THE SHADOWS OF HER CROWN

Chapter 2: Two Sides of Attraction

Lunch was a nightmare.

Nora tried to find a quiet corner in the cafeteria, but it seemed fate had other plans. Zane Hart—tall, confident, and far too gorgeous—strode toward her with a tray and a look of curiosity.

“Mind if I sit?” he asked.

She blinked. “Uh… sure?”

Whispers exploded around them. Serena’s squad stared, venom in their eyes. And at another table, Eli Mercer frowned quietly. Eli had been her first friend at Crestwood—another scholarship student who offered her his notes and his loyalty from day one.

Nora sat between two worlds, suddenly the center of both.

“You’re different,” Zane said, studying her. “Smart. Real. I like that.”

Her heart stuttered. No one ever said things like that to her.

But even as he leaned in, part of her longed for Eli’s quiet strength.

After lunch, Serena cornered her in the girls’ restroom. “He’s mine,” she hissed. “Know your place.”

Nora met her eyes. “Funny. I didn’t realize people were property.”

A slap echoed—but it never landed. Bianca caught Serena’s wrist just in time.

“Too early in the semester,” Bianca muttered. “She’s not worth suspension.”

But they all knew this was only the beginning.