The murmur of students filled the corridors, their voices a dull hum as the dean walked alongside Graves. Some bowed respectfully, acknowledging their presence, while others made a conscious effort to avoid them altogether. Fear, after all, was the foundation of control in this institution.
"How far have you gotten with the investigation?" the dean asked, her tone as cool as ever.
Graves sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Most of the humans didn't even know Jaffet. The few that did never saw him before he disappeared. I assume you already know a night creature was responsible, so why are we even bothering with this charade?"
They had both been at Oscar's long enough to understand the simple truth: a human couldn't possibly kill a night creature. So what was the point of this investigation?
The dean's lips curled slightly, a ghost of a smile playing on her face. "Of course, I know the murder was committed by a night creature. But if one of our own is caught, it'll draw the wrong kind of attention. We need to pin it on a human—someone expendable."
Her voice was eerily calm, as though she were discussing nothing more than a minor inconvenience.
Graves narrowed his eyes. "So, you're telling me to use hypnosis to find the perfect scapegoat? Someone to take the fall and wrap this up neatly?"
"Precisely." The crimson flecks in her irises glowed briefly before vanishing. "Make it believable. We need to convince the detective inspector to leave the island so our creatures can continue their... midnight activities undisturbed."
Graves smirked. "Consider it done."
Back in the empty classroom, Cora's heart pounded in her chest, and it had nothing to do with the terrifying discovery she'd made. No—it was because Damien was standing too close.
She could smell his cologne, an intoxicating blend of cedarwood and something darker, something entirely him. It curled around her senses, clouding her thoughts in a way she despised.
"How is that possible when it looked like it happened in the past?" she asked, frowning. Even now, the memory of the dream clung to her skin, sending shivers down her spine.
Damien reached out, taking a strand of her hair between his fingers, twisting it absentmindedly.
"Because I was there," he murmured, his voice dropping an octave, "and I'm here as well."
Cora stiffened. Her breath hitched at the feel of his fingers in her hair, but she masked her reaction with a glare.
"That's not an answer," she snapped.
Damien chuckled, amused by her stubbornness. "I'll explain everything, little bird, but this isn't the right place. Walls have ears, and I wouldn't want anyone else to know." He leaned in, his voice a whisper against her ear, and Cora held her breath. "We could move to the library. I have a secret room there—if you want to hear the truth."
A knowing smirk curved his lips as he pulled back, watching her reaction.
Cora crossed her arms. "That would mean skipping class. You do realize detention is practically guaranteed in this institution?"
Damien grinned, tilting his head. "You'll only get detention if you're caught." His fingers trailed down the length of her hair before finally releasing it. "And I don't get caught."
The arrogance in his voice was unbearable.
Cora huffed. "You're a delinquent. I bet your grades are terrible."
Damien let out a deep laugh, his amusement genuine. "Oh, little bird, you wound me. Feel free to check the school's records. I've received so many academic awards that I don't even care about them anymore."
Cora rolled her eyes, though a small smile tugged at her lips—one he couldn't see behind her mask.
"Tell me the truth," she said after a pause, her voice quieter. "Why did you really send me to the clock tower that night?"
Damien's expression shifted, a dark amusement dancing in his gaze. "To test a theory."
Cora's stomach twisted. "A theory?"
"Yes." His lips twitched. "I wanted to see if you were a witch. More specifically—a black witch."
Her blood ran cold.
"How would throwing me off a tower prove that?" she demanded.
"Black witches don't reveal their true nature unless they're in danger." Damien's voice was casual, as if discussing something mundane. "They tend to be... unpleasant creatures, no matter how beautiful they appear."
Cora exhaled slowly, her mind spinning. A part of her was relieved—she hadn't displayed any powers that night. But what if he was wrong? What if she just hadn't been scared enough?
"We need to figure out exactly what you are before someone else does," Damien said, his tone unusually serious. "Otherwise, it'll be trouble."
Cora swallowed hard. "How are we going to do that?"
Damien's smirk returned, slow and utterly wicked. "Simple. We test another theory."
Cora groaned. "I'm definitely not jumping over another thing—"
"No promises, little bird," he interrupted, with a smirk on his lips that irked her .
"You.." she was at lost of words . This wasn't how she planned to live in Oscar island university, she was to live in the shadows barely to be seen to avoid attention but being entangled with Damien alone meant attention.
"That night you had teleport me from the clock tower and back to my dormitory, how did you do that ?" Cora asked another thing she had not taken note of .
"I'll tell you Cora but first let's focus on finding who you're because trust me your mask is already drawing attention and it won't be long before everyone especially the night creatures become curious about what's beneath your mask ".
Damien knew it wouldn't be long before they all got curious.
And that's why they needed to find what she was .