Raven sat on the edge of the bed, her gaze distant and unfocused as she stared at the cool stone floor. The adrenaline from her escape had faded, leaving her to confront the stark reality of her situation. She was lost—physically and mentally—adrift in a world that felt foreign. Where was she? Who had she become? How could she ever return to her life, to Jules, to the party, to anything remotely familiar?
How had she gone from sipping drinks with Jules at a celebrity's birthday party to this... wherever this was?
Her gaze inadvertently fell on a polished silver vase sitting on the nightstand beside her. The faint moonlight cast a shimmering glow on its surface. She caught a glimpse of her reflection and held back the lump forming in her throat. The face that was hers but somehow wasn't—stared back at her.
"This is a joke, right?" she whispered, her voice barely escaping her lips. She half-hoped the words would summon some explanation, some sign that this nightmare wasn't real. "This can't be happening. Am I hallucinating? Or... or dreaming? Maybe I drank something weird at the party and I'm just tripping out."
Yeah, that had to be it. Some weird drink Jules had given her. That would explain everything. It was just her brain playing tricks on her, distorting reality, making her see things that weren't there. She tried to laugh it off, but her voice cracked. This was no joke. It wasn't something her imagination could cook up. Everything felt too real. The room—the solid floor beneath her feet—was tangible and unforgiving.
Her gaze turned back to the reflection in the vase. "Who are you?" she murmured, reaching up to touch her face, half-expecting it to melt away at her touch. But it didn't. The face remained, unchanged, as if mocking her for her confusion.
She stood up abruptly, pacing the length of the room, her mind racing. "This is insane. I'm losing my mind," she muttered, slapping her cheeks in a desperate attempt to wake up from this nightmare. The sting jolted her, but she did it again, firmer this time. "Get it together, Raven!"
But the sharp sting only made her feel more awake, more there. Frustration welled up inside her; she wanted to scream, to cry, to curse whoever was responsible for this nightmare.
"Please.." she whispered, hoping some divine being might hear her. "Why me? Why is this happening to me?"
Her legs felt like jelly as she sank down to the floor, her head hanging low. She took a moment to collect herself, wrestling with the chaos in her mind. Fine, she thought bitterly. If she was truly in a different world—or had somehow time-traveled to some random era—then crying and freaking out wasn't going to help. She needed to figure things out.
With a deep breath, Raven finally lifted her head to search for anything—or something, that might give her a clue. But the sight before her took her breath away.
It was like something out of a storybook. The walls were smooth, pale stone, illuminated by a soft, faint light that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere. A tall, arched window framed in delicate curtains let the silver glow of the moon spill into the room, bathing everything in an otherworldly gleam. She was just staring at it earlier. But because her mind is elsewhere, she haven't had time to really take it in.
Her gaze darted to the center of the room, where the bed she had sat on was a majestic canopy, its posts carved from shimmering wood that pulsed with an almost lifelike energy. Translucent drapes in muted shades of blue and silver cascaded down, giving the bed an air of elegance befitting royalty.
She stood and approached the nearby desk, her fingers brushing over the surface. Its polished wood gleamed under her touch, and the intricate swirls carved into the legs shimmered faintly in the dim light. Parchment and quills lay untouched, as if waiting for someone—her?—to write something important.
Turning to the towering wardrobe against the far wall, she felt an inexplicable pull, an odd sense of curiosity gnawing at her gut. She slowly walked across the room and opened it, revealing a collection of cloaks, dresses, and garments—none of which belonged in her world. Her mouth opened as her fingers skimmed the fabrics, soft as spun silk.
Everything about this place screamed of magic and luxury.
"What are you..?" She whispered to herself.
But before she could fully process it all, there was a knock at the door, sharp and sudden. Raven jumped, almost cursing. Her heart leaping into her throat.
"Aria? You there?" A voice called from the other side of the door. Raven's brows furrowed. Who the hell is Aria?
She stayed silent, frozen in place. Her mind raced. She's alone in this room, so Aria must be the girl whose body she was in. Weird, the voice at the door didn't sound like a stranger to her. It was familiar, like whoever was on the other side knew this girl—knew Aria—well.
The knock came again, more insistent this time. "Aria, come on, it's me, Lyra. We're gonna miss it!"
Raven hesitated, her body tense. Lyra? Did that name mean something to her, or was it part of whatever twisted joke this was? She could feel her pulse quicken, her palms sweaty. Maybe if she stayed quiet, the girl—Lyra—would go away.
But then the door creaked open slightly, and a face peeked inside. A girl, roughly her age, with dark, tousled hair and wide, curious eyes. "There you are! I was knocking forever."
Raven blinked, panic creeping back into her chest. "Uh, yeah. Sorry. I didn't hear you."
Lyra frowned, stepping into the room fully. Raven gasped as she quickly examined the girl's outfit—She was wearing a dark green cloak that shimmered like leaves in twilight, its fabric catching the light of the moon in a way that felt alive. She looked confused for a moment, then her face softened into a mischievous grin. "You're still coming, right? Don't tell me you forgot."
