The cold night air clung to her skin, thick and suffocating. She stood frozen, watching as the blade in her hand sank into his chest. A sharp gasp tore through the silence. His blood spilled like ink, dark and endless, pooling beneath him.
He coughed, a spray of crimson staining his lips, but his eyes—filled with love, pain, and acceptance—never left hers.
"Why are you doing this?" His voice was hoarse, barely a whisper. "Was my love… not enough?"
The woman before him—her reflection, her double—held the blade steady. Her face remained unreadable, her expression carved from ice.
"Your biggest mistake," she murmured, her voice as soft as a caress, "was meeting me."
The man let out a shaky laugh—frayed, bitter, broken. "Never… in a thousand years…" His breath hitched, the light in his eyes flickering. "Will I regret loving you."
Something inside her twisted.
For a fleeting second—just a moment—her grip on the dagger faltered.
But then, with chilling certainty, she raised it again. The blade caught the dim light, shadows dancing across its sharp edge.
The world blurred. His vision dimmed. The cold crept in.
And as he fell into the darkness, his final words whispered through the void.
"I loved you."
I woke up with a gasp.
The shrill blare of my alarm shattered the silence, ripping me away from the dream—no, the nightmare. My chest heaved, my skin damp with sweat. The images clung to my mind, too vivid, too real.
Again.
The same dream. The same dying man. The same **me—**or someone who looked like me—standing over him, dagger in hand.
I groaned, rubbing my temples. Why does this keep happening?
"You're having that dream again, aren't you?"
Akira's voice drifted from across the room. She was sprawled on her bed, scrolling through her phone, looking as unfazed as ever.
I exhaled sharply, sinking deeper into my blanket. "At first, it was just weird. But now? Now it feels… off."
Akira tied her thick curls into a loose bun, not even glancing up. "Mira, every time we meet, you go on and on about this dream. Maybe it's just your brain being dramatic. Move on."
I shot her a glare. "I can't just 'move on.' These dreams started after my birthday. And they feel so real—"
"Yadda, yadda," she interrupted, waving a dismissive hand. "I'm done with your mystical dream nonsense. Let's focus on what actually matters."
I sighed. Of course, she didn't care.
Akira had always been like this—practical, logical, uninterested in anything that didn't have a clear explanation.
"Fine." I stretched, still shaken from the dream. "Are you done packing?"
"Obviously." She grinned. "We're going to be inseparable at Artemis."
That part actually made me smile.
Akira had been staying at my house for summer break before we left for Artemis Academy. She was a year ahead of me and had spent the last year hyping up the academy like it was the most incredible place in the world.
"I'm almost done," I said, tossing a sweater into my suitcase. "I just—"
"You just what?"
I hesitated. I just… can't shake this feeling.
But I forced a smile instead. "Never mind. Let's go."
I woke up before dawn, the early morning light creeping through my curtains like a hesitant promise. My heart hammered in my chest—not with fear, but with something else.
Excitement. Nerves. The weight of something… big.
Today, I leave for Artemis.
I double-checked my suitcase, running through my mental checklist. My chosen outfit—a simple white top and fitted jeans—felt comfortable enough to face the unknown.
Taking a deep breath, I glanced in the mirror.
This is it.
Akira's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
"Mira, let's go! Seriously, if you make me miss the train, I'll murder you."
I smirked. "You're not even ready."
She stepped out of the bathroom, her thick hair a chaotic mess. "It's my hair, okay?! It has a mind of its own."
"You act like you're fighting a monster in there."
"I am."
We burst into laughter, the tension in my chest easing just a little. This was normal. Our usual bickering, our usual chaos. But underneath it, I could feel it—the shift.
Today was different.
"Bye, Mom!" I called out, shouldering my bag as we hurried to the door.
Mom rushed in, stuffing a plastic bag into my hands. "Take these! I packed sandwiches, juice, and snacks. You'll need them for the trip."
I blinked at the ridiculously overfilled bag. "Mom, I'm not going to war."
"You're going somewhere far. Eat properly." Her eyes shimmered, full of emotions she wasn't saying out loud.
A lump formed in my throat.
Akira grabbed my wrist. "We gotta go, Mira!"
I hesitated for a split second before stepping forward. This was it. The last time I'd be home for a long time.
I turned back one last time. Mom stood by the door, worry etched into her face.
"I'll be fine," I promised. "Really."
She nodded, but I could tell she didn't believe me.
The cab sped through Bangalore's streets, the city blurring past. My thoughts raced ahead—to Artemis, to the mysteries waiting there, to the dreams that wouldn't leave me alone.
Akira sat beside me, scrolling through her phone, completely relaxed.
I nudged her. "So… tell me more about Artemis."
She didn't even look up. Instead, she handed me her phone. "Here. Read this."
I took it, frowning at the headline.
Artemis Academy: The Most Mysterious School in the World.
I scanned the text:
"Not much is known about Artemis Academy, except that many influential figures have emerged from its halls. Rumor has it that the academy holds deep secrets, waiting for those brave enough to uncover them."
A chill crawled up my spine. "Secrets? Like what?"
Akira finally looked up, smirking. "Who knows? But that's part of the thrill, right?"
I wasn't sure if I agreed.
Because deep down, I had a feeling—**a gut-wrenching, bone-deep feeling—**that Artemis Academy would be nothing like what I expected.
That it would change everything.