The library smells like aged paper and quiet desperation—a perfect setting for my current state of mind.
I shuffle to an empty corner, cradling a thick book on European history, though I have no intention of reading it. My thoughts are too loud.
Achilles's words play on repeat in my head. You're not a vampire. If you were, you'd have burned in the sun. And word is spreading that someone like you exists.
It's like a storm that won't pass, shaking my resolve with each echo.
The air in the room shifts, subtle but sharp, like the drop in temperature before a thunderstorm.
I glance around.
The library is as it always is—students buried in books, murmuring whispers bouncing off the walls. But the hairs on the back of my neck stand on edge. Someone is watching me.
I force myself to focus, flipping through pages I can't understand. My chest tightens as I tell myself it's paranoia. I'm just rattled after everything. That's all.
"North Harper?"
The voice is smooth, too smooth, and it takes all my strength not to jump. Slowly, I look up.
The man sitting across from me isn't familiar. His dark suit is perfectly tailored, his face lean and angular, and his piercing eyes hold a knowing glint.
He looks like he's stepped straight out of a political drama, the kind of guy who could topple governments with a smirk.
I didn't even noticed him coming to sit on front of me.
"Who's asking?" I ask, leaning back in my chair. My voice is steady, but inside, my instincts scream to run.
He smiles faintly, the kind of smile that doesn't reach his eyes. "Elias. I represent the Council."
The Council.
I've heard Achilles mention it, but hearing it now, from this man's lips, makes it feel much more real. And dangerous.
"Sorry, never heard of you," I reply, hoping sarcasm will mask the growing knot in my stomach.
He doesn't laugh. "We have heard of you. You've caused quite a stir. An anomaly, if you will."
I don't respond. I don't even know what to say.
He leans forward, his gaze unrelenting. "You walk in sunlight, yet you hunger for blood. You defy the rules of nature, and that makes you a problem."
"A problem?" I repeat, incredulous. "I didn't ask for this, whatever this is."
"That doesn't matter." He folds his hands on the table, calm but firm. "What matters is what you choose to do with it. The Council exists to maintain balance. To ensure that no individual—human, vampire, or otherwise—threatens that balance. Your existence is unnatural. And if it poses a threat, we will intervene."
His words are a blade, cutting deep despite his measured tone.
"So what? You're here to warn me?" I ask, trying to keep my voice steady.
"To ensure you understand the stakes," he replies.
Before I can respond, a shadow looms over the table. I don't need to look up to know who it is.
"Your message has been delivered," Achilles says, his voice a low growl. "Leave."
Elias turns his gaze to him, and the tension between them is palpable. "This isn't your concern, enforcer."
Achilles steps closer, towering over him. "She is my concern. And if you think the Council can intimidate her, think again."
For a moment, it feels like the room holds its breath. Then Elias stands, adjusting his suit jacket with deliberate care. He looks at me one last time. "Control yourself, or we'll do it for you."
And then he's gone, leaving a suffocating silence in his wake.
I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. "What the hell was that?"
Achilles sits in the chair Elias vacated, running a hand through his hair. "The Council doesn't like variables. You're a variable."
"No kidding," I mutter. "Who even are they? What do they want with me?"
"They're a governing body. They keep the peace between humans, Vampires and other beings. Or at least, they claim to."
I frown, leaning forward. "So why am I on their radar? I haven't done anything."
"It's not about what you've done," he says. "It's about what you could do. You're an unknown, just like I told you earlier. And unknowns make them nervous."
"What I could do? Let's see," I scoff, taking off my glasses. "I can move fast, drink blood and see without my glasses. I can walk in the sun and apparently, that's a bad thing."
A sly smile tugs at his lips. "That's not the bit of what you can do."
The weight of his words settles over me like a lead blanket. "So what am I supposed to do? Just…hide?"
He shakes his head. "No. But you need to learn how to defend yourself. To control your abilities. And to do that, you need Valentine."
I scoff, leaning back. "Of course. It always comes back to him."
Achilles smirks, but there's no humor in it. "He's the only one who can help you. Whether you like it or not."
I cross my arms, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "You're all so quick to say he has the answers, but no one actually tells me anything. It's always 'ask Valentine.' Why can't you just give me a straight answer?"
He chuckles softly, shaking his head. "Because some things, you need to hear from him. And trust me, he'll tell you soon enough."
"Right...like how he's giving me the silent treatment?"
"Silent treatment?"
"I called out to him and he didn't reply. That's called silent treatment, FYI."
He shakes his head. "No, he's not giving you the silent treatment. He's...busy at the moment. He's blocked out all channels of communication until he's available to speak again."
"Oh so he blocked me?" I gasp, putting my hand on my chest for dramatic effect.
"Don't be silly now, he's with his parents. He blocks everyone when he's with them."
I'm not sure if that's supposed to be comforting, but it doesn't feel like it. I stand, grabbing my bag. "Thanks for the pep talk."
As I start to walk away, he calls after me. "North."
I pause, glancing over my shoulder.
"Just like I said before, let him teach you to be stronger. You're all the defense you need, but you really need to let him in."