I walked toward the principal's office with the weight of every stare digging into my back. My legs felt stiff, and each step sounded louder than it should have.
The sound of my heartbeat drummed in my ears, and I couldn't tell if it was fear, guilt, or anticipation.
When I reached the tall wooden door at the end of the hallway, I hesitated for just a moment. My hand hovered, trembling, before I knocked twice.
"Come in," came the smooth voice from inside.
I swallowed hard and pushed the door open.
Principal Wallace, who was a vampire, sat behind his desk, sharp-featured and elegant as ever. He was the kind of man who looked like he belonged in an expensive black-and-white portrait, with silver-streaked hair and the stillness of someone who never aged.
If I asked how old he was, I wouldn't be surprised if he said eighty.
He gestured to the seat in front of him with a tight-lipped smile. But I barely noticed him, because sitting opposite him was someone else.
Someone who looked eerily similar to the royal I had seen last night.
His hair was shorter, messier. A few strands fell into his golden eyes, and he had a smirk curling at the corner of his lips like he was permanently amused.
He sat with an ease that said he didn't fear anything, and probably hadn't, for a very long time.
"Well, well," he drawled, sniffing the air dramatically. "Guess Tiberius was right after all. You do smell unique."
My throat went dry. Tiberius?
Was that the name of the vampire from last night?
I didn't know what to respond with, and I remained frozen in place, fiddling with my fingers.
"Don't worry about Miran," the stranger said casually, waving a hand like he was shooing away a fly. "It's all being handled."
My stomach dropped, and my eyes widened.
How did he know about that?
Principal Wallace cleared his throat, finally stepping in. "Zara, allow me to introduce you to Lysander. One of the House Noctis royals."
Lysander.
So he was a royal!
I bowed my head instinctively, blood draining from my face.
Lysander laughed, the sound rich and easy. "No need for courtesies. I'm not here to punish you or anything like that. I've come for something simple, actually."
I looked up slowly, hands shaking. "Simple?"
"Why, yes of course. You're coming with me," he said, still smiling. "To House Noctis."
For a moment, I couldn't breathe.
"W-what?" I managed.
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "You will leave school today. Right now, actually. And you'll follow me back to my home."
My chest constricted. The thought hit me like a punch.
They were taking me.
Taking me.
"W-why? To use me as a blood bag?"
He blinked, then looked almost...hurt? Pitying, maybe. "Relax. No one's going to hurt you. You're not prey, Zara."
Principal Wallace's expression remained unreadable, but he nodded slightly, as if to confirm it.
"Then why?" I asked.
Lysander smirked. "You'll find out soon enough."
That didn't make me feel better. But I couldn't argue. Arguing with royals or disobeying them was as good as saying you wanted to die.
"Can I..." I started, voice smaller than I intended. "Can I at least stop by my house? To tell my parents?"
He considered that for a long moment.
Then finally said, "Fine. We'll stop. But only for a few minutes."
I exhaled shakily, nodding. "Okay."
"You can go say goodbye to your friend. I know how close you and Alice are," Principal Wallace added gently.
I stood still for a heartbeat, barely registering his words. My ears were ringing. My fingers were numb. I nodded, turned on my heel, and fled.
The hallway blurred around me. Every step I took away from the office, from the only life I'd known, felt unreal, like I was walking through a dream I couldn't wake from. Or a nightmare.
Alice was already outside the classroom when I reached it, pacing like she'd been caged. Her eyes darted up the second she saw me and she rushed forward.
"Zara!" she gasped, grabbing me by the arms. "Why do you look like someone drained all the color and life out of you? What's going on? Did they find Miran? Are you okay?"
I stared at her, my throat tightening. I opened my mouth to answer but no sound came out.
"Zara?" she repeated, her voice trembling now.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. "No… they didn't find him. Alice, I—" My voice cracked. "I'm leaving."
Her brows furrowed. "What do you mean leaving? Leaving school?"
I shook my head, slowly, like each motion cost me something. "With a royal."
For a moment, I thought she hadn't heard me right. Then her mouth dropped open. "What?!" Her voice was sharp enough to draw a few looks from inside the classroom. "Why? Why would you go with them?! What the hell is happening?!"
"I don't know," I said, my voice hollow. "I just... I have to."
"No. No, no, no." She gripped me tighter. "Zara, are you insane?! Do you even hear yourself? Royals don't just pick people up for no reason. They don't rescue, they recruit. Or worse. You know the stories! You've heard them just like I have. They'll turn you into a blood bag and lock you in a golden cage, if you're lucky!"
My breath hitched. "I don't think I have a choice."
"There's always a choice," she snapped. "Run. Hide. I'll help you—"
"Alice," I said, softer now. "Stop."
Her eyes welled with tears. "Don't do this. Don't leave me."
I didn't trust myself to speak. Instead, I pulled her into a hug.
She clung to me. "Zara, please. Don't die. Don't let them kill you."
I hugged her tighter, burying my face in her shoulder, letting the scent of her shampoo and the warmth of her arms try to convince me that maybe I was dreaming. That maybe when I opened my eyes, I'd still have a choice.
"I don't know what's happening," I whispered. "But thank you. For always being there. For not letting me drown."
"You don't owe me anything," she said fiercely. "You just owe it to yourself to live."
I forced a smile as I pulled away. It felt wrong on my face. "I'll be fine."
"You better be. Or I'm starting a war," she said, trying to laugh, but her voice cracked on the last word.
I turned before I could cry. I didn't look back.
By the time I reached the front doors, the hallways were a storm of whispers. I didn't need vampire hearing to catch the word "royal" bouncing from mouth to mouth. Some voices carried awe, others fear. They all carried distance. Everyone stepped aside like I was already marked. Like I wasn't one of them anymore.
No one tried to stop me.
They just watched.
Like they were already writing my obituary.
Outside, the long black limousine waited at the curb. The door was already open, and inside sat Lysander, looking amused.
I took one last breath of school air, steeled myself, and stepped in.
The door closed behind me with a soft click.