Raven blinked again. "Forgot… what?"
Lyra sighed dramatically, rolling her eyes. "The gathering, Aria! You know, the gathering. In The Elowen's garden? Most of the Luminaes and Ecliptaes are going, and we were supposed to sneak out and take a look. You were so excited about it earlier!"
Raven's blood ran cold. Shit. She had no idea what Lyra was talking about. Luminaes? Ecliptaes? A gathering? Elowen's garden? What? Who the heck is Elowen? Is that even a name? None of it made any sense. She forced a weak smile, trying to mask her confusion. "Right. That. Sorry, I… uh, got distracted."
Lyra narrowed her eyes slightly, "You're acting weird again.." Raven held her breath. Would she get caught this early?
Lyra looked at her intently for awhile, then shrugged. "Anyway, Can we go now?"
Raven froze. She had no idea what was going on or what was expected of her, but she couldn't afford to blow her cover—well, not yet anyway. Not when Lyra clearly knew the real Aria far better than Raven did. She swallowed hard, forcing a casual tone.
"Uh… give me a minute. I need to, um, grab something."
Lyra nodded and leaned against the doorframe, crossing her arms. "Hurry up. We don't have all night."
Lyra's cloak flowed around her as she turned to leave, but something in her movement caught Raven's attention. The outfit under the cloak was nothing like the clothes she or anyone she knew would ever wear. It was a long, flowing medieval dress with intricate embroidery, shimmering in shades of emerald and gold, paired with ankle boots that looked both elegant and practical. Raven's breath hitched as she looked down at herself. She hadn't fully registered it before, but now the medieval dress she's wearing took her by surprise. It was pale silver, delicate and weightless, as if spun from moonlight itself. The fabric draped around her without seams or buttons, flowing effortlessly over her body, clinging in all the right places to give her a regal, almost ethereal appearance. She felt like she'd stepped into some kind of fairytale—one where she was pretending to be someone else.
No wonder I can run so easily in this thing… it's like I'm not even wearing anything at all. She thought to herself.
"Any day now, Aria," Lyra's voice snapped her out of her thoughts, her tone laced with impatience.
"Right." Raven blinked, her mind racing as she tried to appear calm. She forced her feet to move, walking over to the desk and pretending to search through its contents. Every second counted—she needed time, time to figure out where she was, who this Aria girl was, and how on earth she had ended up in her body. But for now, she had to play along, or Lyra might get suspicious.
Her fingers fumbled through the drawer, grasping at anything that might seem relevant. A simple Red pendant caught her eye. It wasn't what she was looking for, but it would have to do. She closed the drawer and turned back to Lyra, forcing a smile that she hoped didn't betray the chaos in her mind.
"Finally." Lyra huffed, spinning on her heels to head for the door. But as she glanced back, her steps faltered. Her expression shifted from casual impatience to something more confused, her brow furrowing as she gave Raven a lingering look. "Wait… you're not wearing your cloak?"
Raven blinked, confused. "My cloak?"
Lyra turned fully to face her, eyes narrowing in confusion. "Yes. Your cloak. The one you always wear on nights like this. Why didn't you grab it? Are you… okay?"
Shit. Nights like this? What the hell was she supposed to be doing? She's so confused. She tried to swallow the rising panic, forcing a laugh that felt hollow in her throat. "Oh, right, my cloak. I guess… I just forgot. Let me... uh, go get it." She gave a shrug, hoping it seemed nonchalant, but Lyra didn't look convinced.
"Forgot?" Lyra crossed her arms, eyes scanning Raven with concern. "You never forget things like that, Aria. Seriously, what's going on with you? You've been acting weird all day."
A chill ran down Raven's spine. She needed to be careful. Lyra knew Aria—really knew her—and one wrong move could give everything away. "I'm fine. just distracted, I guess." she said, forcing her voice to sound steady. "Let me... uh, go get it."
Lyra gave her an odd look, suspicion flickering across her face for a split second before she shrugged. "Alright."
Raven nodded quickly, grateful for the excuse to delay whatever it was Lyra was expecting her to do. She hurried back into the room, closing the door behind her with a soft click. Her hands shook as she leaned against the door. The weight of everything—the unfamiliar surroundings, the impossible situation—pressed down on her, and for a brief second, she felt like she was drowning.
What am I supposed to do?
Right. The cloak. She crossed the room and opened the wardrobe, expecting the array of fantasy-like clothing she'd seen earlier. Yet, even now, the sight of it knocked the breath out of her.
"This is so unfair." She muttered under her breath. This whole place was surreal. But then, so was the fact that she was here at all.
She grabbed a dark green cloak that seemed similar to Lyra's and slipped it over her shoulders. The fabric felt both heavy and soft against her skin. As she fastened the ornate clasp at her neck, her gaze drifted to a nearby mirror framed with delicate floral carvings.
