The smoke hung in the air, drifting along the stairs, wrapping around corners like a slow whisper.
Aria's breath came sharp, air clawing at her throat, yet she crouched close, skin chilled by the radiator's iron touch. Stillness gripped her, though every pulse begged for escape - frozen not only by space, but by weight inside, thought tangled tight.
Lucien spoke up, his tone slicing through the fog - clear, firm, cutting in without warning
"Aria! Stay down!"
Damian moved behind, stiff steps, tight rhythm
"Don't come out until I say so!"
Yet the outsider was already going - smooth, quiet, almost too quick to see. The dark shapes twisted strangely nearby, bending in manners that churned Aria's gut.
"You can't hide forever," the figure whispered, almost lazily, as if taunting her. "Your stepbrother and his rival will do nothing to save you."
Aria's thoughts spun wildly. Not just rivals - stepbrothers - but their fixation on her, how they clung no matter what, had always pressed in too close. Now it wasn't just emotional; the pressure was real. Trapped between them - and worse threats closing in.
Lucien's hand slammed against the classroom door.
"I know you're in there," he said, voice low and terrifying. "I will not lose you to this."
Aria gulped, hands tight against her ears, hoping she'd just vanish. Yet the dark shapes shifted, sliding across the ground like spilled ink. That man's laugh rang out once more - sharp, slow, heartless.
Damian's voice came from nearer, tense but watchful.
"Aria, you need to trust me. Don't let them scare you. Stay calm. Stay still."
Aria squinted past the haze, breath stuck in her throat. Then - movement. This time, no blur, just sharp edges: cold steel beneath fabric, a mark lit low on skin - the snake curled tight.
The courier of the letters. Whoever'd been arranging the hidden truths.
Her gut dropped. She knew that mark - more than a caution, it meant ownership.
Lucien's voice came from right behind her - quiet, sharp. It hit like a warning.
"Aria, get up! Now!"
Damian crept forward, calm but dangerous. "Go now - I've got your back!"
Aria bolted without stopping. Racing to the rear door, her shaky legs fought through panic and raw energy. Close behind, Lucien moved left, Damian right - like a shield she never requested yet couldn't live without.
The outsider attacked without warning.
A streak of darkness zipped at them, so quick it smudged the air. His fingers grabbed it - crackling light jumped across his skin. He leapt forward - not sharp but sudden - and tore into the black shape just before it hit her.
The clash of strength felt scary. Air crackled from pressure, darkness facing metal, one fixated mind up against another.
Aria gasped, tripping back after bursting through the exit. The door snapped closed as she panted heavily. Heat from Lucien pressed against her side, while Damian loomed just behind. He stood rigid, alert - every move sharp, every breath guarded. Together they formed a wall no one would want to face.
You good? His words came out rough, quiet - nearer than she thought he'd be.
She gave a small nod. Then her gaze jumped from one to the other. "Uh… what's his name?"
Damian stayed quiet at first. His jaw clenched, his hands shaking a bit - not from being scared, yet holding back something strong.
"They're tied to your mother's death," he finally said. "And your past… everything we've been keeping you from—it's connected."
Lucien's eyes darkened. He stepped closer, almost too close, and whispered, "And they want you. Because you're… dangerous. To them. And… to us."
Aria froze. Was it risky? For once she felt weak - but then again, a spark lit up deep within. Fear mixed with pressure, along with this strange fixation; her heart pounded like it was celebrating chaos while screaming danger. Each beat pulled her toward thrill and dread, neither winning out.
A noise from the back had each one stop dead. Yet they didn't move a muscle.
The outsider kept on coming. Quiet-like. Waiting it out. Like some hunter sizing up each move.
Lucien's hand brushed hers - brief, accidental, electric.
His gaze turned cold - like it could slice through steel.
Aria's mouth felt parched. Right then, it hit her - she wasn't free, yet someone else was near.
The next move she took might wreck everything - or ignite chaos instead.