Cora's heart hammered inside her chest like a war drum. The cold air in the Great Hall prickled against her skin, but it wasn't fear that made her tremble—it was calculation. Her fingers clenched into fists at her sides beneath the sweeping folds of her uniform skirt. Her breath slowed. Controlled. She had only one way out of this, and it had to be flawless.
Graves' voice slithered around her like invisible chains, his dark eyes gleaming as he commanded her to remove the mask. The professor stood before her like a vulture, hungry and expectant. The silent pressure of the crowd, the murmurs of students watching with breath held, all pushed against her like a tide.
Cora raised her hand to her mask, fingers trembling—but not with weakness. She let her knees buckle and her body go limp, collapsing onto the floor as though the hypnosis had succeeded.
Gasps echoed in the Hall. Whispers rippled among the students. Graves glared at her crumpled form in irritation. "Tch," he muttered, the sound sharp as broken glass. He took one step forward, crouching as if to resume his invasive spell, but was interrupted.
"We need to move on, Graves," another professor snapped. "Time is running."
Graves scowled, a muscle twitching in his jaw before he stood and stalked off to the next student, his long coat flaring behind him like a predator's tail.
Cora lay still, heart racing in her ears. She didn't know how much time had passed—seconds? Minutes? But before she could even flutter her lashes, a warm arm slid beneath her knees, another behind her back.
"Impressive," a smooth voice purred against her ear. "My little bird is quite dramatic, don't you think?"
Damien.
Even with her eyes shut, she recognized the smug undertone, the masculine scent that clung to him—rich cedar, leather, and danger. He chuckled softly, the sound dark and delicious, and lifted her effortlessly into his arms.
Cora kept her eyes closed, unsure if anyone still watched. Damien didn't care.
"Let's get out of here before they realize how much smarter you are than them," he whispered, voice dripping with amusement.
He carried her through the silent corridors like she weighed nothing, his strides unhurried, almost leisurely—as if this was just another day of carrying a fake-fainting girl to her room.
Once they reached her dormitory, he kicked the door open with his boot and carried her inside. The door slammed shut behind them.
He placed her gently on the bed but didn't pull away. Instead, he hovered above her, eyes gleaming with mischief.
Cora's lashes fluttered open, startled to find him so close.
"What are you doing?" she breathed, pushing against his chest, but he didn't move.
A smirk curled across Damien's lips, impossibly arrogant.
"Appreciating the view," he said lazily, eyes trailing down her body as if he had every right.
Her cheeks flared, her breath catching. "Get off—"
"I don't think you really want me to," he cut in smoothly, voice low as he leaned closer, his breath brushing against her skin. "You're not very good at lying, sweetheart."
Before she could respond, he buried his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling deeply.
"You smell like the earth after rain," he murmured, his voice dark velvet. "Wild. Untouched."
His lips grazed her neck—soft, deliberate. A trail of kisses followed, teasing heat over her collarbone, slipping lower to the edge of her dress.
Cora's fingers curled into the blanket beneath her. Her heart galloped in her chest. This was too much. Too intense. Too Damien.
He paused at her chest, not venturing further, just pressing the gentlest kiss over her sternum.
She sucked in a shaky breath.
Damien pulled back, his expression infuriatingly smug.
"I'm going to stop here," he said, as if granting her a favor. "Don't want to ruin the mystery too soon."
Her face was on fire, hidden behind her mask, and he clearly reveled in it.
"Why do you look so red?" he asked with mock innocence, brushing his thumb over the side of her mask. "You're not anticipating what should've happened , are you?"
"I hate you," she hissed, voice wobbling.
"Of course you love me." He winked and pinched her masked cheek like she was a kitten. "I'll see you on the ship, little bird."
Then he stood, adjusted his shirt with a dramatic flourish, and walked out like nothing had happened.
Cora stared at the closed door for a full minute before groaning and burying her face in her pillow.
Sometime later, the door creaked open. Sienna waltzed in, radiant as ever, like nothing had happened earlier this morning. Her memory was completely wiped and her vibrant and excited demeanor showed how happy she was to go home.
Cora's fists clenched, everyone has forgotten, everyone except the night creatures who would brush it under the carpet.
Amelia followed soon after, shoulders stiff, her expression pinched with confusion. Cora stepped toward her.
"Something's wrong," Amelia whispered urgently. "No one remembers anything from this morning. They're acting like it never happened."
Cora's breath caught. "You remember?"
Amelia nodded. "Bits and pieces. The mutilated body. The weird thing at the hall. You falling."
She wasn't supposed to remember. None of them were. Unless...she was also not human which was close to impossible.
Cora narrowed her eyes. "Don't mention this to anyone. Not yet. Pretend nothing happened."
Amelia hesitated but nodded. "Okay."
They both turned to pack in silence, the weight of secrets thick in the air.
Once ready, the girls made their way down the winding path to the shore. The sky was soft with golden light, the sea sparkling in the distance. Students laughed and chatted in groups, all seemingly carefree as if nothing ever happened.
Cora lagged slightly behind, eyes scanning the crowd. Her mind was still on Damien's touch, Amelia's memory—and Graves.
Then it happened.
Someone bumped into her, hard.
Her bag tumbled from her shoulder, and her phone clattered to the stone path. Cora bent swiftly to collect it—and found herself staring into piercing blue eyes.
The boy crouched before her, one hand holding her phone. His skin was pale, his features ethereal, otherworldly.
"Thanks," she murmured, reaching for the phone. Their fingers brushed.
Suddenly, her vision swirled.
The beach blurred. The world dimmed. Flashes of the ocean—vast, deep, ancient. Scales shimmered beneath the surface. A tail slicing through the waves. Singing. Screaming. A strange pull in her chest.
She gasped.
The boy was gone.
Cora stood frozen, phone in hand, heart racing. Only Amelia was by her side now, looking confused.
"Did you see him—?"
"There was no one," Amelia said slowly looking around.
But Cora's fingers tingled. Her soul stirred.
She turned slowly, scanning the crowd.
But he wasn't there.
She didn't even know if he was real or just her imagination, but one glance at her phone and the crack and she knew he was real.