“Diem!” Freya threw her arms around her, hugging her to her body tightly. For a while she held the embrace, hands gripping the material of her blazer as if she believed she wasn’t real. “I’m so sorry.” She breathed, finally releasing her from her hold. “I never meant to put you or anyone else in danger.”<br/><br/>“I know. It was a mistake. No one knew that hunters would attack.” Except for her. Here Freya was, distraught and lackluster, deeply depressed over the innocent lives lost and the harm she had done to those she held dear. With how big her heart was, Diem knew she was punishing herself more than anyone ever could. It looked like she hadn’t left the bed since Maxim had brought her there to recover. As she sat at the edge of the bed, listening to how regretful and ashamed she was, Diem wondered if she, too, should have been just as remorseful. She had dismissed her vision as some trivial anomaly, not know that it would come to fruition in the form of a vicious and brutal attack. Her mind went to the dark figure she saw, vividly recalling the eerie, but catchy tune it whistled as it anticipated their arrival. For a second she wondered if she should have said something before now, but she was too afraid of the colossal backlash she would get from the likes of their tyrant instructors. She decided that it was best left in the past, where Freya should have been trying to put all of this in order to move on. Despite the comforting words Diem had left her with, the blonde laid back down.<br/><br/>Weeks had gone by, and she still hadn’t seen Freya around campus. Every now and then, she would ask after her since she respected that she wanted to be alone to reflect on her actions. Maxim informed her that she was starting to take care of herself, showering daily and dressing even though she had nowhere to be—or nowhere she wanted to be. She had made up her mind about attending Lancaster as a third year, and she felt that she would obtain no benefit from wasting her time learning things she already knew and repeating classes she had already taken. Still, she was made to attend assemblies. As the tall blonde entered, the room lit up as usual. Her classmates were happy to see her, and others were curious to know how she was and relieved to know that she was well. Before she seated herself between Kira and Talia, she heard a voice from afar call out her name. She turned and the masses parted, revealing Talon as he ran up to her. He crushed her form to him so hard that Diem thought he might break her, but she was happy to see them together after weeks apart.<br/><br/>She never did get to use her retrocognition, and something told her that she didn’t have to. He was madly in love with her.<br/><br/>“PDA makes me sick,” Sera sighed, though the little glimmer in her blue eyes told her that she was just swooning at the sight of the two just like everyone else.<br/><br/>“No wonder you can’t stand me,” Bash smirked, his tail wrapped around Diem’s nylon-clad ankle, pulling her under his arm.<br/><br/>“I don’t think anyone can stand you,” Diem chuckled, pushing him off of her and unwinding his tail from around her leg. She learned that Bash was part incubus, and a spirit user’s energy was like a delicacy he couldn’t seem to resist. To stave off his cravings, she gave him small doses to curb his appetite, though if he had it his way she’d be charging him the old fashioned way. Diem kept it limited to the training grounds and the occasional fix when he was getting too touchy-feely. Even Maxim’s headlocks couldn’t keep him from wrapping that tail around her and sneaking peeks under her skirt.<br/><br/>Professor Relic announced that they would have a week of leisure and a dance to let loose. Diem was a bit uneasy about dances after her run-in with hunters, and she was also painfully aware of how underdressed she would be. All the girls were already chattering about what they were going to wear and planning shopping trips in the city.<br/><br/>“Are you coming?” Sera asked.<br/><br/>“N-no, I actually heard that the decorating committee needed volunteers to help with set up. I’ll catch up with you later.” She said, waving her and the others off. Maxim and Bash left as well, paling up to find something fun to do in the city. Rightfully so, Talon and Freya were off to find some well-deserved privacy. Diem found the student counsel group and was given frustrating task of untangling lights. “Isn’t there a damn spell for this?” She muttered to herself. She was up until the early hours of the morning with them, making sure everything was in picture perfect condition before turning in for the night.<br/><br/>Diem had never gotten the whole school dance experience. She was never around long enough, because her father felt the need to relocate in a hurry, and even if she was she didn't have friends to go with or a date to escort her. Though she was somewhat convinced that she was going to get ahead in her studies, quite a few people had asked her. Guys she didn't even know existed, admirers she didn't know she had, and the obvious horn ball demon who followed her about. She thought to borrow something from Sera, but all her clothes had slits in them for her wings. Freya was too tall, and Lora's clothes were too small to accommodate her curves. Sighing, she pushed herself off the bed and gathered up her books to head to the library a few hours before the dance.