After a while, Skyler finally stepped into the familiar room the academy had given him. The lights flickered on automatically.
The room was exactly as he left it: the bed was a mess, with a jacket tossed on top.
"Hah, it feels like ages since I left."
He exhaled as he shed his upper clothes, dropping them carelessly on the floor and staggering toward the bathroom.
The silver chain around his neck sparkled, as did the storage rings on his fingers.
Skyler checked the storage ring his father had given him and quickly pulled out his phone and dialed his mother's number.
As the call rang, he turned on the water, letting it fill the built-in bathtub.
Even in the middle of the night, his mom picked up on the first ring. A sleepy voice drifted from the other side.
"Hello...?"
"Mom, it's me."
Skyler chuckled when a soft thud echoed through the phone, followed by a muffled groan, sure his father was kicked awake.
Riya's voice steadied, a wave of relief washing over her.
