CHAPTER SIX: THE GIRL FROM HIS PAST
1791 Words
The hallway had emptied by the time Evelyn reached the staircase.
She held her books against her chest, but her mind wasn’t on the lecture anymore.
It was on the girl.
The cold smile.
The deliberate shoulder.
The words that had sounded more like a warning than an apology.
Evelyn reached the bottom of the stairs and stopped.
She shouldn’t care.
She had been at the academy long enough to understand that not everyone would welcome a human among them.
But there had been something different about that girl.
Something personal.
“Evelyn.”
She turned.
Dorian was coming down the stairs, one hand casually tucked into his pocket.
“Do you ever walk normally?” she asked.
He frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“You always appear out of nowhere.”
“It’s a talent.”
She smiled despite herself.
Dorian stopped beside her.
“You’re thinking about her.”
Evelyn’s smile disappeared.
“How did you—”
“Your face.”
“What about my face?”
“You make that little crease between your eyebrows whenever you’re trying to solve something.”
She immediately touched her forehead.
Dorian laughed.
“Don’t worry. It’s cute.”
Evelyn rolled her eyes.
“Who was she?”
Dorian’s amusement faded slightly.
“You don’t know?”
“No.”
He hesitated.
That hesitation told her everything.
“Dorian.”
“She has a name.”
“I figured.”
“Valeria.”
The name seemed to carry weight.
Evelyn noticed the change in his expression.
“Who is she?”
Dorian looked toward the corridor.
“Someone you probably shouldn’t get involved with.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
“It’s the best advice I can give you.”
Evelyn frowned.
“Everyone keeps telling me what I shouldn’t do.”
“Because you’re stubborn.”
“I am not.”
“You are.”
She opened her mouth to argue.
Then footsteps sounded behind them.
Both turned.
Kael stood at the end of the corridor.
His eyes moved from Dorian to Evelyn.
Then toward the staircase.
His expression changed.
“Where is she?”
Dorian raised an eyebrow.
“Who?”
“Valeria.”
Evelyn’s stomach tightened.
Dorian gave him an innocent smile.
“Why?”
Kael’s jaw clenched.
“Dorian.”
“Relax.”
“I asked where she went.”
Dorian’s smile disappeared.
“She left.”
Kael looked at Evelyn.
“Did she speak to you?”
Evelyn nodded.
“She bumped into me.”
“And?”
“She apologized.”
Kael stared at her.
“She said something.”
Evelyn hesitated.
“She said it wasn’t fine.”
His expression hardened.
“Of course she did.”
Evelyn stepped closer.
“Who is she?”
Kael didn’t answer.
“Kael.”
“Someone from my past.”
The words were quiet.
But they landed heavily.
Evelyn didn’t know why they bothered her.
Maybe because she suddenly realized there was a part of Kael’s life she knew absolutely nothing about.
A part that existed before she arrived.
A part that clearly included Valeria.
“Were you two—”
She stopped herself.
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
“Were we what?”
“Nothing.”
“Evelyn.”
“Forget it.”
She turned away.
Kael caught her wrist.
Not roughly.
Just enough to stop her.
“Ask.”
She looked at his hand around her wrist.
Then at him.
“Were you close?”
His eyes held hers.
“Yes.”
One word.
It shouldn’t have hurt.
But it did.
Evelyn gently pulled her hand free.
“How close?”
Kael’s expression shifted.
“That’s complicated.”
She laughed once, without humor.
“Of course it is.”
She walked away.
“Evelyn.”
She didn’t stop.
For the first time since arriving at the academy, Kael didn’t follow.
⸻
That evening, Evelyn sat alone in her room.
Rain tapped against the tall windows.
She had opened her textbook several times.
She hadn’t read a single page.
Someone from my past.
She hated those words.
Not because Kael had a past.
Everyone did.
But because of the way Valeria had looked at her.
As if she already knew exactly where Evelyn stood.
As if Evelyn had walked into a story that had started long before she arrived.
A knock sounded.
Evelyn looked up.
The door opened.
Her roommate stepped inside.
“You’ve been quiet.”
“I’m tired.”
“Liar.”
Evelyn smiled faintly.
Her roommate sat beside her.
“Is this about Kael?”
Evelyn’s head snapped toward her.
“How does everyone know?”
“Because everyone knows.”
“What does everyone know?”
“That he watches you.”
Evelyn looked away.
“People talk too much.”
“They do.”
A pause.
“Especially about Valeria.”
Evelyn’s eyes returned to her.
“What about her?”
“She and Kael were inseparable once.”
Her chest tightened.
“Once?”
“They grew up around each other. Their families were close. She was one of the few people who could get close to him.”
Evelyn swallowed.
“Were they together?”
Her roommate shrugged.
“Depends who you ask.”
That answer was somehow worse.
Before Evelyn could ask anything else, the academy bells rang.
Once.
Twice.
Then a third time.
Her roommate stood.
“That’s strange.”
“What?”
