PROLOGUE
TILLY
I shouldn't be here, not in this part of the school. It was forbidden for students, reserved for the Axure A.K.A. the devil prince. It led straight to his classroom.
I gulped, looking around, my hands shaking in fear. It was a dare. I'd joined the group as a way to bond with the others, just like Tiara suggested. I should have known it was a bad idea. I was the sore thumb out, and none of them had ever liked me…
Daring me to spend an hour in this hall was just their way of sending me to my death, straight to the devil's lair, where he waits, eyes blazing, seeking prey to send to hell…
Dread crawled up my spine, slithering like a snail, and I rubbed it down, thinking it would ease my fear, but it didn't. The hallway didn't help matters. Unlike the general part of the school, the heater here seemed to be faulty. Or it could be the devil prince sucking out warmth from it.
When I tried to turn, deciding to return, I heard a faint thud, followed by a low groan. My heart skipped a beat as I froze, my eyes fixed on the door ahead. It was slightly ajar, and I could see a sliver of the room beyond. Gulping as my heart started a marathon in my chest, I drew cautious steps forward, my curiosity getting the better of me.
I know I should turn, take to my heels and get as far away from there as I could, but like they said…. Curiosity indeed killed the cat.
As I peered through the gap, my blood ran cold at the sight I wasn't even expecting. Axure had his fists clenched, his eyes blazing with fury as he punched a student, each blow landing with force and the sounds of bones being broken. It wasn't an attractive sound at all.
I was paralysed with fear, unable to move or look away. My mind screamed at me to run, but my legs felt heavy. The sound of flesh hitting flesh was sickening, and I felt my stomach churn. Bile rose to my throat, but I swallowed it down.
Suddenly, I took a step back, and my foot creaked on the floor. Axure's head snapped up, his eyes locking onto mine, and my breath hitched loudly. His gaze was like a chilly wind, cutting through me, leaving me feeling exposed and vulnerable.
For what felt like an eternity, we stared at each other, the only sound the heavy breathing of the student on the floor. I knew I was in trouble, deep trouble. Axure's eyes seemed to bore into my soul, and I felt like I was already dead. Or not.
With a surge of adrenaline, I turned and ran, my feet pounding the floor as I fled from the devil's lair. I didn't dare look back, fearing what I might see. I just kept running, my heart racing with fear, until I was sure I had left the forbidden hall far behind.
