Eira’s POV
The next day at school, Lucien made a point of staying away from me for some strange reason. He was polite, but with the chilly distance of a predator sizing up prey—not that he ever regarded me as anything beyond a piece on the board.
Kellen on the other hand was a completely different force. He maintained his space with a hidden frown, his gaze darting to Aria each time I moved by as if to confirm she wasn't at risk because of me. I had never been so aware of the risk of a wrong move.
The morning had just started when the corridor was filled with noise. People murmured while I moved through the crowd, their eyes keen and eager. I tried to ignore it but the tension in the air made each footstep feel like treading on ice.
Suddenly… I felt something, someone else. Aria.
She