“Those aren’t evening bells.”
A fourth bell sounded.
The entire academy seemed to fall silent.
Then came a voice through the corridor.
“ALL STUDENTS ARE TO REMAIN IN THEIR ROOMS.”
Evelyn’s heart began pounding.
“What happened?”
Her roommate shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
Then Evelyn felt it.
A strange pressure in the air.
Cold.
Heavy.
Familiar.
She stood.
“What are you doing?”
“I need to find Kael.”
Her roommate grabbed her arm.
“Evelyn, they just ordered everyone to stay inside.”
“I know.”
“Then don’t go.”
Evelyn looked toward the door.
Something inside her told her Kael was in danger.
And she couldn’t ignore it.
⸻
Kael stood beneath the old archway outside the eastern wing.
His eyes glowed faintly in the darkness.
Dorian stood beside him.
“You feel it too?”
Kael nodded.
“The wards are weakening.”
Dorian’s expression became serious.
“That’s impossible.”
“Nothing is impossible anymore.”
A low vibration passed through the stone beneath their feet.
Kael turned.
Someone was standing at the end of the courtyard.
A figure dressed in black.
Watching them.
Dorian stepped forward.
“Who are you?”
The figure smiled.
Then disappeared.
Kael’s expression changed.
“Dorian.”
“I saw it.”
“Find the guards.”
“And you?”
Kael looked toward the academy.
“I need to check something.”
“You’re going after Evelyn.”
It wasn’t a question.
Kael didn’t answer.
Dorian sighed.
“You’re becoming predictable.”
Kael disappeared into the shadows.
⸻
Evelyn slipped through the corridor.
She knew she was breaking the rules.
She also knew she didn’t care.
She reached the eastern staircase.
“Evelyn.”
She froze.
Valeria stood behind her.
Alone.
Beautiful.
Perfect.
Dangerous.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
“Neither should you.”
Valeria smiled.
“You’re beginning to sound brave.”
“I don’t think you came here to compliment me.”
“No.”
She stepped closer.
“I came to warn you.”
“About what?”
Valeria’s gaze dropped briefly to Evelyn’s throat.
Then returned to her eyes.
“Kael.”
Evelyn’s heart skipped.
“What about him?”
“You don’t know him.”
“Neither do you, apparently.”
Something flashed in Valeria’s eyes.
Anger.
“Be careful.”
“Is that another threat?”
“No.”
Valeria moved closer.
“It’s mercy.”
Evelyn laughed softly.
“I don’t need your mercy.”
“You will.”
Valeria turned to leave.
Then stopped.
“One more thing.”
Evelyn waited.
“Whatever Kael tells you about his past…”
Valeria glanced over her shoulder.
“Don’t believe everything.”
Then she walked away.
Evelyn remained frozen.
The corridor suddenly felt colder.
She turned.
And found Kael standing behind her.
His face was unreadable.
But his eyes were furious.
“What did she say to you?”
Evelyn crossed her arms.
“Apparently, you have a lot of secrets.”
His expression tightened.
“She shouldn’t have approached you.”
“Why?”
“Because she isn’t safe.”
“Neither are you.”
Kael stared at her.
Evelyn took a breath.
“You said she was someone from your past.”
“She is.”
“Then tell me the truth.”
Silence.
“Were you in love with her?”
Kael’s eyes softened.
“No.”
The answer came without hesitation.
Evelyn hadn’t expected that.
“Then what was she?”
Kael stepped closer.
“A mistake.”
Evelyn searched his face.
“And you still let her get this close?”
“I didn’t.”
“Then why does she act like she owns a part of you?”
His jaw tightened.
“Because once, I let her believe she did.”
Evelyn’s anger faded slightly.
Kael looked away.
“I should have ended it years ago.”
“And now?”
His eyes returned to hers.
“Now there’s only one person I care about protecting.”
Evelyn’s breath caught.
“Who?”
Kael stepped closer.
“You already know.”
Neither moved.
The space between them seemed to disappear.
Evelyn could hear her own heartbeat.
Kael’s gaze dropped briefly to her lips before returning to her eyes.
“Evelyn…”
A distant scream shattered the moment.
They both turned.
The academy bells began ringing again.
This time, violently.
Kael’s expression changed.
“Stay here.”
“What happened?”
“Something got through the wards.”
He turned.
Evelyn grabbed his sleeve.
“I’m coming.”
“No.”
“Kael—”
“Evelyn.”
His voice was firm.
For the first time, she heard fear beneath it.
Not for himself.
For her.
“Please,” he said quietly. “Stay here.”
She froze.
Kael had never said please to her before.
He disappeared down the corridor.
Evelyn stood alone.
Then she heard a whisper from behind her.
A voice she didn’t recognize.
“Human.”
She slowly turned.
Nothing.
Only darkness.
Then two red eyes appeared at the end of the hallway.
Evelyn’s blood ran cold.
The creature smiled.
And whispered—
“Now we know what makes the prince weak.”
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