Novels by S.Riah

Chapter 65 The second time Nora stepped outside, she didn’t brace herself. That surprised her more than anything. It wasn’t bravery exactly, it was quieter than that. More like trust. Trust in the way Jaden walked beside her without rushing. Trust in the way Trisha had texted her three times that morning just to say I’m here. Trust in her own body for not betraying her with panic the moment the door closed behind her. They didn’t go far. Just the corner store. It was ordinary in every possible way. Bright fluorescent lights. Narrow aisles. A bell that chimed softly when the door opened. Nora paused just inside, letting her eyes adjust, letting her chest settle. Jaden didn’t say a word. He didn’t point out exits. He didn’t scan the room dramatically. He just stood close enough that their shoulders brushed, grounding without hovering. “You okay?” he asked quietly. “Yes,” she said and meant it. “Just… give me a second.” He nodded. “Take all the seconds you need.” She moved do

Chapter 64 Morning didn’t bring fear this time. That alone felt like progress. Nora woke slowly, the kind of waking that didn’t jolt her heart awake before her body caught up. She lay still for a moment, eyes closed, listening to the quiet rhythm of the apartment. Somewhere down the hall, pipes hummed softly. Outside, a car door slammed, then faded. Beside her, Jaden breathed evenly. She turned her head just enough to look at him. He was on his back now, one arm stretched above his head, the other resting loosely across her waist like it had found its natural place there overnight. His face was calm, unguarded in sleep in a way she rarely saw anymore. She studied him like this, committing the image to memory. He stayed, she thought. He always stays. Carefully, she shifted, trying not to wake him. Her body still felt fragile, like it was learning itself again, but not broken. Just… cautious. When she sat up, the room didn’t spin. Her chest didn’t tighten. That was new. She wr

Chapter 63 Morning arrived quietly, as if it knew better than to rush her. Nora woke to light first not harsh, not blinding, just a pale ribbon slipping through the crack in the curtains and settling gently across the wall. For a few seconds, she didn’t move. She stayed still, listening. The city outside was awake, but distant. Cars passed somewhere far below. A door opened and closed in another apartment. Life continued, but it wasn’t pressing in on her. Her body felt heavy in the best way. Warm. Safe. She shifted slightly and felt it immediately the steady rise and fall beneath her cheek, the familiar rhythm she’d learned by heart long before everything broke. Jaden’s chest. His arm around her waist, relaxed even in sleep, like it had never considered leaving. Her breath caught, not in fear, but in awe. I slept. Not the half-sleep she’d been trapped in for weeks. Not the shallow drifting where nightmares lurked just beneath the surface. This had been real rest. Deep. Dream

Chapter 62 The rain started sometime after midnight. It wasn’t loud or dramatic, just a steady, gentle tapping against the windows, like the world lowering its voice out of respect. Nora lay awake on Trisha’s couch, wrapped in a thick blanket that smelled faintly of lavender detergent and familiarity. The apartment lights were off except for the small lamp in the corner, casting a warm glow across the room. Shadows stretched lazily along the walls, calm instead of threatening. For the first time in days, her heart wasn’t racing. Jaden sat on the floor beside the couch, his back resting against it, one arm draped casually over the cushion near her shoulder. He hadn’t insisted on sleeping beside her. He hadn’t pushed. He was just… there. Present. Safe. “You’re not sleeping,” he murmured. Neither was she. But she smiled anyway. “Neither are you.” He tilted his head back slightly so he could see her. “I’m on watch duty.” She huffed a quiet laugh. “You don’t have to guard me al

