Thornhill Academy. Chapter 16

My thoughts twisted into knots the closer we got. How did this even work? I’d never set foot in a bank before, let alone a place like this. Was it really as simple as pricking your finger? Would it tell me who my parents were? Give me a lead? Or was I setting myself up for another disappointment? Inside, the place was massive. White marble floors gleamed underfoot, polished so bright I could see my own reflection in them. High ceilings arched overhead, painted with golden constellations that shimmered faintly as though the stars themselves were alive. Massive windows stretched from floor to ceiling, spilling sunlight across the cavernous hall. On the right side, a long row of booths hummed quietly with magic. Lines of people waited patiently, each shuffling forward one step at a time, while the booths themselves flickered with faint blue light. Not a single teller or employee was anywhere in sight, just the booths, waiting. It felt more like a temple than a bank.

Tessa led the way into the nearest line, bouncing on her toes as she whispered, “Okay, so here’s how it works. You step up to the booth, prick your finger, and it scans your blood. That’ll tell you if there’s anything in your family name you can access, properties, assets, money, whatever. If you’ve got funds, you can withdraw them here or get a card for town use.”

“Sounds easy enough,” I muttered, though my stomach wasn’t convinced.

Tessa’s grin was bright. “It is! Mine told me about my family’s little rabbit burrow back home. Nothing fancy, but at least it confirmed I existed in the system.”

I stared down the line at the glowing booths, my chest tight. “Can it tell me who my parents are?”

Tessa’s smile faltered, her eyes softening as she shook her head. “No. It doesn’t work like that. It’ll just tell you what your bloodline has. Not… who they are.”

A hollow ache thudded low in my chest. Figures. Of course the one thing I wanted most wasn’t something the Council’s shiny little machines could give me.

The line moved fast, too fast and before I knew it, Tessa was tugging me into one of the glowing booths. It was tight inside, barely big enough for two people, but she didn’t seem to notice, her braid brushing my shoulder as she leaned close to point at the small circular slot in the wall.

“Hand,” she whispered, like it was some sacred ritual. “Palm up. Slide it in there.”

My pulse thudded in my ears as I slipped my hand into the opening. The metal was cool against my skin. A faint sting pricked my finger, then the booth hummed with power. The screen in front of us flickered, shimmering with lines of unreadable symbols before finally settling into words.

I blinked. Tessa gasped.

Assets Detected: Significant Monetary Holdings Available

Access Level: Approved

Balance Equivalent: $50,000,000

My jaw went slack.

“Holy fucking shit,” Tessa breathed, clutching my arm so hard I almost yelped. Her wide eyes darted from the screen to me and back again.

“What the fuck?” I managed, my voice barely more than a rasp.

We both stood frozen, staring at the impossible number glowing in front of us. Fifty. Million. Dollars.

The sheer size of it made my stomach twist. Who the hell were my parents? What kind of people left behind that kind of fortune? And why the fuck had I been left to rot in the Wastelands like I was worth nothing at all?

I leaned closer, whispering like the booth might rat us out. “What do we do?”

Tessa’s shock melted into a grin so wide it nearly split her face. She grabbed my shoulders, shaking me once in pure excitement.

“We get a card,” she said, eyes sparkling, “and we get you a bloody bathroom!”

Despite myself, a laugh sputtered out of me, shaky and incredulous. Maybe, for once, fate wasn’t screwing me over.

I tapped the option for a card. The booth hummed, and before I could pull my hand away, something sharp stabbed into my wrist. I hissed through my teeth, jerking, but the metal cuff held my arm in place until the sting faded.

“What the hell...”

Tessa leaned in, unfazed. “Oh, right. I forgot to mention. The card’s put into your wrist. Safer that way. Can’t exactly have someone stealing fifty million out of your pocket, can we?”

Fifty million. The number still made my head spin.

Tessa’s grin softened a little, her voice dropping as she added, “Maybe… we shouldn’t tell anyone about this.”

I let out a breath I hadn’t realised I’d been holding, pressing my other hand against the faint warmth in my wrist where the card now pulsed under my skin. “Yeah. I don’t think it’s a good idea to go around telling people my arm now holds fifty million. I kind of want to keep the arm. And the money.”

Tessa giggled, clasping her hands. “Aww, our first secret!”

I snorted, shaking my head, but couldn’t fight the small smile tugging at my lips.

We stepped out of the booth together, blinking into the sunlight spilling through the massive windows. Outside, the street bustled with students, shifters, and magicals weaving between storefronts. The air smelled of bread and spice, the murmur of voices blending with the chime of shop bells. I looked at Tessa. She looked at me. And then, unexpectedly, I laughed. A sharp, breathless sound that surprised even me.

“What a day,” I muttered, still grinning. Then I tilted my head at her. “So… how much can that van of yours hold?”

Tessa’s eyes sparkled. “A lot.”

We headed straight for The Hopping Hare. The shop was pure chaos in the best way, shelves groaning with bottles that fizzed and smoked, racks of enchanted quills scribbling on their own parchment, bundles of herbs hanging from the rafters, glittering stones humming with faint magical resonance. We filled baskets with everything on Hill’s list and more. Vials, cauldrons, self-heating stirring rods, and protective gloves that were charmed against acid burns. And then the extras: A quill that translated messy handwriting into neat script. A satchel that remained the same weight regardless of how much you stuffed into it. A tiny jar of powder that could banish stains with a flick. An enchanted mirror that whispered affirmations if you looked like hell. Every time I caught Tessa’s gaze lingering longingly on something like a stack of soft fur blankets or a charm bracelet with shifting gemstones, I added it to the pile without a word. Because I’d never had a friend before. And for the first time in my life, I was starting to like the idea of having one.