I paced the room, each step a little more frantic than the last. My thoughts were still racing, bouncing from one question to the next, leaving me dizzy and anxious. I tried to focus on my breathing, on calming myself down, but it was no use. The longer I sat here, waiting for Gwen to return, the more unbearable the silence became.
Where was she? What was taking so long?
I stopped in front of the window, pressing my forehead against the cool glass as I stared out at the darkening sky. The world outside seemed so calm, so ordinary, but inside, everything felt like it was falling apart. The weight of what I had done, of what had happened, was crushing me, and I didn't know how much longer I could stand it.
Gwen had promised to fix this. She had stormed out of the room with that determined look in her eyes, saying she'd make sure the council wouldn't come for me, that she'd get her mother to help. But what if she couldn't? What if they still wanted me locked up for what happened with Dragonir? What if they decided I was too dangerous to be free?
I couldn't go back to that cell. I couldn't.
I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the images that kept flashing through my mind. The memory of Eleri's touch, her voice, the way she had looked at me... it was all so overwhelming, so confusing. And Dragonir—he was still unconscious when I'd left him in the infirmary, his body bandaged and broken. I hadn't had a chance to explain anything to him, hadn't told him what really happened.
The door creaked open behind me, and I spun around, my heart leaping into my throat.
It was Gwen.
She stepped inside, her expression tense, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. For a moment, I couldn't read her face, couldn't tell if she had good news or bad. My stomach twisted into knots as I waited for her to speak.
"Well?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "Did you... did you talk to your mom?"
Gwen sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly as she walked further into the room. She didn't meet my eyes right away, and that only made my anxiety worse.
"She... she's trying," Gwen said finally, crossing her arms over her chest. "But it's not looking good, Seraphina. The council's furious. They think you're dangerous, a threat to everyone at the academy. And with Dragonir hurt, they've got all the evidence they need to make their case."
My heart sank. "But I didn't—"
"I know," Gwen cut me off, her voice sharp. "I know you didn't do it. But they don't care. All they see is the aftermath. And right now, it looks like you're the one responsible."
I swallowed hard, my throat dry. "So what does that mean? Am I... am I going to be arrested?"
Gwen was silent for a long moment, and the tension in the air thickened. I could feel the answer hanging between us, unspoken but heavy. I already knew what she was going to say.
"They've issued an arrest warrant," Gwen said quietly, her voice barely audible. "My mom's trying to get it delayed, to give us time to sort this out, but... I don't know how long she can hold them off."
I felt like the ground had been ripped out from under me. An arrest warrant. They were really going to take me in for this. For something I hadn't even done. My chest tightened, panic clawing at the edges of my mind.
"No," I whispered, shaking my head. "No, they can't... they can't do this."
"I'm sorry," Gwen said, her voice softening. "I really am. I tried to get them to see reason, but the council's strict. And with my mom on the council, there's only so much she can do without it looking like favoritism."
My mind raced, searching for a solution, for some way out of this. But no matter how hard I thought, I kept coming back to the same conclusion.
"We'll have to run," I said, my voice shaking.
Gwen's eyes widened. "Run? You can't be serious. If you run, they'll hunt you down. It'll only make things worse."
"What other choice do we have?" I snapped, the frustration bubbling to the surface. "If I stay, they'll lock me up for something I didn't do. I can't just sit here and wait for them to throw me in a cell, Gwen."
Gwen's face twisted with uncertainty. I could see the conflict in her eyes, the struggle between wanting to help me and knowing that running would only complicate things. She wasn't wrong—it would make me look guilty. But what else could I do?
"I don't know," Gwen muttered, running a hand through her hair. "I just... I don't know if that's the right move, Seraphina. Maybe there's another way. Maybe if we can find out who's really responsible—"
"Eleri," I said before I could stop myself.
Gwen froze, her eyes locking onto mine. "What?"
I bit my lip, regretting the slip immediately. I wasn't ready to talk about Eleri, not yet. Not when I still didn't know how I felt about her or what had really happened between us.
"Eleri," I repeated, my voice quieter this time. "She's the one who hurt Dragonir. She... she kidnapped me, and she's the one who did all of this."
Gwen stared at me for a long moment, her expression unreadable. I could practically see the gears turning in her head, trying to make sense of what I was saying.
"Eleri," she said slowly. "You mean the girl you grew up with?"
I nodded, my throat tight. "She... she's a vampire now. She... changed. And when I saw her again, she... she wasn't the same."
Gwen's face darkened, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"
"I didn't know how," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't understand what was happening. And... I still don't. Everything's so messed up, Gwen. I don't know what to do."
Gwen crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing slightly. "So what? You want me to help you now? After you've kept this from me?"
I flinched at the bitterness in her voice. "I didn't mean to keep it from you. I just... I didn't know how to explain it. Everything's been so confusing, and I didn't want to drag you into it."
"You've already dragged me into it," Gwen snapped. "You think I don't see what's going on? You think I haven't noticed the way you and Dragonir look at each other? The way you act around each other? And now this—Eleri, your childhood friend, who's suddenly a vampire and causing all this chaos. You're in the middle of something dangerous, Seraphina, and you've been lying to me about it."
"I haven't been lying," I protested, though even as the words left my mouth, I knew they sounded weak. I hadn't been honest with Gwen, not fully. And now it was all coming back to haunt me.
Gwen stared at me for a long moment, her eyes hard. "Why should I help you, Seraphina? Why should I risk everything for you when you've done nothing but keep me in the dark?"
My heart ached at her words, the weight of my own guilt pressing down on me. I didn't know how to fix this, how to make Gwen see that I hadn't meant to hurt her.
"I'm sorry," I whispered, my voice cracking. "I'm so sorry, Gwen. I never wanted to drag you into this. I never wanted any of this to happen."
Gwen's expression softened just slightly, but the hurt in her eyes remained. "Just... make sure you leave Dragonir alone. Forever. No more secrets, no more lies. You let him go."
The words hit me like a punch to the gut. Leave Drag alone? Could I really do that? Could I really walk away from him, knowing how much he meant to me?
But what choice did I have?
I nodded slowly, the weight of the decision settling on my shoulders. "Okay," I said quietly. "I'll leave him alone."
Gwen's eyes searched mine for a moment, and then she sighed, her shoulders relaxing just a fraction. "Fine. I'll help you. But if you go back on your word, Seraphina... we're done."
"I won't," I promised, though the words felt hollow in my mouth. "I won't."
Gwen gave me a curt nod and turned toward the door. "I'll talk to my mom. We'll figure something out. Just... stay here. Don't do anything stupid."
I watched her leave, the door closing softly behind her, and I sank back onto the bed, my head in my hands.