The Shadows of Crescent High

The Hidden Message

Crescent High’s morning announcements were usually boring — “Don’t litter,” “Uniforms must be worn,” “Jace, stop climbing the cafeteria roof,” — that kind of thing.

But today, the speaker crackled with a static so sharp it made everyone in the cafeteria flinch.

Liora was halfway through biting a very suspicious-looking school pancake when the voice cut in.

“Students are to remain indoors after school hours. This is for your safety.”

The message looped once, then abruptly ended.

Arin raised a brow. “Interesting. That’s the exact tone adults use when they’re hiding something.”

“Adults hide everything,” Liora muttered. “It’s their favorite hobby.”

Nova slid into the seat across from them, tablet in hand. “Guys. I found something.”

Jace joined them too, nearly knocking over three chairs because gravity hated him. “Sorry—sorry—SORRY—okay I’m seated.”

Nova turned the tablet around. On the screen was a scanned photo of the missing student, Emil Dane. Below it was a note — but not written by him.

The handwriting was sharp, slanted, unmistakable.

The same handwriting from the note Liora found after the midnight chase.

The handwriting of the Shadows.

“What does it say?” Arin asked.

Nova zoomed in. “It’s coded. But I cracked part of it.”

She tapped the screen.

“The one who saw the truth carries the key.”

Everyone slowly turned to look at Liora.

She blinked. “What? What key? I carry snacks and sarcasm, not keys.”

Nova’s smile was tight. “Liora… I think they mean the night you saw the chase. I think there was something there you didn’t realize.”

Xaden approached their table silently — he was annoyingly good at that — and placed a folded paper in front of Liora.

“I found this stuffed in your locker.”

Liora opened it. A cold shiver ran through her spine.

It was the same symbol:

A crescent moon with a shadowy s***h through it.

But this time, there were words beneath it.

“Chapter Two Begins.”

“Chapter two of what?” Jace asked.

Xaden’s eyes narrowed. “Their operation.”

Nova’s tablet beeped. She glanced down — and her eyes widened.

“Guys… the message updated. It now says:

‘Find the evidence before they find you.’”

Liora swallowed hard.

She didn’t know what evidence they were talking about.

But she knew one thing:

Someone, somewhere in Crescent High, was coming for her.

And they weren’t planning to talk.