The hallways of Blackthorn Academy had always felt like a labyrinth, but tonight they seemed endless, each corner steeped in shadows that whispered my doubts back at me. Damon’s words lingered, heavier than they had any right to be. “You need to decide what you want.” As if it were that simple.
I couldn’t sleep not a chance. The echo of Lyra’s taunts and Damon’s pained expression refused to leave me alone. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw them together—her hand brushing his arm, his rare smile breaking through the icy exterior he showed the world. The ache in my chest was unbearable.
By the time I found myself at the training wing, the moon had risen high, casting its pale light through the tall windows. The room was deserted, but that’s what I needed: silence, space to think—or maybe
