Octavia's Point of View
The cold water shocks me awake as I splash it over my face again and again, gripping the sides of the sink as though I might fall if I let go. My reflection in the mirror looks pale, haunted. My eyes are too wide, ringed in shadows. I do not even bother drying off my face, I just grab a hoodie, slip my feet into my shoes, and quietly ease out of the dorm.
The night air is crisp, biting, but it feels good against my clammy skin. I breathe deep, trying to slow the frantic pace of my heartbeat. The courtyard is mostly empty, washed in moonlight, the stone paths gleaming faintly. I hug my arms around myself and start walking, no destination in mind, just needing space, needing air, needing silence.
But I am not alone.
“Octavia?”
The voice makes me stop short in my
