Chapter 8:Secrets Etched In Ashes
982 Words
The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the academy’s courtyard, its golden hues tainted by the tension that hung in the air. Liliana clutched the letter tightly, her heartbeat a relentless drum in her ears. The faded ink on the parchment carried secrets buried for too long—secrets that threatened to unravel everything she thought she knew about her past.
Across from her, Adrian watched her reaction carefully, his usual teasing smirk replaced by a somber gaze. “You weren’t supposed to find that,” he said at last, his voice barely above a whisper.
Liliana met his eyes, searching for a lie, but all she found was hesitation—perhaps even guilt. “Then tell me,” she demanded, holding the letter up. “Why does this say my name? And why does it mention the Ever-Forgotten?”
A gust of wind swept through the courtyard, stirring the fallen leaves at their feet. Adrian hesitated before exhaling sharply, running a hand through his dark hair. “Because, Liliana…” He swallowed. “You were never meant to remember them.”
Her blood ran cold. “Remember them?” she echoed. “What are you saying?”
Adrian took a step closer, lowering his voice. “The Ever-Forgotten… they weren’t just whispers in the night or lost souls seeking vengeance. They were real. And you—” His gaze flickered with something unreadable. “You were once one of them.”
Silence pressed between them. Liliana felt the weight of his words settle in her chest, suffocating and undeniable. The fragmented dreams, the voices that called to her in the quiet hours of the night—it all made sense now.
She had spent so long searching for the truth, but never did she expect it to be hidden in her own past.
Adrian must have seen the fear flicker in her eyes because he sighed and reached for her hand. “You were taken from them, Liliana. Someone erased your memories, gave you a new life here at the academy. But the past doesn’t stay buried forever.”
Her grip tightened around the letter as she took a shaky breath. “Who?” she whispered. “Who did this to me?”
Before Adrian could answer, a sharp scream tore through the air.
Both of them spun toward the sound, their conversation forgotten.
At the far end of the courtyard, near the old chapel ruins, a figure lay sprawled across the ground. And standing over them, cloaked in the dimming light, was someone Liliana never expected to see.
Not like this.
Not covered in blood.
“Elias?” she breathed.
His head lifted, his expression unreadable. But in his eyes, Liliana saw something terrifying—
Recognition.
And the knowledge that whatever was coming next…
Was only the beginning.
Liliana’s breath hitched as she locked eyes with Elias. The fading sunlight cast eerie shadows across his face, but it was the crimson streaks on his hands that sent a chill down her spine.
“Elias…” she whispered again, her voice barely audible over the wind.
He didn’t move, didn’t speak—just stood there, his dark gaze flickering between her and Adrian. Then, slowly, he took a step back.
Adrian reacted first, placing himself in front of Liliana. “Elias,” he said cautiously, his tone controlled but firm. “What happened?”
Elias’s lips parted, but the words never came. His breathing was uneven, and the way his fingers twitched at his side made it clear—he was holding something back.
Liliana’s gaze dropped to the unmoving figure at his feet. It was a student—a girl from their class, her white uniform stained with red. Not lifeless, but unconscious. Wounded.
Her stomach twisted. “Did you—” She couldn’t finish the question.
Elias’s jaw clenched. “No,” he finally said, his voice raw. “I found her like this.”
A lie. Or at least, not the full truth.
Adrian didn’t believe him either. “Then why the hell are you covered in blood?”
Elias took another step back, his hands curling into fists. “I don’t have time to explain,” he muttered. His eyes darted around, scanning the courtyard, the chapel ruins—searching for something. Or someone.
Liliana’s heart pounded. “Elias, if you know something, you need to tell us.”
His gaze snapped to hers, and for a brief moment, something desperate flickered in his expression. “Liliana, you don’t understand,” he said, his voice sharp. “There are things moving in the shadows—things even you haven’t seen yet.”
Before she could respond, a rustling sound came from behind the chapel ruins. Adrian moved instinctively, pushing Liliana behind him as another figure emerged.
A girl with midnight-black hair and piercing silver eyes.
Liliana didn’t recognize her—but the way Elias stiffened at the sight of her told her everything.
The girl tilted her head, a smirk playing at her lips. “Still trying to be the hero, Elias?” she mused. “How exhausting.”
Elias’s fists clenched. “Leave.”
The girl ignored him and turned her gaze to Liliana. “It’s an honor to finally meet you,” she said smoothly. “You’ve been causing quite the disturbance.”
Liliana’s fingers tightened around the letter in her hand. “Who are you?”
The girl’s smile widened. “I suppose you can call me the one who remembers,” she said. Then she looked at Elias. “Unlike some.”
Liliana’s pulse thundered in her ears. She didn’t understand everything yet, but one thing was clear—
Elias wasn’t just keeping secrets.
He was part of them.
And whether she wanted to or not, she was now tangled in the middle of something far bigger than she had ever imagined.
- Writer
