Chapter 3: Room 317
1640 Words
The towering oak doors of Hidden Moon Academy closed behind Evelyn with a deep, echoing boom.
The sound rolled through the entrance hall like distant thunder.
She slowly turned, her breath catching.
The ceiling stretched nearly a hundred feet overhead, enchanted to resemble a midnight sky. Thousands of glowing stars drifted across the darkness while silver constellations shifted into unfamiliar patterns. Crystal chandeliers floated without chains, casting soft moonlight instead of candlelight.
A grand staircase curved upward before splitting into three different directions.
As she watched, one staircase moved.
The stone steps twisted, rearranging themselves into an entirely different path.
“It moved,” Evelyn whispered.
Professor Elowen smiled knowingly.
“The academy rearranges itself every few days.”
Evelyn blinked.
“…Why?”
“It gets bored.”
“The castle gets… bored?”
“Very.”
Evelyn decided there were some things she simply wasn’t going to question.
Not tonight.
⸻
Students continued to stare as Professor Elowen led her through the massive hall.
Whispers followed them.
“That’s the girl.”
“The bracelet…”
“I heard she arrived with Moon Guardians.”
“No one has seen that crest in centuries.”
Evelyn rubbed the side of her head.
“I can hear them.”
Professor Elowen nodded.
“Your senses are awakening.”
“I wish they’d stop.”
“You’ll learn to quiet them.”
“When?”
“When you stop pretending you’re human.”
That answer wasn’t nearly as comforting as Professor Elowen probably intended.
⸻
They stopped before a circular desk carved from shimmering silver wood.
Behind it sat a tiny woman with lavender skin, pointed ears, and spectacles perched on the end of her nose.
She smiled brightly.
“Another first-year?”
“Miss Evelyn Carter,” Professor Elowen replied.
The woman looked up.
Her smile disappeared.
“Oh…”
She quickly opened a crystal ledger.
Pages flipped by themselves.
Names glowed in silver ink.
Then…
Every page suddenly went blank.
The woman frowned.
“…That’s odd.”
Professor Elowen stepped closer.
“What is it?”
“Her file…”
She flipped through the book again.
“It’s gone.”
“I had a file?” Evelyn asked.
“Every student has one.”
The woman continued searching.
“No species.”
“No magical classification.”
“No family lineage.”
“No dorm assignment.”
Professor Elowen’s expression darkened.
“Impossible.”
The crystal book slammed shut on its own.
Silver words burned across the cover.
ACCESS DENIED
No one spoke.
Finally, Professor Elowen sighed.
“…I’ll notify the Dean.”
⸻
Professor Elowen turned toward Lucas.
“Would you be so kind as to escort Miss Carter to Moon Hall?”
Lucas gave a small bow.
“My pleasure.”
Professor Elowen smiled at Evelyn.
“Your orientation can wait until morning. Tonight, you need rest.”
Before Evelyn could thank her, the professor vanished in a swirl of silver light.
Evelyn sighed.
“I really need people to stop disappearing.”
Lucas chuckled.
“You’ll get used to it.”
“I’m beginning to think that phrase should be the academy’s motto.”
“It practically is.”
They began walking through the enormous corridors together.
The castle was quieter now, though students still glanced at Evelyn as they passed.
“So…” she said. “Is everyone going to stare at me like that forever?”
Lucas hesitated.
“Probably not forever.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“Comforting.”
“They’re curious.”
“They’re acting like I’m famous.”
“You kind of are.”
“I’ve been here for less than an hour.”
“Exactly.”
⸻
As they rounded another corner, Evelyn nearly jumped.
A woman in an elaborate emerald gown stepped out of a painting frame.
Not out of the wall—
Just far enough that her upper body leaned into the hallway.
She pointed directly at Evelyn.
“There she is!”
Instantly, every portrait lining the hallway became animated.
An elderly wizard adjusted his spectacles.
“So that’s the child.”
A knight in silver armor crossed his arms.
“She’s smaller than I expected.”
A queen wearing a jeweled crown smiled warmly.
“Oh, leave the poor dear alone.”
A pirate laughed loudly.
“I owe someone twenty gold pieces. I thought she’d arrive with dragons.”
Another portrait frowned.
“Technically, you still might.”
Evelyn slowly looked at Lucas.
“…Are the paintings talking?”
“They’re portraits.”
“They’re talking portraits.”
“Yes.”
“They know who I am.”
“They know everyone.”
One portrait leaned forward.
“We’ve been waiting twenty years.”
Another immediately shushed him.
“You weren’t supposed to say that!”
“Oh.”
The old wizard coughed awkwardly.
“…Forget I said anything.”
Lucas gently guided Evelyn forward.
“If you stop to talk to every portrait, we’ll be here until sunrise.”