Chapter 61 Nora woke up just before dawn with her heart racing. For a few disoriented seconds, she didn’t know where she was. The ceiling above her wasn’t familiar, the light too dim, the air too quiet. Then the memories rushed in all at once on campus, the quad, the photo, the eyes, the whispers. Her chest tightened. She rolled onto her side and reached out instinctively. Empty. “Jaden?” Her voice came out hoarse. The door to the bedroom opened almost immediately. “I’m here,” he said softly. He’d clearly never gone to sleep. His hoodie was still on, his hair slightly damp like he’d washed his face one too many times. There was something taut about him, like a wire pulled too tight. Nora pushed herself up, the blanket sliding down her arms. “Why are you awake?” Jaden hesitated. That alone told her everything. “You got another message,” she said. It wasn’t a question. His jaw flexed. “Yeah.” Her stomach dropped. “What did it say?” He crossed the room and sat on the edge

Chapter 60 The first scream cut through the quad just after noon. It wasn’t loud at first, more shocking than loud, but it was enough to snap heads in every direction. Nora was halfway down the steps outside the student union when it happened, her fingers still curled around her phone, her mind elsewhere. Then someone shouted her name. “Nora!” She froze. That was her first mistake. The crowd reacted before she could. People turned. Phones lifted. Whispers rippled outward like wildfire. Jaden was only a few feet behind her. “Don’t move,” he said quickly, his voice low and urgent. “Stay right there.” But it was already too late. A girl pushed through the crowd, face pale, shaking, holding her phone like it was burning her palm. “Is this true?” the girl blurted, voice cracking. “Is this you?” Nora didn’t understand at first. She looked down at the screen and the world tilted. A photo. Her. Not fully nude but intimate enough. Cropped. Blurry. Clearly taken without her cons

CHAPTER 33 PART 1 TOO CLOSE TO SEE Maya woke up knowing something had shifted. It wasn’t dramatic. No slammed doors. No raised voices. No visible fallout. It was worse than that. The house felt alert. Not awake and watchful. She noticed it in the way the staff avoided her eyes, in the way conversations stopped when she entered a room, in the way her phone felt heavier in her hand even when it was silent. The crack she’d made had not gone unnoticed. She dressed slowly, deliberately, choosing something neutral. Nothing bold. Nothing soft. She pinned her hair back the way her mother liked it, applied just enough makeup to look composed, not enough to look defiant. Performance was survival. Downstairs, her fiancé was already at the table, reading through documents, coffee untouched. “You’re up early,” he said without looking at her. “I couldn’t sleep,” Maya replied. He hummed, flipping a page. “That happens when people have too much on their minds.” She sat across from h

CHAPTER 32 PART 1 A SILENT NO Maya learned something important the morning she woke up without fear. Not because the danger was gone. But because fear had finally exhausted itself. She lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, listening to the distant sounds of the house waking up the muted footsteps of staff, the soft clink of cutlery from the dining room, the low murmur of voices she knew better than her own heartbeat. This house had always been loud with power, even when it was quiet. For the first time in weeks, her chest didn’t feel tight. Empty, yes. But steady. She sat up slowly, running a hand through her hair, and for a brief moment, she allowed herself to think of Ethan without flinching. His hands. His voice. The way he used to look at her like she was something rare, not something owned. Her phone buzzed. A message from her fiancé. Breakfast. Don’t be late. No greeting. No warmth. Just instruction. She stared at the screen, then placed the phone face down

CHAPTER 31 PART 1 LOVE, OBSERVED Maya had never known love could feel this silent. Not the soft silence of comfort, but the heavy kind that pressed against the chest and made breathing feel deliberate. Measured. As if one wrong inhale might expose everything she was hiding. She stood in front of the mirror again, adjusting the sleeve of her dress, smoothing fabric that didn’t need smoothing. Her reflection stared back at her, flawless and composed. The girl everyone admired. The woman everyone thought had everything. No one saw the ache sitting just beneath her ribs. Her fiancé was already waiting downstairs. “You look beautiful,” he said when she reached the last step. She smiled automatically. “Thank you.” His hand slipped to the small of her back as they walked out together. Possessive. Familiar. Public. The car door closed, sealing her into another performance. Campus had become a stage. Everywhere Maya went, eyes followed. Whispers floated just behind her, never loud

