Bella
The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the library floor. I took that as my cue to leave. It still amused me that Raventon's library had no official closing time. Students were allowed to stay till daybreak, as long as they didn't fall asleep.
It was almost like the school encouraged our toxic study habits. Then again, they also turned a blind eye to the use of enhancers. The administration only stepped in when someone was on the verge of a breakdown or collapsed from sheer exhaustion.
I began packing my books into my tote bag, one by one. As I lifted a worn textbook from the table, a card fluttered out and landed on the floor. I frowned. It wasn't mine.
Curious, I picked it up and immediately felt a jolt of confusion. It was an invitation.
From the Dominions.
"To a party? Tonight?" I muttered aloud.
My first instinct was disbelief. The Dominions throw parties?
Either they were more untouchable than I thought, or this party was very, very off the books. I flipped the sleek black card over, my nose wrinkling in distaste.
Why would they invite me? I wasn't their friend. I didn't orbit their world. I had no business going to what was a trap dressed as a social event.
As I stood frozen in thought, I heard faint squeals of excitement from a nearby table.
"We got invited to a Dominion party!" someone whispered, barely able to contain their glee.
I almost rolled my eyes. Let me guess, the Dominion party was the hottest event on campus. Everyone wanted in, but only the "chosen" were granted access. It was like something out of a cheesy high school drama.
Then again, Raventon, with all its secrecy, hierarchy, and surveillance, was just a glorified high school in designer clothing.
I didn't want to go.
With a sigh, I tossed the black card onto the table. As I slung my tote bag over my shoulder, something caught my eye. A second card had slipped out, hidden beneath the first. Unlike the other, this one was gold.
Curiosity prickled my spine. I picked it up and felt my stomach drop as I read the message:
We know who took your roommate. If you want to find out who it is, and if she's still alive, come alone. Do not tell anyone.
My breath caught.
Before I could react, the gold card ignited in my hand. I yelped, dropping it, but it vanished in a whisper of smoke before it could even hit the table, leaving only a dusting of ash.
Heart pounding, I stared at the ashes on the desk.
Was this a joke? A threat? A warning?
Or worse, was it real?
Even if I wanted to report this to the authorities, what would I even say? Oh, hey, a mysterious card told me the truth about my missing roommate, but then it caught fire in my hand like a scene from a bad thriller. Yeah, that would go over well.
I glanced around the library, eyes scanning the corners, and then widened when I spotted the surveillance cameras. Relief flickered in my chest. That could be evidence... right?
But almost as quickly, doubt crept in. What if the footage was already wiped? Or what if they never even saw me pick up the card? What if the people behind this were smart enough to cover their tracks?
Still, why did a part of me want to go? Why did the idea of finding out what truly happened to my former roommate keep pressing on my mind like a weight?
It's not like we were best friends. She wasn't the nicest person, actually; she could be a real nightmare, but I couldn't shake the feeling that her disappearance hadn't been natural. It felt... wrong.
And while the Dominions were a lot of things, arrogant, entitled bullies, I didn't peg them for murderers. Then again, what if this wasn't about them? What if they were trying to warn me that someone else, someone higher, was responsible? What if this had nothing to do with a party and everything to do with Raventon itself?
But why help me? That's the part I couldn't wrap my head around.
They'd spent the last week making my life hell. I couldn't walk into a classroom without dreading what new humiliation they had planned. I started leaving lectures with the professor just to avoid being cornered.
And the worst?
Because of them, people thought I had a week-long period.
Not an actual one, no, I mean, they stained my skirt with blood so many times it became a running joke. I was the girl with the issue of blood. Hilarious, right?
So yeah. I had trust issues. Deep ones.
But still, my conscience gnawed at me. Maybe if I'd made an effort with my old roommate, tried to connect, I would've noticed the signs. Maybe I could've helped. Maybe she wouldn't have vanished without a trace.
I dropped onto my bed like a sack of potatoes, limbs heavy with frustration and indecision. My new roommate wasn't back yet, another girl who liked staying out late and barely said two words to me.
For hours, I tossed and turned, tried reading, even listened to music, but nothing could hold my attention. The thought kept looping in my mind: She might still be alive. I might be able to do something.
Eventually, I gave in.
I would go to their dumb party.
For my roommate.
It took me a while to figure out what to wear. I stared at my closet, tried on a few things, but nothing felt right. Then it hit me, I wasn't going to a party. I was going to find out what happened to my roommate.
So I ditched the idea of looking cute. Instead, I threw on a plain shirt and a pair of baggy jeans. Functional. Comfortable. Forget the dress code.
Finding the party was surprisingly easy. Too easy.
But the moment I saw the location, my stomach twisted.
The invitation had led me to the edge of campus, then off it entirely, to a spot I hadn't known existed. And that's saying a lot, considering how long I've wandered this place during my midnight insomnia loops.
The "venue" was at the mouth of a massive forest. Tall, shadow-drenched trees stretched endlessly into the dark, like the jaws of some ancient creature waiting to swallow me whole.
I hadn't even known Raventon had a forest.
From where I stood, I could see the faint glow of the party lights filtering through the trees. They weren't bright or colorful. No. They were red. Deep, pulsing red. Not warm red—blood red. Like a warning light, not an invitation.
I exhaled shakily, staring down the path.
What's the worst that could happen? I thought bitterly. They stain my jeans again?
Wrong.
So, so wrong. Something much worse…Sinister even.