Lunaborn at Moonridge Academy

Elara's POVThe first rule of being invisible? Keep your head down, Don’t make noise, Don’t make eye contact. I’ve had years to get good at it. Even now, walking across the courtyard of Moonridge Academy, I keep my gaze glued to the cracks in the stone beneath my boots. Every student here looks like they belong in a movie. Like they know they were born to shine. Their laughter echoes like they own the air. I don’t shine. I survived.“Elara!”The sound of my name shouted like it’s not something fragile, makes me flinch. I turn just in time to see a blur of pink hair and chaotic energy racing toward me. “Oh, thank goddess, you’re real!” the girl says, practically bouncing. “I thought I got assigned a ghost.” She’s grinning like this is a reunion instead of our first meeting.“I’m Lila,” she adds, grabbing my arm like we’ve been best friends for years.“ Lila Hart, Humans, Theater geek. Future journalist-slash-scandal queen. And you are Elara Quinn. I stalked the roommate list.” “Uh

Elara’s POVI avoided the Quad like it was a cursed thing.After what happened with Seraphina.. and with the way Kael had looked at me, the way he stood up for me against her.. I couldn’t risk running into them again. Not when I didn’t even understand what any of it meant.Lila tried to pry it out of me at lunch. I gave her the cliff notes of his little defense, leaving out the part where the most powerful guy on campus practically declared war in the middle of the hallway because of me.“So let me get this straight..,” she said, pointing her fork like it was evidence. “Kael Draven, the guy half the school drools over, stood up for you, and your big plan is to sit here sulking like the tragic lead in an indie film? Are you being serious right now ”I glared at my sandwich. “What do you want me to say? How do you want me to react?”“ Well for starters.. you could act like it meant something.. like when he looked at you with his weirdly hot eyes, your heart did a cartwheel or a summersau

Elara’s POV“Sorry Mr Thorne.. But.. You’re not making any sense.”I continued to stare at Professor Thorne like he’d just told me the moon was made of silver and howling blood.“You were never supposed to survive the Awakening.. Elara,” he said again, as if repeating it would make the words to make any sense.“That’s not a thing. That’s not even a sentence that means anything..”“It meant someone had protected you.. shielded you.. someone powerful, really powerful. And now it seems that protection has begun to unravel.”I blinked hard as I stared at him. “Okay, well, I’m not powerful.. I’m just trying to pass algebra class and not spiral into a panic attack before lunch.”Thorne didn’t laugh. He didn’t even blink. He looked at me like I was already a ghost.“You think you’re human don’t you?,” he said softly. “You’ve successfully convinced yourself to believe that. But your blood remembers.”“That’s creepy. Could you stop being creepy.”His mouth curved, but it wasn’t amusement. “It’s

Seraphine’s POVMy dorm room’s sheer curtains allowed the morning sunshine to enter freely.“Ahhhh, I yawned heavily after sitting up in bed and my muscles protested during the stretching motion.I stood up by exerting my entire strength while my muscles contracted and shook. I trudged over to the bathroom. As I entered the shower I felt the tile's chill pierce my feet until hot water started flowing which helped me relax.I got ready for my class. I arranged my skirt again before carrying my bag over my shoulder and exiting into the hallway. "Professor Thorne's classes always start early" I said to myself as I increased my pace.While walking through the dorm hallway I spotted several girls gathered together by the stairwell. Their necks strained as they leaned in together while their eyes stayed locked with wide attention.“Ugh.” I rolled my eyes. “Jobless girls are so annoying.” “Seraphine! Seraphine!” one of them called out. I spun around. It was Veronica, blonde ponytail bobb

Elara’s POV“Who the fuck does she think she is?” I hissed, stomping back toward the building with Kael’s book pressed to my chest. The hold that Seraphine placed on me left my wrist burning and with every step I took my anger worsened.My heart skipped a beat when I saw Professor Thorne exit the classroom with his leather satchel over his shoulder as I rounded the corner towards the lecture hall.“Wait… what?” I blinked. The hall echoed with quiet whispers and the noise of feet moving. The view from the doorway showed students picking up their textbooks and moving chairs as they conversed among themselves.“What the fuck is going on?” I frowned, turning to no one in particular.The girl that walked past me glanced at me, shrugged. “Class was over. Thorne dismissed early.” I groaned. “Ahhh, seriously?” The final students exited as I entered while I made my way to my familiar spot which was located in the second row from the front near the window. I returned to my bench seat to open