CHAPTER 30 PART 1 SMILES THAT HURT Maya learned very quickly that pretending was harder than enduring. Enduring pain was quiet. It happened inside the chest, behind the ribs, in places no one could see. Pretending required performance. A smile held too long. A laugh at the right moment. A hand resting gently on the arm of a man she no longer trusted but was bound to. That morning, she stood in front of the mirror longer than usual. Her engagement ring caught the light, sharp and unforgiving. She stared at it until her eyes burned. This is what safety looks like, she reminded herself. This is the cost. Behind her, the door opened. “You’re going to be late,” her fiancé said calmly. She turned, already wearing a smile. “I know.” He studied her, as if testing whether the smile was real or rehearsed. Then he nodded, satisfied. “Today matters,” he said. “There will be people watching.” There always were. On campus, the change was immediate. Maya arrived beside him, her han

CHAPTER 29 PART 1 WHEN WORLDS OVERLAP The silence inside the safe house was unnatural. Not peaceful. Not calm. It was the kind of silence that existed only when everyone in the room knew something irreversible was unfolding but no one was ready to name it. Maya stood between two worlds. On her left was Ethan. On her right was the man she was supposed to marry. She could feel the gravity of both pulling at her, tearing her apart in opposite directions. Her fiancé was the first to move. He adjusted his cufflinks slowly, deliberately, as though he had all the time in the world. His gaze drifted around the room over Elena, the folders on the table, the barely concealed panic in the air before finally settling on Ethan. The look was polite. Almost kind. “You must be very confused,” he said calmly. Ethan didn’t answer. He had gone very still, the way predators did when they were deciding whether to attack or retreat. Maya recognized it immediately. It frightened her not beca

CHAPTER 28 PART 1 STEPPING INTO FIRE Maya woke with the certainty that today would change everything. Not because something obvious would happen. Not because she planned to run or confess or scream the truth into the open. It was quieter than that more instinct than thought. The kind of knowing that settled deep in her bones. She moved slowly, deliberately, as if every step mattered. Her fiancé was already awake, standing by the window with his phone pressed to his ear. He spoke in low tones, calm and precise, the kind of voice that never betrayed urgency. When he noticed her watching, he smiled and ended the call. “Good morning,” he said. “Morning,” Maya replied. She wondered, briefly, how many versions of this moment she had lived without realizing it was rehearsed. Elena’s message replayed in her mind as she dressed. I saw it. I remember everything. There was no reply yet. That was intentional. From this moment on, communication had to be sparse. Careful. Assumed comp

Chapter 10 The dawn broke over the city, golden sunlight glinting off glass towers and streets that had once been battlefields. Clara stood atop the highest rooftop she could reach, her pendant glowing softly against her chest. She had spent the night meditating, channelling the energy she had inherited from her grandmother, the strength of her lineage flowing steadily through her veins. Her team—Mike, James, and Bridget—stood behind her, eyes scanning the horizon. They had tracked the Shadow Council to an abandoned industrial complex near the edge of the city. This time, they were prepared. Clara’s heart beat rapidly. The Shadow Leader had stolen a fragment of her grandmother’s power before, but tonight, she would reclaim it and end this threat once and for all. Mike adjusted his tech visor. “All drones are in position. Energy sensors are active. They’re inside, Clara. And it’s quiet… too quiet.” Bridget’s eyes narrowed. “That’s exactly what makes me nervous. Shadows rarely stay