“Do they always gossip?”
“They’re worse than the students.”
As they continued walking, voices echoed behind them.
“I still think she looks like her mother.”
“No, she has her father’s eyes.”
“You two are impossible.”
Evelyn stopped.
“What did they mean by that?”
Lucas’s smile faded.
“They knew your parents.”
Her heart skipped.
“You knew them too, didn’t you?”
He looked ahead instead of answering.
“I’ll let the Dean tell you.”
She frowned but didn’t press.
Not yet.
⸻
Evelyn stood outside a wooden door engraved with silver letters.
Moon Hall
Room 317
Lucas handed her the silver key.
“Your roommates have already arrived.”
“My roommates?”
“Three of them.”
He smiled gently.
“I think you’ll fit in just fine.”
Taking a deep breath, Evelyn unlocked the door.
⸻
The suite looked nothing like a college dorm.
It felt more like a luxury apartment hidden inside an ancient castle.
A spacious living room centered around a roaring fireplace whose flames burned silver instead of orange. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lined one wall, already filled with books in languages Evelyn couldn’t recognize. Large arched windows overlooked glowing gardens, shimmering fountains, and distant castle towers disappearing into the moonlit sky.
A fully equipped kitchen occupied one corner, while four wooden doors branched off the common room, each leading to a private bedroom.
“This place is incredible,” Evelyn whispered.
⸻
“Finally!”
A cheerful voice broke the silence.
A petite girl with caramel skin, bright hazel eyes, and a mass of curly brown hair rushed across the room.
Without warning—
She hugged Evelyn.
Tightly.
“You smell like rain!” she announced happily.
Evelyn blinked.
“…Thank you?”
The girl laughed.
“I’m Maya.”
“I’m Evelyn.”
“I know! Everyone knows.”
“…Right.”
Maya stepped back, still grinning.
“I’m a fox shifter.”
“…Does that explain the smelling thing?”
“It explains everything.”
⸻
Another bedroom door opened.
A tall blonde girl stepped out with perfect posture.
She wore the academy uniform flawlessly.
Her pale blue eyes studied Evelyn carefully.
“So,” she said evenly.
“You’re the human.”
“I thought I wasn’t.”
“Exactly.”
She folded her arms.
“I’m Celeste.”
“No last name?”
“You’ll learn it eventually.”
Without another word, she walked toward the kitchen.
Maya leaned closer.
“She’s an ice fae.”
“I noticed she’s… not exactly friendly.”
Maya shrugged.
“She’s actually nicer than she seems.”
A pause.
“…Okay, that’s a lie.”
Evelyn laughed.
⸻
Before the laughter faded, the fourth bedroom door burst open.
Books flew everywhere.
“Whoa!”
A dark-haired boy stumbled into the room, barely catching himself before falling flat on his face.
One of the books landed at Evelyn’s feet.
Introduction to Magical Combat
He hurried over.
“Sorry! Sorry!”
He scooped up the books before smiling sheepishly.
“You must be Evelyn.”
“I’m Finn.”
“You okay?”
“I’ve only tripped twice today.”
“…Only?”
“It’s been a good day.”
Despite everything that had happened, Evelyn couldn’t help smiling.
⸻
For the first time since arriving at Hidden Moon Academy…
She relaxed.
Maybe this place wouldn’t be so bad.
Maybe—
The silver bracelet around her wrist suddenly grew warm.
Then hot.
The fireplace erupted with silver flames.
Every light flickered.
Outside…
A wolf howled.
Then another.
Then dozens more.
Maya’s smile vanished.
“That’s not normal.”
Finn frowned.
“It isn’t a full moon.”
Pain shot through Evelyn’s body.
She gasped.
Her knees slammed into the floor.
“Evelyn!” Maya shouted.
Her heartbeat thundered in her ears.
Every scent became overwhelming.
Magic.
Smoke.
Fresh rain.
Pine forests.
Blood.
Snow.
Silver light raced beneath her skin.
Her fingernails sharpened into black claws.
Her eyes flashed like molten moonlight.
Behind her—
A gigantic shadow appeared on the wall.
Not a wolf.
Not human.
Something enormous.
Something with massive wings.
Just as quickly…
It disappeared.
The room fell silent.
Finn stared.
Maya’s fox ears flattened.
Even Celeste looked genuinely shocked.
Finally, she whispered,
“…Shifters don’t have wings.”
Before anyone could process what had happened—
Three sharp knocks echoed from the hallway.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
A deep voice called through the door.
“Miss Carter.”
Dean Blackwood.
“I believe it’s time we had a very important conversation.”
Evelyn looked at her roommates.
Then at the glowing bracelet on her wrist.
She had come to Hidden Moon Academy searching for answers.
Instead…
She had become the academy’s greatest mystery.
- Writer
