I barely heard the chosen teachers for the others as I stood in utter shock at Azune's acceptance, despite his girlfriend's wishes. Azune’s eyes glanced my way from beside me, and I could see the hint of a smile playing at the corners of his lips.
Fuck, that’s right—Torence Stone’s bloodline ability was reading the thoughts of any person his skin touched, and I had let Azune touch my hand. A rush of panic surged through me as I realized what that meant. What had I thought in those brief moments of contact? Had he glimpsed the chaos swirling in my mind, the desires and fears inextricably intertwined?
I tried to mask my thoughts, focusing on the surroundings, but the weight of his gaze made it almost impossible. Everything felt magnified—my heartbeat, the whispers of doubt creeping in. I could almost hear him echoing my thoughts, the way they danced and tangled as I struggled for control.
What did he see? Did he sense the fear of being vulnerable, of embracing this new part of myself? Would he understand my tumultuous journey, or would he only see the girl who had become more closely entwined with darkness?
As the realization settled in, I forced myself to stand tall, squaring my shoulders. There was no way I would let him—or anyone—read the depths of my soul. I wouldn't give them that power. Yet, I couldn’t shake the tingling sensation of his touch lingering on my skin, reminding me of the barrier I was threading between us.
I glanced back at him, my expression carefully neutral, though inside there was a storm of emotions churning. “What’s so funny?” I shot back, trying to regain some semblance of control over the moment. His smile widened, and for a heartbeat, I felt a flicker of connection, a whisper of understanding that we were more alike than either of us might admit.
Parker stormed over with fury etched on her face, practically shoving a blindfold into Azune's hands. He sighed, rolling his eyes in resignation before tying the fabric around my eyes. “You will follow me into the darkness as we find our way by moonlight to the academy. I will be your guide, and you will be my light,” he echoed, words heavy with the weight of expectation.
As I stood there, enveloped in darkness, I felt the chaotic energy of the cavern fade into a haunting quiet. The vibrant colors of the others now washed away, leaving nothing but shadows in my mind. The world became a blend of sensations—the cool fabric against my skin, the sounds of whispered excitement fading into the background, and the subtle but strong presence of Azune beside me.
I could sense his frustration, and despite my own swirling fears, I felt a flicker of determination ignite within me. I was not just a shadow; I had my own light to offer, even if it felt dimmer than the brilliance surrounding us.
“Trust me,” he instructed, his voice low and steady. “I know the way.”
There was something comforting in his tone, a steady anchor as we moved forward. With each careful step guided by Azune, I focused on my breathing, on the rhythm of my heart, and the feeling of the cool stone beneath my feet. I was not merely a follower; I was a participant in this journey, navigating through the darkness toward something unknown yet hopeful.
“This darkness doesn’t define you,” he added softly. “You have the power to shine where others may falter you are the tamer of the demon within.”
Though I could not see beyond the blindfold, I turned my head up in his direction. That quote was directly from my father's journal, always kept under lock and key. How did he know that? The realization sent a chill down my spine, intertwining curiosity with a deep-seated fear. My father had always guarded those words closely, shrouded in mystery as if they held the secrets of our family's past. The thought that someone else had access to those private musings made my heart race.
I felt an unsettling mix of emotions—betrayal, confusion, and a hint of intrigue. Who was this person that could breach the sanctuary of my father’s thoughts? Did they understand the weight of those words? My mind raced through the implications. Was there a connection between his journal and the path i had been forced on?
As I stood there, grappling with the revelation, I couldn't help but wonder what other secrets were hidden in the pages I had never dared to explore. What else had he written that could change everything I thought I knew? In that moment, I realized that perhaps the answers I sought were not just buried in my father’s past but also within his own writing...
The chill of the breeze stung my face as I kept my hand in Azune's, grounding myself against the encroaching panic. My surroundings were shrouded in darkness, everything obscured and uncertain, a swirling abyss I couldn't navigate. When he finally removed the blindfold, my heart raced as the eerie forest revealed itself—a place choked by trees, their skeletal branches reaching toward the sky, and a murky swamp exuding an unsettling aroma.