Chapter 9 The city’s night air was heavy with tension. Clara and her team had been tracking the Shadow Council for days, hoping to recover the stolen fragment of her grandmother’s pendant. Every alleyway, every rooftop felt like a potential trap. Mike scrolled through the drone feed, brow furrowed. “They’ve been setting patterns. Repeated movements near the old docks. I think they’re planning something big.” Bridget’s eyes narrowed. “Sounds like bait.” James gripped his staff tightly. “Then let’s not fall for it. We’ll split up—Clara, you stay with me. Bridget, cover Mike. We move fast and hit hard.” Clara felt the familiar surge of golden energy within her. She had trained hard, but the shadow of doubt still lingered. Could she fully control her power? Could she protect her friends? The team approached the docks quietly, the moon reflecting off the water. The silence was broken by the faint sound of chains rattling. Shadows flickered in the corner of Clara’s vision. “Stay aler

Chapter 8 The city had never felt so tense. Even the hum of traffic seemed quieter, as though it were holding its breath. The aftermath of the Shadow Council’s second strike left the streets scarred: shattered windows, overturned cars, and the faint echo of terror lingering in the alleyways. Clara sat on the rooftop of Mike’s house, staring at her pendant. It no longer glowed faintly—it pulsed strongly, as if calling her, reminding her of what she had lost: the fragment of her grandmother’s artefact stolen by the Shadow Leader. Mike joined her silently, holding a small tablet filled with surveillance feeds. “We’ve traced their energy signature to the east side of the city,” he said. “They’re regrouping—preparing another strike.” Clara clenched her fists. “Then we have to stop them before anyone else gets hurt. I’m ready to try controlling my power fully this time.” James leaned against the railing, twirling his staff. “Finally. No more holding back. We hit them hard and fast

Chapter 7 The night air felt heavier than usual, thick with a strange tension that no one could quite explain. After the Shadow Council’s threatening message, the team knew they had little time before the next attack. Clara barely slept. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the burning village, her grandmother’s face, the looming shadows… and now the message echoing in her mind: “The bloodline will fall.” Morning light spilt into Mike’s apartment as the team regrouped, exhaustion etched into each of their faces. Mike stood in front of a large holographic map of the city, pointing at glowing red indicators. “These are the energy spikes detected in the last three hours,” he explained. “They’re moving in a pattern… almost like they’re scanning the city.” Bridget leaned forward. “Looking for Clara.” James folded his arms. “Then we stop them before they find her. End of story.” Clara hugged her arms around herself. “They’re getting stronger. We saw how fast they moved at the ban

Chapter 6 The city skyline glittered under the night sky, but Clara’s mind was anything but calm. After the first battle, her hands still trembled from the raw surge of power she had barely controlled. The team gathered in Mike’s high-tech apartment, every surface glowing with screens and gadgets. “Okay,” Mike said, flipping through holographic files, “we need answers. Who are these villains, and why are they after you?” Clara swallowed. “They mentioned… my bloodline. Something I carry. But I don’t understand.” James paced the floor. “It’s obvious—they’re looking for a power. Maybe your family hid something, and now they want it back.” Bridget leaned on the railing overlooking the city, her face serious. “If they know your grandmother or parents were special… then they’ve probably been tracking your family for generations. That’s why they attacked your village.” Clara’s heart sank. “So all the people in my village… my family…” Mike crouched next to her, placing a comforting han

Chapter 5 The city slept, but Clara couldn’t. She sat on the rooftop of Mike’s house, hugging her knees as the night wind brushed her hair. The glowing symbol the villains left—AWAKEN—still burned in her mind. What did they want her to become? The door creaked behind her. Mike stepped out carrying a small device and two mugs. “Couldn’t sleep either?” Clara shook her head. “No.” He sat beside her and handed her a cup. “Warm chocolate.” She held it carefully. “Thank you.” Mike hesitated. “Clara… whoever those things were—they knew your name. They knew your blood. If we’re going to protect you, we need to be ready.” Her eyes lifted. “You still want to help me?” “Of course,” he said without hesitation. “You didn’t run when things got dangerous. Neither will we.” Footsteps approached. James and Bridget joined them, both dressed in dark clothes. Bridget clapped once. “Alright team—Operation Trap The Shadow Clowns starts tonight.” James grinned, spinning his baton. “Time to figh