Zane was eyeing his prize—a roasted animal, so perfectly golden it seemed almost too good to steal. Its scent was irresistible, the crackling skin promising a bite of juicy meat. His fingers itched with anticipation as he snuck closer to the cart.
But as he was about to make his move, a voice from behind stopped him cold.
"Not so fast, thief."
Zane froze.
Turning slowly, he found Auri standing a few feet away, her golden eyes glimmering with unmistakable intent. Her classmates stood a few paces behind her, clearly aware of what was happening.
"Damn it," Zane muttered under his breath, glancing around for an escape route. Too late.
"I should've known it was you," Auri said, her tone cold, a slight smirk curling at the corners of her lips. "You're still the same petty thief from that day."
Zane straightened up, brushing crumbs off his cloak. "I don't see a sign that says 'reserved for the academy elite,' so I figured it was free game."
Auri crossed her arms, eyes narrowing. "I have a grudge against you. After what you did in the forest, I'd say it's only fair if we settle things here."
Zane tilted his head. "A grudge? You're still holding onto that? I was just having a little fun. Besides, you got your revenge, didn't you?"
"You think this is a game? This isn't just a little prank!" Auri snapped. "You've been a nuisance since the day we met."
Zane sighed dramatically. "Alright, alright. If I knew you were still sore about that, I'd've apologized. But hey, can we skip to the part where I get the food?"
Auri wasn't listening, though. She turned to her classmates with a sharp command. "Get him!"
One by one, her friends began stepping forward: Adrien, with the electric crackling at his fingertips, Blaise, his fiery eyes glowing, and a couple of others Zane barely recognized. They moved like a well-rehearsed team, all closing in on him at once.
"Oh, great," Zane muttered. "Now you've gone and done it."
Nyx's voice echoed in his mind. "I told you this was coming, you fool. Now they're all on your tail."
Zane shot a look toward the sky. "Well, maybe you could've warned me sooner. Before I was about to eat."
"I did warn you. You just didn't listen!"
As the group moved in, Auri's eyes flickered between him and her friends, clearly calculating the best way to corner him. "If we work together, we can take him down," she said, the edge of vengeance in her voice.
Zane cracked his knuckles. "Yeah, we'll see about that."