Mag-log inElaine wandered through the academy gardens without any real destination in mind. For what felt like the first time in her life, the world continued moving around her without waiting. Classes resumed, students laughed amongst themselves, and life carried on as though nothing had changed.Yet everything had changed.Phoebe's words refused to leave her mind.You're starting to lose your shine.You'll only shine again once you give it back.The more she turned those words over in her head, the less sense they made. She had never stolen anything from Elena. She had shared everything she had with her since they were children. Clothes, books, food... even the little bits of affection their mother rarely showed.At least...That was how she remembered it.A sigh escaped her lips as she rubbed her temples. Ever since meeting Phoebe, she had begun questioning memories she had never thought twice about. It was an unsettling feeling, as though someone had quietly replaced pieces of her past witho
“Rowan, I just heard the craziest thing.”Kael stepped into the room, only to stop midway.Rowan was sitting on the edge of his bed, his eyes narrowed and his lips pressed into a thin line.Kael had seen that expression before.It was the look Rowan wore whenever he had stumbled onto something he wasn't supposed to know.“What is it?” Kael asked.Rowan looked up almost immediately.“Nothing.” He answered a little too quickly. “What did you hear?”Kael raised a brow.“Oh? You have that strange look.”“It's nothing, really. Forget it.” Rowan waved him off. “You were saying something?”Kael studied him for another second before deciding not to push it.“You know that pill you were asking about?”Rowan gave a small nod.“Hm.”“Where did you get it from?”Rowan frowned.“Why do you want to know?”“It could land you in serious trouble.”For a brief moment, Rowan considered lying. Then he shrugged.“I found it in the trash. Two juniors were acting suspicious, so I got curious.”“Their names?
Elena sat at her desk, staring blankly at the board. The words being written by Professor Clauss seemed to blur together no matter how hard she tried to focus. Her mind felt sluggish and her eyelids heavy, as though she hadn't slept at all."Miss Hayes, would you mind telling us the difference between the Red Moon Festival and the Black Moon Festival?"The question barely registered.Around her, several students turned their heads."Miss Hayes?" Clauss repeated, raising a brow.Before Elena could react, another voice answered."The Red Moon is a period where wolves are weakened and the Moon Goddess reveals a prophecy. It is also the night a Saintess is chosen." Elaine rested her chin against her hand. "The Black Moon strengthens primal urges. It is known as the Night of a Thousand Bloods.""Thank you, Miss Hayes."A few students chuckled."I was actually calling on your sister."Elena blinked.Only then did she realize the entire class was looking at her.A faint flush crept onto
Elena looked up at the approaching figure and immediately froze.“Your Highness?”She quickly wiped at her face, hoping he hadn't noticed the tears.Unfortunately, he had.Kael stopped in front of her and studied her for a moment before speaking.“I've noticed something.”Elena frowned.“You cry a lot.”A look of disbelief crossed her face.“I do not.”Kael simply raised a brow.The gesture made Elena look away.Without another word, he held out a hand.For a few seconds she stared at it before reluctantly accepting. Kael pulled her to her feet and immediately let go, creating enough distance that she wouldn't feel trapped.“I'll walk you back to your dorm.”“You don't have to.”“I know.”The answer caught her off guard.Neither of them spoke again as they began walking through the hallway. The silence wasn't uncomfortable, but it wasn't particularly pleasant either.Eventually, Kael broke it.“Elaine is hurting too.”The temperature around Elena seemed to drop.She stopped walking.“
Elaine walked out of the academy with her fists clenched at her sides. Elena's words refused to leave her alone, repeating over and over inside her head no matter how hard she tried to ignore them.What she doesn't see is the rotten person beneath that fake smile.Was that really how Elena saw her?The thought hurt more than she wanted to admit. She had spent years looking out for her sister, helping her whenever she could and shielding her from things she didn't need to face. Yet when Elena looked at her, all she saw was someone cruel.Elaine kept running until the academy disappeared behind her. The forest swallowed the sounds of students and training grounds, replacing them with rustling leaves and birdsong. Only when her legs finally gave out did she stop, dropping onto the grass and staring up at the canopy above.The branches swayed gently in the afternoon breeze while streaks of sunlight filtered through the leaves. For a few moments she simply lay there, allowing the tea
Rowan turned at the sound of the voice behind him. He had been so focused on Maya that he hadn't noticed anyone approaching. The moment he saw who it was, surprise flashed across his face.“Senior Rowan, what do you mean by targeting Elena?” The girl's voice rose slightly. “Who is targeting Elena?”“Elaine?”Elaine folded her arms across her chest and stared directly at him. There was confusion in her expression, but beneath it Rowan could see something else. Concern. The moment Elena's name was involved, she always paid attention, whether she wanted to admit it or not.“How is that your business?” Rowan asked.“My sister.” Elaine didn't look away. “I have every right to know.”For a few seconds, neither of them spoke. Students continued moving through the courtyard around them, completely unaware of the tension hanging between the two. Rowan considered brushing her off, but the look on her face stopped him. Whatever issues existed between the sisters, Elaine cared.Rowan let out a dr
Elaine lay on her bed with her eyes closed, but sleep refused to come. She had spent the last hour shifting from one side to the other, hoping exhaustion would eventually win. It hadn't.Everything was supposed to be fine. She was one of the strongest students in the academy, second only to Rowan
Rowan frowned. Maya wasn't just spying anymore. Somehow, Elena had become part of whatever Seraphine was planning and that bothered him more than he cared to admit. He couldn't understand what the princess saw in her. Elena was just Elena. Weak, stubborn and always finding trouble without meani
Rays of sunlight slipped through the curtains and landed on Elena's face. She blinked slowly before sitting up, immediately regretting it as a sharp headache pulsed behind her eyes. Yesterday she had woken up feeling better than she had in weeks despite the brutal training session, but today was
Elena woke up feeling strangely refreshed. After yesterday's training, she had expected to spend the entire day complaining about sore muscles and bruises, but when she stretched, nothing hurt.If anything, she felt better than she had before the training session. She stared at her hands for a mo







