Roxanne's POV
The path back to the academy feels longer than usual. Every step sinks into damp earth. Every sound, every rustle, every snap of a twig feels sharper. I keep my head down, the hood still up, my breath quick and shallow.
But I can feel it.
I can feel him.
That weight. That stare.
Canan is following me.
I don't turn around. I just keep walking until I reach the iron gates, half-swallowed by the shadow, and that's when I hear it—his voice.
Low. Calm. Dangerous.
It brings chills down my spine, but I refuse to show it. I halt, but I still don't turn around.
"Out for a midnight stroll?"
I freeze. My fingers twitch, instinctively ready for a fight if ever he tries to initiate one. Then I turn slowly, my heart steady and my face unreadable. I don't want him to see how distu
