Page 47 of The Fractured Veil

With one last glance at the two of them, I turned and made my way inside, the door creaking slightly as I pushed it open. The dimly lit hallway stretched out before me, the shadows seeming to shift and move as I walked. The silence was deafening, each of my footsteps echoing off the walls, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that I wasn’t entirely alone.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. I just needed to grab my things and get out. The sooner, the better. Walking into my room felt different, like something was off. I noticed things were slightly moved around—books out of place, drawers not quite closed. Maybe Elara had been in here? No—it was locked when I came in.

A chill ran down my spine as unease settled deeper. I grabbed a bag and started stuffing clothes into it, moving as quickly as I could. I grabbed my essentials—clothes, a few books, my journal—anything I thought I’d need while staying at their place. As I turned to leave, I heard a creak from the hallway. My breath caught, and I froze, listening. The silence returned, heavier than before. Slowly, I moved towards the door, my heart pounding in my chest. I peered out into the hallway, my eyes searching the shadows.

“Hello?” I called out softly. No response. The silence pressed in on me, heavy and suffocating. I swallowed, stepping back into my room, my hand gripping the door frame for support. My knuckles turned white as I held on. I needed to leave—now. My instincts were screaming at me to run, to get as far away from this place as possible. A small, hysterical laugh bubbled up, quickly dying in my chest. I really should look into therapy. Maybe a nice padded room would do me some good.

I slung the bag over my shoulder and made my way back down the hallway, my footsteps as quiet as I could manage. As I reached the entrance, I could see Nox and Zarek waiting just outside, their figures visible through the small window in the door. Stepping outside, the cold air hit me like a wave of relief. Both of them looked up, their eyes locking onto mine.

“Everything okay?” Nox asked, his voice low, but the concern was evident.

I nodded, though my heart was still racing. “Yeah. Let’s just... get out of here.”

Zarek stepped forward, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and pulling me into his side. “Hey, you’re alright.” he said, his voice was filled with a comforting warmth that seemed to thaw the lingering chill.

Nox didn’t say anything, but he moved closer, his presence solid and grounding. I could feel the tension in him—the way his eyes kept scanning our surroundings as if expecting something to come at us from the shadows.

We started walking back, and I kept close between them, the cold night air biting at my skin. The academy loomed behind us, dark and silent, and I couldn’t help but feel like we were leaving something unfinished.

Zarek broke the silence after a few moments, his tone light, trying to lift the mood. “So, how about some hot chocolate when we get back? I think we’ve earned it after that little adventure,” Zarek suggested.

I couldn’t help but smile, the tension easing just a bit. “Only if you make it,” I said, nudging him lightly.

He grinned, his eyes sparkling. “Deal. My hot chocolate is life-changing, just you wait. I’ll even add marshmallows, for thefullexperience.”

Nox glanced over, his lips twitching slightly as if fighting a smile. “Let’s just get back safely first,” he muttered, but there was a softness in his voice that made my chest feel a little lighter.

"How did you see the house?" Nox asked after we had been walking in silence. The forest around us was dark, the cloudy sky allowing only the faintest slivers of moonlight to filter through the trees.

"What do you mean? I have eyes," I teased, my voice carrying a hint of playfulness.

Nox glanced at me, the corner of his lips twitching as if he were fighting a smile. "Funny," he said, his tone dry. "I mean, it was hidden—warded."

I blinked, caught off guard. "Warded? So, only certain people can see it?"

He nodded. "It's supposed to be invisible to anyone who doesn’t know the right… markers." He paused, his eyes going distant for a moment. "But you saw it as if it were just any other house."

I frowned, my brows knitting together. "I don't know. It just looked… normal to me. Maybe it wasn’t as warded as you thought."

Zarek, who had been walking a few steps ahead, turned around, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Or maybe you’re just special, Firefly. And here I thought we were the only mysterious ones."

I rolled my eyes, though a small smile tugged at my lips. "Yeah, yeah. Let’s not get carried away." I looked over at Nox, who seemed deep in thought. His expression was guarded, but there was a glimmer of curiosity in his eyes.

A shiver ran down my spine, the forest suddenly feeling colder, the shadows around us growing deeper. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

Zarek shrugged, stepping back to walk beside me. "Could be both. I think it just means you’re even more interesting than we thought." He nudged me lightly with his elbow.

I gave him a sideways glance, my lips twitching up. "You really know how to make everything sound like an adventure, don't you?"

"That’s because it is," he said with a wink. "Danger, mystery, handsome companions… What more could you ask for?"

I couldn’t help the laugh that fell from my lips, the sound echoing softly in the quiet forest. "I don't know who has the bigger ego, you or Damon."

Nox cleared his throat, his eyes flicking to Zarek. "Let’s stay focused. The wards being visible to her might mean more than we realize." He turned his eyes back to me. "We'll figure it out."

The way he said it—so sure, so steady—made my chest tighten. I nodded, matching his pace as we continued walking through the forest. The cold air nipped at my skin as we continued walking.

"Thalia..."Something whispered softly. I strained my ears, trying to make out the sound, but it was faint, blending with the rustling of the wind through the trees. I glanced up at Nox and Zarek, but they continued walking, their expressions unchanged. They hadn't heard it.

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