath. "Can I have a word with you?"


    Valentina stopped and turned to Crispin. The slight young man stood before her, his cheeks flushed, his hands clutching nervously at the straps of his worn leather bag. The dim light from the Essence lamps in the corridor cast flickering shadows on his face, and for a moment, Valentina thought she saw a mixture of hope and fear in his eyes.


    "Of course, Crispin," she replied with a gentle smile. "What''s this about?"


    Crispin looked around as if to make sure no one else was within earshot. The corridor was empty, with only the distant echo of footsteps and muffled voices reaching them.


    "Can we... can we go somewhere where we can talk undisturbed?" he asked quietly.


    Valentina nodded and pointed to a small alcove at the end of the corridor, where a wooden bench stood beneath a stained glass window. They sat down and for a moment there was an awkward silence between them.


    "Oh, how adorable," Vyxara purred in Valentina''s head. "The poor boy is so nervous. I can almost taste his feelings for you."


    Valentina ignored the demon and focused instead on Crispin, who took a deep breath as if bracing himself for something difficult.


    "Valentina, I... I wanted to talk to you about the poem," he began, his voice barely more than a whisper.


    Valentina felt her stomach tighten. She had hoped that this topic wouldn''t come up again. "The poem?" she asked, even though she knew exactly what he was talking about.


    Crispin nodded, his gaze fixed on his hands, which he kneaded in his lap. "Yes, that... The poem Professor Horne read in class. I''m sorry. I... I wanted to explain..."


    "Oh, Crispin," Valentina interrupted him gently. "You don''t have to apologize for that. It was a beautiful poem."


    Crispin''s head shot up, his eyes wide with surprise. "Really? You... you liked it?"


    Valentina smiled warmly. "Of course it was. It was very touching and sincere. I felt... honored that you feel that way about me."


    A hint of blush crossed Crispin''s cheeks. "I''m... I''m glad you liked it. I was so afraid you''d find it embarrassing or creepy."


    "No, not at all," Valentina assured him. "But Crispin, I have something to tell you and I hope you understand."


    Crispin''s smile faded slightly, as if he had guessed what was coming. Valentina took a deep breath and continued: "You''re a wonderful friend, Crispin. One of the best I''ve ever had. But... I see you as a friend. Not as... more."


    She saw disappointment spread through Crispin''s eyes, followed by a valiant attempt to hide it. "I... I understand," he said quietly. "I had hoped, but... I understand."


    Valentina gently placed her hand on his. "I''m sorry, Crispin. I didn''t mean to hurt you. Your friendship means so much to me and I don''t want to lose it."


    Crispin nodded slowly. "No, of course not. I''m... I''m glad we''re friends, Valentina. That won''t change, I promise."


    There was a moment of silence in which they were both lost in their thoughts. Suddenly, a loud wail echoed through the corridor, followed by excited voices. Valentina and Crispin flinched.


    "What was that?" Crispin asked in alarm.


    Valentina stood up and peered down the corridor. A group of students hurried past, their faces pale and tense. "I don''t know," she replied, "but I''m afraid it has something to do with the news this morning. The goblin attack..."


    Crispin''s face darkened. "Yes, the attack on Farwinter. It''s hard to believe something like that can still happen."


    Valentina sat down next to him again. She hadn’t missed his expression. "Have you... have you ever had anything to do with goblins?" she asked cautiously.


    Crispin nodded slowly, his gaze fixed in the distance. "Yes, unfortunately. There was a raid on our village when I was a child. It wasn''t as bad as Farwinter, but... It was horrible enough."


    Valentina felt her heart tighten. "Oh Crispin, I''m so sorry. Do you want to talk about it?"


    Crispin hesitated for a moment, then began to tell the story, his voice quiet and serious. "It was a summer night, just before the harvest. I was perhaps eight years old. Suddenly there was an alarm – goblins had come across the fields, a whole horde of them."


    He paused, took a deep breath. Valentina waited patiently, giving him time to gather his thoughts.


    "They came so fast," he continued. "Before we knew it, they were everywhere. I remember their screams, the disgusting stench that surrounded them. My father fought alongside the other villagers while my mother took me and my siblings to the cellar."This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    Valentina reached for his hand and squeezed it gently. Crispin smiled gratefully and continued.


    "We spent the whole night down there, trembling with fear. We could hear the sounds of battle, the crashing of breaking wood, the screams... My mother gave my older brother a dagger and told him that if the goblins came, she would pounce on the goblins and he should kill us with the dagger. Our sisters first. The next morning, when we finally came out, most of the village was destroyed. Many were injured, some... Some were dead or... missing."


    "That must have been terrible," whispered Valentina.


    Crispin nodded. "It was as if the world had changed overnight. Nothing was the same as before. My father... he was never the same after that night. He started drinking, became bitter. That''s one of the reasons why I''m so grateful to be here, at the university. It''s a chance to escape that shadow."


    Valentina felt tears gathering in her eyes. She had had no idea what Crispin had been through. Suddenly she understood his reserve, his shyness, in a whole different context.


    "Crispin, I... I don''t know what to say. You''re so strong, you got through it all."


    He smiled weakly. "I don''t feel strong. But I''m trying to make something of my life, to do something good. That''s why I''m here, that''s why I want to become Essence Weaver. To help others, to protect them."


