The hand on her shoulder was freezing cold. It felt like a block of ice pressing through her shirt.
Lina did not scream. She forced her body to stay completely still. Her heart hammered against her ribs like a trapped bird.
"You should not be in here, Lina," he whispered. His voice was right by her ear. It sounded exactly like the real Kai, but the tone was flat. It sounded like someone reading words from a page without knowing what they meant.
If she turned around, he might grab her. If she ran, he might catch her. He was too fast. He was too perfect. She had to be smart.
Lina remembered the match she had dropped on the floor. It was still glowing with a tiny, dying ember.
She took a deep, shaky breath. Then, she stomped her foot hard on the floor, right next to the match.
The sudden movement stirred the air. The tiny flame flared up for a split second, casting a bright, harsh light in the dark room.
The False Kai blinked. It was a slow, unnatural movement.
In that tiny window of time, Lina ducked. She dropped low and slipped under his arm. She did not look back at the mirror. She could not bear to see the real Kai's panicked face one more time.
She ran.
Lina sprinted out of the archive room and into the dark hallway. The sticky illusions on the walls seemed to reach out for her. A fake shadow stretched across her path, and a fake vine brushed against her leg. She tore free from them, her lungs burning with every breath.
She did not stop until she reached her dorm room.
She threw the door open, slipped inside, and slammed it shut. She turned the lock. Then she dragged the heavy wooden chair and wedged it tightly under the handle.
"Lina?" a small voice called from the dark.
It was Seren. She was sitting up in bed, her eyes wide and alert. On the other bed, Mira was still asleep, but her face was twisted in a nightmare.
"I am here," Lina gasped. She leaned her back against the door, sliding down until she hit the floor. Her legs felt like water.
"Did you see him?" Seren whispered.
Lina nodded. She could not speak yet. She just closed her eyes and tried to slow her breathing. The cold feeling of his hand was still on her shoulder.
Slowly, Lina opened her eyes and looked up at the ceiling.
The glowing numbers were floating in the dark room. They pulsed with a sickly light.
Lina watched in horror as her number began to change.
The seven faded away. A sharp, bright six took its place.
Lina 🖋️ — 6.
It had dropped. Just like Mira's.
Lina pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. He knew where she was. He was watching her. And the time was running out faster than before.
To be Continued
© Kishtika., 2026
All rights reserved.
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Next Chapter Summary: Lina and her friends try to set a trap to prove the False Kai is an imposter, but the trap reveals a terrifying truth about how much the academy already knows.