Suddenly, he shoved me, and I stumbled backward, catching myself on the palms of my hands. The sharp bite of dead pine needles and jagged rocks cut into my skin, sending a jolt of pain through me. “What the hell are you doing here, Kiri?” His voice was harsh, laced with confusion and anger, echoing between the trees. I glanced up at him, my heart pounding in my chest, a mix of fear and frustration bubbling within. The forest loomed over us, an oppressive silence wrapping around me like a shroud. I struggled to find my voice, the words tangled in my throat.
“Why did you lead me out here? What are you talking about? I don’t even know you! If you’re going to kill me, just do it!” His glare pierced through the dim light, eyes narrowed with defiance.
“If I wanted you dead, this wouldn’t be the place I'd want everyone to know I did it. No,” he shot back, his voice low and intense. “I mean, why are you entering the Shadow Briar Academy? Why are you choosing to be a Shade?”
I scoffed, the words tumbling out before I could hold them back. “Tynon didn’t exactly give me a choice! That’s why!”
His expression softened momentarily, surprise flickering in his eyes. “You think Tynon can force you? This path—it’s about more than just family legacy. It’s about who you want to be. You don’t have to wear the shadows if you don’t want to.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. “You don’t understand. It’s not just about me. There are expectations, burdens. Tynon has a reputation, and I’m just… stuck in his shadow.”
"Then step the hell out of it, do whatever you want, but so help me God, stay the hell away from me!" he sneered.
I sprang to my feet, my face flushed with rage that didn't entirely belong to me. My mouth moved, but the words felt foreign, spilling out like an echo of someone else's anger. "You act as if it's so goddamn easy, boy! If I don’t do as he ordered, then he will kill me for you. And news flash, you got paired with me, so looks like I'm your problem now."
I could see his face stiffen at my words, a mixture of confusion and defiance crossing his features. The tension hung heavy between us, the air crackling with the unspoken truth that neither of us wanted to confront. This wasn’t just about us anymore; we were caught in a web neither of us had chosen, tangled in a dangerous game where every decision could mean life or death.
He opened his mouth, probably to shoot back, but I was done with the back and forth. The anger surged within me like a wildfire, fueled by the urgency of our situation. "You think I want this? You think I wanted to be thrown into this mess? Trust me, if I had a choice, I’d be far away from here, tending to my plants and living a life unbothered."
The words hung between us, raw and unfiltered, revealing a glimpse of the vulnerability I had been trying so hard to hide.
"Look," I continued, my voice softer now, "I don’t want to be here any more than you do. But we don’t have to face this alone. If we work together, we might stand a chance. But if you keep pushing me away, it won’t just hurt me; it’ll hurt us both especially if tynon doesnt get his way.."
"Fine, whatever. Let’s just get to the academy," I replied, my voice betraying a mix of frustration and uncertainty. I nodded, falling into step behind him, my footfalls soft against the forest floor. For hours, we navigated the winding paths through the trees, the only sounds being the rustling leaves and our steady breaths. It felt like we were tracing invisible steps laid down by previous travelers, each stride taking me deeper into uncertainty.
Eventually, we emerged into a clearing, and the outline of the academy came into view. It loomed before us, a grand castle seemingly woven from the very fabric of the woods. Its towering spires reached up toward the sky, cloaked in ivy and mystery. My heart raced at the sight; it was both breathtaking and intimidating. What in the actual hell was I getting myself into?
A lantern flickered in the window above the imposing door, casting a warm glow that illuminated the path ahead. It was our beacon, a guiding light against the encroaching darkness of the forest. I felt a strange pull toward it, a mixture of hope and anxiety swirling in the pit of my stomach. This was it—the place where I would begin the journey I had spent so long dreading and anticipating.