    At that moment, Valentina saw Crispin with completely new eyes. No longer as the shy boy who ran after her but as a young man who, in his own way, pursued his goal just as straightforwardly as she did.


    "You''ll be a great Essence Weaver, Crispin," she said with conviction. "Your experiences, your compassion – these can be strengths that many others don''t have."


    Crispin blushed slightly at her praise. "Thank you, Valentina. That means a lot to me, especially from you."


    They sat in amicable silence for a moment, both lost in thought. Then Crispin cleared his throat.


    "You know," he began hesitantly, "I''m glad we had this conversation. Not just because of the poem, but... it feels good to have told someone about what happened back then. To have someone who listens and understands. I''m glad to have you as a friend."


    Valentina smiled warmly. "I''m happy too, Crispin. You can always come to me if you want to talk. That''s what friends are for."


    They stood up, both with the feeling that something had changed between them. Not in the way Crispin might have hoped, but in a way that deepened and strengthened their friendship.


    As they walked down the corridor, Valentina felt a twinge of guilt. She had heard Crispin talk about his darkest experiences, while she herself was carrying around a huge secret that she was keeping from her friends. For a moment, she was tempted to tell him about Vyxara, about the forbidden books, about everything.


    "That would be most unwise, little Weaver," Vyxara spoke up. "Openness is a weakness you cannot afford. Concentrate on your goals."


    Valentina shook her head slightly to dispel the demon''s voice. She knew Vyxara was right, even if she didn''t like it. Instead, she turned to Crispin.


    "Thank you for trusting me, Crispin. I promise you, once I''m an Essence Weaver, I too will protect people like your family."


    Crispin smiled, his eyes full of warmth and affection. "I know you will, Valentina. You''re already extraordinary."


    With these words, they parted ways. Valentina stood still for a moment and looked after Crispin as he walked down the corridor. She decided that if she had to walk around with a demon in her head that gave her access to secret knowledge, then she could at least use her growing abilities to do good and help people.


    Lost in these thoughts, she made her way to her room. Valentina closed the door to her small attic room behind her and leaned against it, exhausted.


    She flopped down on her narrow bed and stared at the sloping ceiling. The day''s events swirled through her mind: the terrible news about the goblin attack, Innogen''s concern for her family, the conversation with Crispin...


    "An eventful day, wasn''t it, little Weaver?" Vyxara''s voice sounded amused in her head.


    Valentina sighed. "Yes, I suppose you could say that."


    She got up and went to the window, opened it wide and let in the cool evening air.


    "You''ve had to do a lot of emotional labor for others today," Vyxara continued. "Your friend Innogen, so worried about her noble family. Poor Crispin, in love, and his tragic past. And you, in the middle of it all, alone with a secret that could change everything. Well. Not entirely alone, of course. There’s me after all."


    Valentina leaned against the window frame and watched as the first stars appeared in the sky. "I don''t know what to do, Vyxara. I feel like I''m lying to everyone."


    "Lying?" The demon laughed softly. "You''re protecting them, little Weaver. From truths that would harm them to know. From possibilities that would frighten them."


    Valentina shook her head. "But is it right? Shouldn''t I be honest with my friends?"


    "And what good would that do?" Vyxara asked gently. "Would they understand you? Or would they turn away from you, perhaps even betray you? No, little Weaver, secrets are sometimes necessary. They not only protect you, but also those you love."


    Valentina turned away from the window and went to her desk. Her hand stroked the cover of one of the forbidden books she kept carefully hidden. She sensed the power that lay dormant in the pages, the knowledge that was waiting to be discovered.


    "But what about my ambitions?" she asked quietly. "I want to become a great Essence Weaver, I want to help my family, I want to make a difference. But at the same time, I can''t let people notice how quickly my skills are growing. I have to be careful."


    "Ah, that brings us to the heart of the matter," Vyxara said, and Valentina could hear the excitement in the demon''s voice. "You have great potential, little Weaver. Greater than you know. But to realize it, you have to be willing to take risks now and then, to cross boundaries."


    Valentina sat down at her desk and pulled a sheet of parchment towards her. With trembling hands, she began to write, organizing her thoughts.


    "The Greystone Competition," she murmured. "I need the money and it would be a way to prove my skills without... without risking too much, right?"


    "An excellent idea," Vyxara agreed. "A chance to show off your skills, gain recognition, get financial support for your family. And maybe even the protection of an important patron. Cosimo Greystone, the Duke of Duskenshire, is known to support the winners of the competition sponsored by his house."


    Cosimo Greystone, thought Valentina, the man to whose son Innogen was to be married. A magnate of the kingdom and fabulously wealthy. Valentina nodded slowly as she noted the pros and cons on the parchment. "But the competition will be fierce. Faustus and the other rich students have so many advantages..."


    "And you have me," Vyxara reminded her gently. "Together, we can accomplish things that the others couldn''t buy with all the gold in the world."


    Valentina put the pen aside and read through her notes again. She stood up and walked to the tarnished mirror, looking at her reflection in the faint light of the setting sun. Despite the long day, she still looked presentable.


    "I''m going to do it," she said firmly. "I''m going to enter the Greystone Competition. I''m going to give it everything I''ve got and I''m going to win."


    She sensed Vyxara''s satisfaction ripple through her consciousness. "A wise decision, little Weaver. You''ll be great, I promise you that."


    With renewed courage and a mixture of excitement and fear in her heart, Valentina stepped out of her door once more. She would register for the competition today.