The academy dormitory was eerily silent. Outside, the storm had calmed, leaving behind the cold whisper of the wind as it snuck through the cracks of the stone walls. Inside, two figures lay in the darkness, each lost in their own thoughts—one hiding a deadly secret, the other slowly unraveling a mystery he hadn’t realized he was caught in.
Rayana stared at the ceiling, her body aching from the day's trials. Her heartbeat had yet to settle, pounding against her ribs in sync with her chaotic thoughts. She had made it into the academy—but for how long?
She turned her head slightly, glancing toward the opposite side of the room. Khael.
His breathing was slow and controlled, his bare back turned to her. His presence was suffocating even in the dark. There was something about him—something p
