TEYA'S POVWhen morning rolled around, it was as if the entire world had just... hit pause.No whispers floated through the air. No curious stares bored into my skin. Nothing.Silence.An eerie silence.I stood there in the middle of the hallway, frozen like a deer caught in headlights, feeling like a total idiot. I was just waiting. Waiting for someone—anyone—to barrel into me as if by accident, or shoot me that glance, you know, the kind that felt like it could burn a hole right through you. I half-expected someone to hurl a cruel remark loud enough for everyone to hear, to remind me that I was still in their line of fire.But it never happened. There were no hostile looks, no whispered insults, not even a single phone aimed in my direction.It was like I was wrapped in this invisible cloak again.And oh man—who would have thought I’d actually miss being invisible?At first, I figured it had to be some kind of trick. Maybe they’d moved the whole circus online, laughing behind their
TEYA'S POV The sting of antiseptic barely registered—just another burn layered on top of so many others. I sat on the edge of the bed, legs swinging just slightly, not from nerves, just to feel something move. Anything. The overhead light flickered once, a soft electric sigh, casting Kael’s face into a brief shadow before steadying again.He pressed the cloth against the gash along my arm, and I watched it bloom red—slowly, delicately, like the blood was shy about showing up. My skin should’ve jerked from the pain, should’ve recoiled, but I didn’t even twitch. I felt wrung out. Like everything inside me had been turned over and scraped clean.Kael didn’t say anything right away. He just kept working, lips pressed into a thin line, his brows knotted like they were trying to hold something in. His touch was careful—too careful. Not gentle in a comforting way. More like he was scared I’d break.The silence between us stretched thin, brittle.Then finally, he said it—quiet, like mayb
TEYA'S POVThe crowd didn’t move at first. Even when the heads showed up yelling and pushing students back, most stuck around—pretending to tie their shoes, whispering, trying to steal glances at us. They'd seen enough. The damage was done.A guard lightly touched my shoulder, saying the heads wanted to see me later. I just nodded; my throat was parched, and all I could hear was my heart pounding. Arya’s words echoed in my mind: “I didn’t think you’d do this.” Ugh, that line would haunt me.Lucien was saying something to one of the heads, then pulled Arya aside, and I thought maybe he’d finally say what needed to be said. But I didn’t stick around to see.I walked away fast, not even registering how I got to my room or closed the door. But once inside, the heavy silence hit me. I slid down against the door, feeling alone. Again.By morning, it felt like everyone suddenly knew my name, but not in a good way. “She seduced him,” someone said. “She’s always been trouble,” another chim
TEYA'S POVI held on to Kael’s words like they were a protective shield."You matter to me."Maybe it was just one of those things people say. Who knows if he meant it as deeply as I took it? But I clung to it anyway, because it was the only thing I’d heard lately that didn’t feel like it was cutting me open.So, I started to move again.I wouldn’t say I was back to normal. Let's not kid ourselves that I suddenly felt amazing. But I got out of bed, washed my face, and even braided my hair like Reya used to. I even managed to smile at a guard, who looked at me like I was nuts.That was progress.But what I didn’t do? Talk to Lucien.Not once.I dodged him like my life depended on it—because maybe it did.Anytime I sensed him in a hallway, I’d go the other way. If I heard his voice? I was out of there. Spot him near Arya? My heart would feel like it was caving in, and I’d have to act like I could breathe.I didn’t trust myself around him.Because if he asked me if I was okay, I’d spill
Kael's POVThe hallways buzzed with an energy that was louder and more charged than usual, like the air was crackling with static electricity. It felt like the entire place had been set ablaze by rumors, each one igniting a wave of chatter that echoed off the stone walls. Whispers danced around the corners, winding through the crowded spaces like tendrils of smoke rising from a fire. Everyone had a piece of the latest scoop, and everyone seemed desperate to share it. The focal point of this gossip storm? Lucien and Arya. I couldn't escape it. It was the hot topic buzzing around the training grounds, spilling over into the mess hall, and even seeping into the serene corners of the garden where people often went to escape the chaos. Some folks were already claiming that they were bonded, while others just shrugged and muttered it was only a matter of time before the sparks flew. But for me, the only thing weighing on my mind was the girl who had disappeared from sight for three long
Lucien's POVIt all began with a knock—a lazy, almost rhythmic tapping that grated on my nerves more than it piqued my curiosity. Honestly, I was so uninterested in getting up that I didn’t even bother to respond at first. I was sprawled across my leather couch, one arm tossed carelessly over my eyes like a makeshift shield against the world, and above all, her. Arya. The mere thought of her sent a jolt of irritation through me. I hadn’t seen Teya properly since that fateful day in the studio; the day Arya had confronted me about everything. I hadn’t been avoiding her calls on purpose. It was just… complicated, you know? How do you explain something so tangled, so messy? Another knock sounded, but this time it was louder—more forceful, more demanding.I let out an exasperated sigh.“Lucien?” Arya called out sweetly, her voice chiming through the closed door.Oh great, just what I needed.Still, I didn’t budge.“Lucien, I know you’re in there,” she continued, her tone shifting to a