The day after the hunt, the atmosphere in Veylin Academy felt heavier. There was a sense of quiet anticipation hanging in the air, as though something was about to unfold. I didn't know what it was, but I could feel it pressing in on me, like a storm waiting to break.
My group had returned victorious, the creature slain and our teamwork evaluated. Ilya, Reynard, and Dain had received praise for their combat skills, their focus sharp and unwavering. I had received only a passing glance from the instructor. A single bullet from my gun had done what their swords and arrows couldn't, and yet there was no acknowledgment, no congratulations.
It didn't matter. It wasn't why I was here.
I kept to myself in the following days, avoiding the social circles that had formed around the main characters. The halls of the academy, once bustling with laughter and chatter, now seemed quieter, as if everyone was waiting for something to happen. The once-vibrant energy had been replaced with a tense silence, each student carrying the weight of their future.
I sat in the back of the library, the soft rustling of pages the only sound in the otherwise silent room. The ancient tomes on the shelves had always fascinated me, but now they felt like relics of a past that no longer mattered. I wasn't sure what I was looking for anymore—answers, perhaps, or just a distraction from the gnawing uncertainty that seemed to follow me wherever I went.
Ilya Ferros entered the library quietly, her footsteps almost inaudible against the stone floor. I glanced up, but didn't acknowledge her presence. She didn't approach me, either. Instead, she walked to the far corner of the room, where a large map of the academy grounds was pinned to the wall. She studied it intently, her brow furrowed in concentration.
I should have left. I should have kept my distance. But I couldn't tear my eyes away from her.
For a long moment, I watched her, and then, without turning, she spoke.
"You're not as quiet as you think."
I froze, the words cutting through the silence like a blade. My breath caught in my throat, but I didn't respond. I wasn't sure if I should.
She turned her head just enough to meet my gaze. Her sharp green eyes were unreadable, but there was something about the way she looked at me that made my skin crawl. It was like she was seeing straight through me, peeling away the layers of my facade.
"I've been watching you, Kael," she continued, her voice low and even. "You don't belong here. I can tell."
I felt a flicker of unease at her words, but I remained calm. Cold. Collected.
"I'm just here to survive," I replied, my tone flat. "Nothing more."
She studied me for a moment longer, her eyes narrowing slightly. Then, without another word, she returned her attention to the map, as if she had already decided I was of no interest. I breathed a quiet sigh of relief, but the knot in my stomach remained.
Something was off about her. I couldn't put my finger on it, but I had the unsettling feeling that she knew far more than she was letting on.