The air felt heavy as I wandered through the academy grounds, my mind racing with thoughts I couldn't seem to control. The chill in the evening breeze was sharp against my skin, yet the cold didn't bother me as much as the weight that had settled in my chest. It had been days since Dragonir's warnings about the strange figure following me, but no matter how much I tried to convince myself it was nothing, the feeling of being watched never left me.
I tightened my grip on the shawl around my shoulders and quickened my pace, eager to reach the safety of my dorm. Every step seemed to echo louder than it should have, as if the shadows themselves were listening.
Dragonir had always been a steady presence in my life—someone I could rely on to pull me back from the edge. But lately, even his comfort felt distant, clouded by the confusion surrounding the man he warned me about. I trusted Dragonir, yet there was something unsettling about the way he spoke of this person. There was fear in his eyes, a fear I wasn't used to seeing in him.
As I reached the entrance to my dorm, I paused. The lamps lining the path flickered faintly, casting uneven light over the building. A sense of unease rippled through me. It was nothing I could place—just a gut feeling, something that had been gnawing at me for weeks now. I took a deep breath and pushed the door open, forcing myself to shake off the creeping anxiety.
Inside, the warmth of the dorm embraced me. I exhaled in relief, letting the familiar scent of old wood and lavender fill my senses. But something was off. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but the air in the hallway felt… still. Like it had been disturbed, then frozen in place. I brushed the feeling aside and headed to my room, my footsteps quickening as if my body sensed something my mind refused to acknowledge.
As I opened the door to my room, I was greeted by the sight of a small package on my desk, neatly wrapped in soft paper. Dragonir's familiar handwriting marked the label. A smile tugged at my lips, the first genuine one I'd managed all day. Dragonir knew me well—his small gifts were always thoughtful, personal. This one, in particular, felt like an extension of the protective energy he constantly exuded, even when he wasn't around.
I crossed the room and picked up the package, running my fingers over the intricate wrapping. A sudden chill crept up my spine, the room seemingly growing colder by the second. My smile faded as a strange awareness settled over me. I wasn't alone.
My heart lurched in my chest. I turned, eyes scanning the room, but I saw nothing out of place. The shadows in the corners seemed to stretch further than usual, but there was no one here. No one except me.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced myself to breathe. It's nothing, Seraphina. You're just imagining things. But I couldn't shake the feeling, the sense of being watched. My hands trembled as I clutched the package tighter. Forcing my legs to move, I went to the window, hoping the fresh air would clear my mind. But as I glanced outside, I noticed something strange—a figure slipping into the shadows of the building across from me.
My breath caught in my throat. There was no mistaking it—someone was watching me.
The panic I'd been trying to suppress all day surged forward. I stepped back from the window, my heart racing. Dragonir's words echoed in my mind, his warning now sharp and urgent. He had said someone was following me, and now I had proof. But who was it? And what did they want?
Instinctively, I reached for the door, but something stopped me. I needed to know more. Whoever this person was, they had been careful, meticulous. Why? What was their endgame?
I turned back to the package in my hands, trying to focus. Dragonir had left this for me, and it had to mean something. Maybe it was a clue, a message to help me understand what was happening. I unwrapped it quickly, my fingers shaking as the paper fell away to reveal a small, silver locket. The sight of it took my breath away.
It was beautiful—delicate, engraved with intricate designs that shimmered in the soft light of my room. I held it up, the cool metal catching the light, and as I did, a strange calm settled over me. The locket was familiar in a way I couldn't explain. It felt as if it had always belonged to me, even though I had never seen it before.
I opened it carefully, half expecting to find a picture or a note.
Instead, inside the locket was a tiny, folded piece of parchment. I unfolded it slowly, my heart pounding in my ears.
Seraphina, trust your instincts. You are stronger than you think.
Dragonir's handwriting. His words sent a shiver down my spine. He knew—he had always known that something wasn't right. But what did he mean by trusting my instincts? Did he know about the figure outside? About the presence I felt constantly lurking in the shadows?
I glanced toward the door, the silence in the hallway pressing in on me. I didn't know what to do—confront this shadowy figure or run to Dragonir for help. My mind spun with possibilities, each one more dangerous than the last. But there was one thing I knew for sure: this was no coincidence. Everything had been leading up to this moment, and I had to act before it was too late.
I took a deep breath, clutching the locket tightly in my hand. My instincts told me to leave, to find Dragonir, but a part of me—some strange, impulsive part—wanted answers. I couldn't let fear control me, not anymore.
Gathering my courage, I walked toward the door, my steps slow but deliberate. I paused with my hand on the knob, the cool metal biting into my palm as I steeled myself for whatever was waiting for me outside. I wasn't sure if I was ready, but I knew that I couldn't stay hidden in the shadows forever.
With a final, deep breath, I opened the door and stepped out into the darkened hallway.