CHAPTER 7 : Fear of the unknown
1055 Words
The arena remained deathly silent after the eruption of the silver light. No one dared to move. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on Lyra’s wrist.
She looked down at it.
“What just happened?” she whispered.
“This school has really taken a toll on me. Every single thing keeps messing with my mind,” she grumbled, tears filling her eyes.
Her hand trembled as she carefully touched the mark, almost afraid it would burn again. It looked exactly the same as it had before.
The silence was finally broken by the instructor.
“Training is over,” he announced. His voice was calm, but everyone could hear the tension beneath it. “Return to your dormitories immediately.”
The students slowly began leaving the arena, but they couldn’t stop whispering.
“Did you see that?”
“It came from her.”
“I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“I told you the white wolf spared her for a reason.”
Lyra lowered her head. She didn’t understand everything that was happening. Deep down, she wished she could be in her parents’ arms. Every whisper made her chest tighten.
As she turned to leave, she felt someone watching her.
She looked over her shoulder.
Kaelen.
He stood exactly where she had left him. His silver eyes never left hers.
For a few moments, neither of them spoke.
Then Kaelen turned and walked away without saying a word, but his wolf remained restless.
Stay close to her.
Kaelen clenched his jaw.
Why?
His wolf refused to answer.
As Lyra stepped out of the arena, someone brushed past her shoulder.
A soft voice whispered,
“Don’t let anyone see your birthmark again.”
She spun around, but there was no one there.
Lyra hurried toward the girls’ residence, her heart racing. She couldn’t stop replaying everything that had happened in the arena.
The silver light.
The whispers.
The strange voice.
As soon as she entered the room, Ivy stood up while Amelia looked at her with worried eyes.
“You finally came back.”
“Are you okay?” Ivy asked.
Lyra stared at her.
“No.”
She rolled up her sleeve.
“Ivy, tell me the truth.”
“What is this birthmark?”
Ivy’s face turned pale.
She looked away.
“I… I don’t know.”
“Liar!” Lyra cried. “I’ve asked so many questions since I came here, and every single time you’ve refused to answer.”
Tears gathered in her eyes.
“I don’t know what’s happening to me anymore.”
Ivy wrapped her in a warm embrace.
“You’ll be fine.”
Lyra noticed Ivy packing clothes into a traveling bag.
“Where are you going?” she asked.
“Home, of course. Every weekend, students are allowed to visit their parents and return before classes resume.”
“Aren’t you going?” Ivy asked.
Lyra’s eyes lit up as she raised her brows.
“Why wouldn’t I go? I can’t wait to see my parents!”
She jumped excitedly.
Finally, she would be leaving this place, at least for a few days.
She couldn’t wait to tell her parents about everything that had happened—her frightening experiences, the strange birthmark, and the mysterious voices.
She needed answers.
Her parents had never explained the birthmark to her, and she had never experienced anything like this before.
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her wrist.
She sat down immediately.
Ivy handed her a cup of coffee.
Lyra slowly sipped it, as though she were pouring all her worries into the cup.
The thought of students whispering and staring at her wrist terrified her.
Then there were the strange voices that kept speaking to her.
The invisible whisper sent shivers down her spine.
Amelia watched her carefully.
“I think you should calm down. Everything is going to be fine,” she said softly.
Lyra forced a smile.
Deep down, she had never believed Amelia liked her. Since the very first day they met, Amelia had always seemed distant.
“What changed?” Lyra asked.
Amelia rolled her eyes.
“You.”
“Me?” Lyra asked in confusion. “How?”
“The first day I saw you, you looked glamorous. Your skin glowed radiantly, your hair was neatly tied with a beautiful ribbon, and you wore a sparkling bracelet around your wrist. Even your black-and-cream uniform was perfectly ironed.”
She paused before continuing.
“But now…”
“You look exhausted.”
“Dark circles surround your eyes.”
“Your hair isn’t neatly tied anymore.”
“You look like you’ve been carrying the weight of the world.”
“And your bracelet is gone.”
Lyra instinctively looked down at her wrist.
She froze.
The bracelet was truly gone.
She hadn’t even noticed.
When did I lose it? Where could it have fallen? she wondered.
Amelia gave her a small smile.
“Calm down, Lyra. You’ll get every answer to your questions without anyone telling you. Bit by bit, the truth will reveal itself.”
Lyra stared at her for a long moment.
For the first time, she felt reassured.
She had always believed Amelia wasn’t someone she could trust.
Maybe…
She had been wrong.
Smiling warmly, Lyra blew Amelia a playful kiss.
The three girls burst into laughter.
Suddenly—
Knock!
Knock!
Knock!
The laughter stopped instantly.
The girls froze.
A deep voice echoed from outside the door.
“Lyra Silas… the Headmistress wants to see you.”
Outside the academy walls, several pairs of glowing eyes watched from the darkness.
None of them spoke.
They simply stared at Corven Spire Academy.
One of the shadowed figures stepped forward.
“The barrier is still alive.”
Another nodded.
“But we know she’s still inside.”
The leader smiled slowly.
“Good.”
“We will wait.”
“When the barrier weakens…”
“We will take her.”
Lyra followed the professor through the long hallway.
She had no idea that someone was preparing to change her fate forever.
Hidden within the highest tower of Corven Spire Academy stood a hooded figure.
Silently, he watched Lyra enter the Headmistress’s office.
Slowly, he removed his black glove.
On the back of his hand…
was the exact same birthmark as Lyra’s
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