: The Whisper Beyond the Trees
Rain fell in slow, whispering sheets as Aurora sprinted through the dark woods, her breath ragged and soaked to the bone. Branches clawed at her arms and legs, but she didn't stop. She couldn't—not after what had just happened.
The Thompsons had never truly seen her. To them, she was just the quiet foster girl who kept her head down and followed rules. But today, something inside her snapped. When Mrs. Thompson raised her voice one too many times, the lights in the kitchen flickered, and a sudden gust of heat cracked the glass on the table. Her hands glowed—faint but undeniable. Demon energy.
She ran before anyone could ask questions, disappearing into the woods behind town. She didn't know where she was going. She only knew she couldn't stay. She wasn't just different. She was dangerous.
As the trees thickened around her, a strange warmth rippled across her skin—like she'd crossed an invisible threshold. The world shifted. The wind grew still. The forest began to glow faintly with dots of silvery-blue light, floating like stars fallen from the sky.
And then, it appeared. A glowing crescent moon etched in blue fire hovered ahead of her. It pulsed once… and opened into a scroll, unfurling midair. Its message, written in silver ink, made her heart skip: _"You are invited to Moonstone Academy, a sanctuary for the gifted, the hidden, and the powerful. Follow the light."_
Before she could even breathe, the scroll vanished, and the floating light drifted deeper into the forest. With nothing left behind her and curiosity tugging at her bones, Aurora followed.
Moonstone Academy rose like a forgotten palace at the edge of a cliff, its towers silhouetted by a glowing lake below. Runes shimmered along the stone archways, and enchanted lanterns floated in the air like fireflies. Magic thrummed through the walls—it made her skin tingle and her heart race.
She stepped through the towering gates, unsure what to expect. Then a voice, bright and musical, greeted her. "First time?"
Aurora turned. A girl with long aqua braids and sea-glass eyes stood beside her, wearing a sleek academy robe. "I'm Thalina," she said. "You're clearly new. You've got that deer-in-the-magic-storm look."
As they walked through the courtyard, Aurora took in the crowd of students—sirens with shimmering skin, vampires in velvet uniforms, humans glowing with stored magic. The academy wasn't just diverse in species—it was alive with raw power.
Thalina leaned close. "You'll learn fast: magic runs deep in this place. Most students here come from monster bloodlines—sirens, demons, dragons, fae, you name it. But the ones who _really_ stand out? The hybrids. The hidden. Like you."
Aurora tensed. "What do you mean, like me?"
Thalina smiled knowingly but didn't press. "You'll see."
As they approached a tree-lined path near the lake, Thalina pointed out a figure sitting alone on a marble bench. His silver hair was tied back loosely, his fingers glowing faintly as he turned the pages of a floating spellbook.
"That's Destin," Thalina said. "One of the only three magical werewolves at Moonstone. Most can't use magic, but he's brilliant. Doesn't talk much though. Some say he can control elemental sigils better than the professors."
Aurora glanced at him. There was something distant in his eyes, like he was always somewhere else, calculating a spell or hiding a part of himself.
"I'm guessing he doesn't have many friends," Aurora said quietly.
Thalina shrugged. "Magic comes easy to him, but he can't shift properly. The other wolves call him broken. He doesn't let them see how much that bothers him."
As they reached the dorms, Thalina pushed open a rune-inscribed door. "This'll be your place. Girls' wing is on the right. You'll get your schedule tomorrow."
Aurora stepped in, overwhelmed and quiet. "Thanks for… helping me."
Thalina grinned. "You looked like you needed a friend. I did too, when I got here."
For the first time that night, Aurora smiled.
Just as Thalina was about to leave, a tall figure strode down the hallway—robes trailing like smoke, his face stern, shadowed by candlelight. Students moved aside as he passed.
"Who's that?" Aurora asked.
"Professor Malrik," Thalina whispered. "Teaches Runes and Dark Arts. People say he's not fully human. Creepy genius type. Some say he used to be a creature of shadow before taking this form."
As he passed them, Aurora caught a flicker of something—an aura thick with ancient energy. It made the demon in her stir.
Back in her room, she sat on the edge of her bed, eyes scanning the glowing runes etched into the ceiling. She remembered the scroll's words: _You are one of us now._
No more hiding. No more pretending to be human. Aurora Seraphin—half-demon, daughter of a coven head who died the night she was born—had found the one place where monsters belonged. But even here, secrets followed her. And somewhere beneath the walls of Moonstone Academy, a darker power stirred.