"Thank you for saving me,” he whispered.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded, giving the best fake smile I could muster.
He ran back to his black-haired friend, and they both darted off down the path and out of our sight. Logan ruffled his hair, taking another calming breath before glancing my way.
His normally gold eyes were now a bright amber; they usually shifted to orange when he used his magic.
My eyes were similar, shifting from their ruby color to a magnificent gold that was brighter than Logan's, making them look like they were glowing.
He approached me slowly and I didn't move, still staring in the direction the boys had gone off in.
When the blond boy lost his balance, it was as if I were back at Brighten Magic Academy watching my brother fall over the edge and plunging to his death.
Even though I'd saved this boy from getting injured, it didn't help the guilt I still felt. I was able to save him but not my own brother.
Logan's hands brushed against my cheeks, and his face blocked my view, his amber eyes slowly turning back to their usual golden hue.
"Jewel. Breathe, baby,” he soothed; his quiet voice was filled with worry.
I hadn't realized I was holding my breath until he'd mentioned it, and I took a deep breath.
"I'm fine," I stated, and Logan gave me a guarded look which meant he wasn't satisfied with my answer.
His hand left my cheek and moved to pull my right hand from my pocket. I glanced away, unable to hide the way it shook from my heightened anxiety.
"Pathetic, right? How am I going to go to a magic school if I panic over something as simple as summoning wind magic," I whimpered, a tear rolling down my cheek.
Logan pulled me into a hug, and I squeezed my eyes shut. I wished I could just get over this, move on from my brother's death and live the life I once dreamed of when I was a small child.
"We'll work on it. Okay, my precious?" he reassured me.
"Alright," I replied, pulling back to give him a small smile.
He was right. I could work on it.
I still wanted time to think about if going to a normal university was the best decision. If I changed my mind, I could always drop out, but it would be a waste of money and time.
People already criticized Logan for wasting two years before going to school. I could imagine them treating me the same for my poor decisions, especially in a town as small as Natala.
"Let's go home." He kissed me on the lips and wiped the last of my tears from my cheeks.
Slipping my hand into his, we walked the rest of the way to his place in silence, both of us lost in our thoughts.
We'd have to make the final decision in regard to our futures.
I just hoped I made the right choice.
* * *
“Brother. . . could I have done something differently?”
Again, I stood before the school tower, watching from above as my brother stared down at me. Those gold eyes I adored looked at me with love and compassion. My dear brother would do anything to make me laugh and prevent anyone from making me cry. When Father died, Brother was our support, but now there he stood, staring down at me with a sad expression.
"No, Jewel. There's nothing you could have done,” he whispered, closing his eyes and leaning forward, falling off the edge.
Every time I watched him fall, I felt just as I did that day.
My fear, shock, and determination to save Gabriel would hit me all at once, and I'd outstretch my little hands to stop his fall with my magic. Yet each time was the same; his body would fall and crash to the ground, my pathetic wind magic doing nothing to prevent his death.