But the other part!

I didn’t know how yet, but I was going to leave this frightening strange prison at any cost. What were your mother's abilities? Did she even have them? And who then was the one who haunted us all these years? Mad scientists with their sights set on a superhero? Decided to blackmail him into fulfilling his every whim, helping him do evil?

Each new idea seemed crazier than the previous one. I knew that I would simply go crazy if I stayed here without any initiative, waiting for news from my mother. Because in the real world, superheroes weren't immortal.

– What will you do with the Hunter? – Madame Pelisey asked measuredly, even casually.

And I realized that because of my own emotions I had again missed part of the conversation. Tired. I was already too tired, and my concentration level kept jumping, allowing me to hear only fragments now.

I probably won't get away with two hours of sleep this time.

Mom’s voice now seemed terribly distant:

– I’ll take him as far as possible and…

– Excuse me, have you seen a white spider here? – a voice unfamiliar to me burst into the silence of the corridor.

Turning around, I saw a handsome guy about the same age two steps away from me. He smiled politely as he looked at me. Apparently, he was waiting for an answer, but there was still no answer, because I practically hovered, my gaze fixed on his face.

It turned out to be nobly pale. Exactly noble, and not like a person with chronic lack of sleep, where black circles under the eyes occupy most of the face.

A neat triangular chin, slightly protruding forward. Expressive, clearly defined lips, large nose and sharp cheekbones. The dark green eyes seemed incredible, bewitching, like emeralds in the reflection of a flame.

A deep, soulful look.

His charm demolished all barriers. Each part of the face alone would never have made anyone handsome, but in him all this wealth was combined surprisingly harmoniously. Even his slightly longer dark hair was combed back in a perfectly casual manner. As if after a four-hour styling session in a beauty salon to advertise a newfangled shampoo.

His smile grew a little wider. Expressive dimples appeared on the cheeks.

Confused, I looked down and finally noticed his shape. Black tailored trousers, a black turtleneck and a burgundy jacket in a calm, deep shade. The latter bore the embroidered gold emblem of the Midnighter Academy: a pointed moon and the shadow of a bat with outstretched wings.

“Spider,” the guy reminded politely. – Furry, scary, white, runs fast.

Hearing the characteristics of the creature the student was looking for, I seemed to wake up and instantly became cold. Apparently, that furry guy was this brunette’s pet, and I…

– No, sorry. “I didn’t see,” I answered, stuttering slightly, feeling how treacherously my cheeks turned red with shame.

More than anything, I hated lying. I felt terribly uncomfortable, awkward, and my eyes just wanted to move to the window to check if the multi-legged creature had crawled away. What if the stalemate could still be saved?

She looked at the guy again. Now he looked at me strangely. My heart beat with triple force. Did he really figure out my deception so quickly and easily?

–Are you new? – he suddenly asked quite peacefully.

A weight has just been lifted off my shoulders. But then there was almost a rockfall because I didn’t have time to answer. My nascent thought was interrupted by a loud knock…

Out the window.

We both turned toward the sound as if on cue. Behind the glass, on a wide metallic tint, a furious blond man, like a thousand wild bees, sat on his haunches, dressed in a black tracksuit with the academy emblem on his jacket. His face seemed even paler than the brunette’s, and his features sharper.