The late evening corridors echoed quietly with the muted hum of life in the dormitory. Lamps cast soft golden pools on the polished floors, and the shadows stretched like silent watchers. Teresa’s footsteps clicked sharply, tension in her every movement.
Earlier, she’d been in her shared room with Catherine—the roommate whose polite detachment masked a quiet curiosity. Their voices had spiraled from calm to sharp in moments, over something small: a disagreement about study groups, a borrowed book, or maybe just the weariness she couldn’t control.
“I’m telling you, Cat, I don’t need your theories about lineage right now,” Teresa snapped, frustration hot on her tongue.
Catherine’s eyes flickered. “You’re acting strange lately, Teresa. You vanish at odd hours. You glow under moonlight. Wha