The girl in the reflection was calm, composed, regal even. Her silver dress flowed beneath the cloak, giving her the appearance of someone far removed from the frantic, confused girl she felt like inside.
Raven shook her head, took a deep breath, and opened the door. Stepping back into the dark corridor, she found Lyra waiting, arms crossed, her foot tapping impatiently against the stone floor. At the sound of the door, Lyra's gaze snapped toward her, the tension in her shoulders easing as she gave a small, approving nod.
"Took you long enough. Thought I was talking to a stranger for a second," Lyra teased lightly.
Raven forced a nervous laugh, trying to shake off the unease crawling up her spine. "Yeah, just... had a lot on my mind."
Lyra's expression softened as she looked Raven over. "I've noticed. You've been off these past few days." Her tone was more serious now. "I won't push you to tell me what's going on, but just remember, you need to stay sharp tonight. This isn't a night to lose focus."
Raven nodded, though the knot of unease in her stomach only tightened. "Right. I'll be ready."
Lyra's eyes gleamed with anticipation as she leaned in slightly, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Good. Word is, some of the famous Ecliptaes will be there tonight, which is new.. You know why. Might be our chance to see them in action!"
Raven's pulse quickened. She had no idea what the Ecliptaes were, or what kind of plot Lyra was hinting at. But it was clear that tonight was important. Too important for her to mess up. She swallowed hard, every instinct screaming at her to back out, to run. But there was no way out now—not without raising even more suspicion.
She followed Lyra down the dimly lit corridor, the soft click of their boots echoing against the stone floor. This place was as breathtaking as it was unsettling, its towering archways and intricate carvings were like something out of a dream. Grand chandeliers hung from above like clusters of stars, their crystal pendants refracting the moonlight streaming through the tall windows, creating a dance of soft, flickering light that spilled into the shadowy corners of the corridor. It was ancient, yet pristine, every corner steeped in history and secrets she wasn't sure she wanted to uncover.
What was this place, really? These "Luminaes" and "Ecliptaes" Lyra kept mentioning—were they part of some cult? Or maybe they really were witches or sorcerers. She almost laughed at the absurdity of it. Witches? Sorcerers? Really, Raven? but the smile that teased her lips faded as quickly as it appeared. As ridiculous as it sounded, she couldn't deny it: she had been transported to another world. If that wasn't sorcery, then what was? The realization sent a chill down her spine. How was she supposed to survive in a world she didn't understand, pretending to be someone she wasn't? And more terrifyingly, what if she slipped up? If these people discovered she wasn't who they thought she was, what would happen to her?
Raven swallowed hard, pushing down the panic threatening to rise. As she said earlier, If she was going to find a way back home, She really had no choice. She'd have to play along, gather as much information as she could, and figure out the connection between herself and this Aria. Only then might she uncover why she was here and, hopefully, how to leave.
The cool night air nipped at Raven's skin as Lyra led them outside into a moonlit courtyard. She pulled her cloak tighter around her, trying to shake off the lingering anxiety. Lyra gave her a quick glance, a sheepish smile playing on her lips, excitement sparkling in her eyes. Whatever this big night was, Lyra clearly couldn't wait.
As they walked, Raven glanced over her shoulder—and froze. Her breath hitched in her throat. What the hell? She swore this place would be the death of her. She had assumed it was some sort of academy, judging by the wall decorations inside. But now, staring up at the towering structure behind them, she realized how wrong she had been. This wasn't just any school. It was a castle, its spires piercing the night sky, bathed in the soft glow of moonlight, like something pulled straight from a storybook. The stone walls shimmered faintly, as if they had been carved from the very fabric of the stars themselves.
Is this Aria girl rich as hell? she thought, a wave of dread washing over her. A princess, maybe? The idea horrified her. Oh my god, am I inside a princess' body?
She forced herself to stop spiraling, to stop staring at the castle behind them, and refocused on where they were headed. In the distance, she spotted the edge of a dark, foreboding forest, its twisted branches swaying ominously in the night breeze.
"Aren't we going to a garden?" she asked, her voice uncertain. Lyra stopped in her tracks, giving her a disbelieving look.
"Uh, yes?" Lyra replied, her tone incredulous. "But we're not walking into it. Are you crazy? Do you want to get caught and punished?"
Raven bit her lip, feeling heat rise to her cheeks. Of course. If this was some secret gathering, sneaking into a garden directly would be idiotic. She cursed inwardly, trying to shake off the embarrassment.
As they neared the entrance of the forest, Lyra's expression softened, her eyes gleaming with excitement. She flashed a grin. "Ready?" she whispered, her voice tinged with anticipation.
Raven wasn't ready. Not at all. But she nodded anyway, tightening her cloak around her shoulders. Whatever awaited her in the shadowy depths of the forest, she had no choice now. She had to face it.
With one last glance at the towering, magical castle behind her, Raven took a deep breath and followed Lyra into the night.