Todos los capítulos de Welcome to Aetherborn: Crushes, Curses & Creatures: Capítulo 61 - Capítulo 70

The next morning, Seraphine rose before dawn. Her sleep had been shallow, fractured by the echo of laughter that wasn’t there, whispers that slithered under her pillow. She washed her face in icy water, told herself she would not break, and told herself she could make it through one day at a time. She tied her hair back, adjusted her uniform, and opened her door. The corridor was empty. For a blessed heartbeat, it felt normal. Then the whispers started. “There she is.” “The cursed one.” “Tag, tag, tagged.” The words slithered through the air, uttered by unseen voices, weaving a tapestry of dread that washed over her. Clenching her fists, she quickened her pace, trying to escape the weight of their haunting presence Her first humiliation struck before she had even set foot inside the classroom. The stairwell descending into the study halls curled downward like the coiled neck of a beast, wide steps of pale marble gleaming faintly in the torchlight. The banister, an elaborate

Cressida’s eyes swept over Seraphine, slow and deliberate, tracing her from head to toe as though measuring every fracture waiting to be found. Then, with a sly curl of her lips, she smiled. “You’d better keep that promise of yours,” she murmured, her tone both mocking and amused. “You swore you wouldn’t kneel. That means I get to keep trying to break you and that’s fine by me. Enjoy the torture, Seraphine, because it’s only just beginning. We’ll see which one of us grows desperate first.” Her laugh rang out, sharp and cruel, before she pivoted on her heel. The remaining Fiery Five followed her in tight formation, their presence burning like embers in her wake. Gasps and whispers rippled through the crowd of students, shock thickening the air until it felt suffocating. Left in the silence of their absence, Seraphine stood unmoving, her body rigid, her heart pounding. Every whisper carried her name, every stare clung to her like a brand, but still she did not bow her head. ….

Lyra followed the hissing sound and saw a few snakes hidden beside her wardrobe. She immediately duplicated herself again and tore them into pieces. The last serpent writhed in Lyra’s grip. Her mirrored selves tore into its body, splitting it into fragments that hissed and dissolved into ash. Then, one by one, her copies collapsed into smoke, until only the true Lyra remained. And then they all vanished. The shredded bodies of the snakes, the coiling shadows, the blood-stink in the air. Everything dissolved like smoke carried off by an unseen wind. Lyra turned, her chest rising and falling, and saw Seraphine pressed against the wall, trembling. Her eyes were wide, her hair stuck to her damp face, her lips shaking as though words had abandoned her. Lyra softened, stepping carefully across the floor. “Seraphine… are you okay?” Her voice was low, cautious, like she was afraid a wrong word might shatter the girl entirely. Seraphine stared at her, then at Caleb and Mina emergin

The Academy courtyard buzzed like a hive at morning assembly. Students clustered in little knots, whispering, eyes darting toward Seraphine the moment she appeared at the far end of the marble steps. Except this time, she wasn’t alone. The doors to the courtyard opened wide, and out stepped Damien, Alaric, Kade, and Lucien, each walking with that dangerous, unbothered grace that made the crowd instinctively part for them. And in the middle of their formation, shielded by their presence, was Seraphine. Whispers rippled instantly. “Is that…?” “She’s walking with them?” “Wait, what… why?” Cressida’s head snapped up from the center of her fiery little circle, her eyes narrowing, venom flashing the moment she saw Damien’s hand brush the small of Seraphine’s back, guiding her forward like she belonged there. Lucien was the first to speak, his voice carrying unnaturally across the courtyard, amplified, no doubt, by a little charm of his own. “Listen well, Aetherborn.” He fl

The Academy felt like it was holding its breath. The air vibrated with anticipation, students from every castle whispering feverishly in the halls, their voices sharp with dread and thrill. Today wasn’t just another day. Today was the Trials, the day first-years stood before the Academy, the day they learned the truth of their blood and what kind of creature lived inside their veins. Every first-year knew the purpose of the Trials. They weren’t games, not really. They were ancient rites woven into the Academy’s foundations, a crucible designed to strip away fear, push the body, and force the soul to respond. When a student survived, their magical strain awakened, unfurling like a brand inside them, marking what they truly were: vampire, werewolf, dragon, incubus, or one of the stranger, rarer strains that lurked in the world’s shadows. It was terrifying. It was exhilarating. It was destiny. Seraphine’s heart beat so hard she thought the whole school might hear it. She tr