CRESCENT BOUND

A New Ally (1)

Elara's POV

I woke up to the smell of bacon and eggs. Like, actual heaven.

Hmm. My favorite. Okay, one thing about Grandma Mara ? She may be terrifying before 8 AM, but that woman knows how to make a girl feel special.



It was Sunday morning. Finally. A break from that cursed school and all its endless drama. Or so I thought.



And speaking of drama, that jerk. That absolute, walking beast,

Stone-faced jerk of a boy. He just got up and LEFT yesterday. No explanation. No bye. Nothing. Just poof. Vanished like my Wi-Fi during an important scene.



Gosh, he is so freaking annoying, I thought, while sprawled lazily across my bed like a cat who had lost the will to live.

And don't even get me started on those rumors. "Oh, he brought her home,"He did, and I still haven't recovered. I badly want to ask him how I got home the other time. I can't remember a thing. Geez, this sucks. Between that and that weird, cryptic threat, what kind of freaking town did I even move to?

And now the cherry on top? I had to deal with his arrogance for an entire month. A MONTH.

Breathe, Elara. Remember your real motive. You're here for a reason. Focus.



"Elara! Get down here, breakfast is ready!"

Grandma's voice. The ultimate alarm clock you cannot snooze.

I dragged myself up, freshened up, and trudged downstairs, only to find her doing exactly what she does every single day, being impossibly efficient at 7 am while I struggled to find my socks.



"Good morning, Grandma!" I said, trying to sound like a responsible granddaughter as I walked into the kitchen.

"Good morning, Sunshine! How was your night?"

"Great, Grandma!"

"Good. Eat up quickly. I need you to clean up the place. I know your lazy routine, Elara. Moping around and watching those silly romantic movies."

I almost choked on air.



"But Grandma, I'm always alone and that's literally what I love doing!" That's my personality! My brand!

"I thought you have made friends already."

"Gosh, Grandma, the school is full of drama. It's like a reality show but with more uniforms and less common sense."

She gave me that look. You know the one.

"Elara, just keep your distance from that Blackwood kid, okay?"

Oh. Okay.

I smiled so hard my face hurt. "Yes, Grandma!"

Total lie. Because how was I supposed to tell her I had just been paired up with that guy for the next month? Yeah, no, thanks. I like living.

"Okay, my work here is done! I'm going to the herbal shop to see some patients," she announced, already stuffing herbs into her bag like a magical drug dealer.

"Okay, Grandma, have a great day!"



I watched her go. Honestly, my grandmother is stronger than her age should allow. It's funny how she can do things that even young people like me find difficult. Like waking up early without wanting to cry.

Anyway, breakfast was yummy as usual. So yummy that I almost forgave that guy for existing. Almost.

After that, I went ahead to do the dishes. Like the good, slightly traumatized, bacon-motivated granddaughter that I am.



I headed back to my room to do my laundry. Gosh, laundry is so tiring. It's literally the most boring form of torture ever invented. Who decided we have to wash clothes every week?

But I have a secret weapon. My cheat code for doing chores: MUSIC. Music is my energy booster.

I grabbed my phone, connected it to Bluetooth because yes, Grandma Marya has a Bluetooth speaker, she's cooler than all of us, and went straight to my playlist.

Hmm . . . what matches the vibe of folding socks and questioning my life choices? Oh. Perfect.

"Blank Space by Taylor Swift is best for this vibe."

I hit play.

And suddenly, I was a pop star.

I was dancing around my room, hairbrush as a microphone, completely off-key and completely unbothered.

"Nice to meet you. Where you've been? I could show you incredible things . . . Magic, madness, heaven, sin . . ."

You know the rest. Don't even pretend you didn't sing it with me.

By the time the song ended, I had somehow finished all the laundry and towels too. By noon, I was so exhausted. Like, my legs were screaming, my back was aching. Chores should be classified as a workout.

So, naturally, it was time for my sacred ritual. My romantic moment.

I baked a fresh apple pie. Yes, your girl bakes, and it smells like pure, buttery, cinnamon forgiveness. Then I curled up on the sofa, pie in hand, watching a delightfully cheesy romantic movie. You know, the kind where the guy runs in the rain and says something stupidly beautiful, and you cry even though you've seen it ten times.

I was completely lost. Lost in thought, lost in sugar, lost in time.

Until I glanced at the clock.

And froze. Cold.

My heart literally dropped to my stomach.

Yikes. I had completely forgotten about my study session at the library with Kaelen.



The same jerk I was supposed to avoid. The same jerk Grandma warned me about. The same jerk I was now academically chained to for a whole month.

I panicked.

I rushed around the house like a headless chicken, grabbing my bag, my books, my dignity — well, trying to. I hastily styled my hair into the messiest, most unkempt bun in human history. I slipped into my most comfortable clothes, you know, the floral dress giving simple girl vibes and most importantly, my locket. I made sure it was covered considering the attention it gets and practically sprinted toward the town library.

By the time I arrived at our usual table in the library, I was out of breath, sweaty, and my cheeks were burning with embarrassment and exhaustion. I probably looked like I had just survived a marathon.



I had already prepared my whole apology speech in my head. I expected to see him there, frowning, with his usual icy contempt. That signature Blackwood glare that could freeze lava.

But what I discovered froze me right in my tracks.

He was there. Early. On time. Of course.



And to my absolute shock, he was wearing a nose mask.

A full-on, white, medical nose mask covering his nose and mouth.

He just sat there, calm, flipping through his textbook like he owned the entire library, which, knowing his family, he probably did while wearing a mask.

My brain is short-circuited.

Wait . . . do I stink now?