As we approached the castle, the vibrant colors of the surrounding foliage seemed to fade into the background, the focus shifting to the formidable structure before us. I could hear the distant sounds of laughter and chatter echoing within its stone walls, a stark contrast to the turmoil swirling in my mind. What awaited me inside? Would I find acceptance among my peers or just more hatred and spite. i was sure id find the latter.
once i entered i was assigned a room and told to go there. so i did. it was an order i couldn't technically refuse. Once I got to my room, I instantly realized it wasn't chosen by coincidence. A four-poster bed stood next to a tower window, draped in navy blue curtains, while a canopy of blue silk hung overhead, casting a serene ambiance. The bed itself was adorned with a blanket emblazoned with the Darksbane family crest, a symbol of my lineage that felt both comforting and heavy.
As I glanced around, the dust covering the desk across the room signified that nobody had been up here in a very long time. It was a stillness steeped in silence, as if the room held its breath, waiting. I reached out and grabbed a worn book from the surface, blowing off the dust that had settled like a memory long forgotten. When I read the title, my breath caught in my throat—it was my dad's lost journal. How was it here the entire time, hidden away, while no one ever knew?
I sat down on the cold stone floor, relishing the privacy of my sanctuary, and began pouring over its pages. The words seemed to jump out at me, filled with emotions and stories I had yearned to uncover. I had to reread certain sections, my eyes darting back and forth, as I flipped the pages, terrified of what I might discover next. Each sentence pulled me deeper into his thoughts and experiences, revealing fragments of a life I had only heard about in whispers.
His first mission had been a devastating success. Fifteen lives extinguished with nothing more than a cup of hemlock and sage tea. In the margins of the old, tattered pages where he recorded the details of his deadly work, a note caught my eye. It was as if Dad had been tracking my education, keeping tabs even from beyond the classroom.
*Hemlock: a neat little plant useful in many things, but my favorite is killing. It can help with sleep or even aid in pain in small amounts, but God forbid you have more than three leaves.*
Reading that line, I felt a chill race down my spine. Herbology had always been my refuge, my solace—a world where I nurtured life rather than took it away. Yet here was my father's twisted version of that knowledge, a juxtaposition that felt foreign to everything I believed in.
I couldn’t help but think he left this behind for me to find, a haunting reminder of the legacy he aimed to pass down. It wasn’t just about the plants. It was about power, knowledge, and the perilous choices that come with them. In his words, I sensed both a challenge and a warning, a glimpse into the darker side of a world I was desperate to escape.
It seemed he too sought this to be my path. Under different circumstances, it could have been a choice of my own, if my parents had been alive to guide me here. Maybe he wanted to teach me these things himself and left them here just in case he never got the chance. As I lay on the floor, the world around me faded, and I fell asleep holding tight to my father’s last words—words that felt like a lifeline—and the most precious thing I owned now, a testament to his love and hopes for me.
In that quiet space, I allowed myself to dream of a future where I could carve out my own identity, one that honored his legacy. The storm within me began to settle, replaced by a tender determination that whispered of new beginnings, still infused with the lessons he imparted.
The deliciously sweet dreams soon faded into the muddled blackness they always did, leaving me staring into the glow of fire and the roar of a dragon as it burned the world before it to the ground. My mother approached me, sword raised, ready to kill me.
Her figure was a striking silhouette against the inferno, eyes glinting with a mix of wrath and sorrow. I could feel the heat radiating from the destruction surrounding us, the ground trembling beneath my feet. My heart raced as I grappled with the weight of her intent and the chaos swirling around us.
“Why?” I wanted to scream, but the words caught in my throat. The flames roared louder, their crackling consuming my thoughts, and the dragon let out a deafening roar that felt like an embodiment of my fears. It was as if the very essence of chaos manifested before me, demanding answers to questions I couldn’t even articulate.
In that moment, standing at the crossroads of my past and an uncertain future, I felt the world crumble around me—not just in flames, but in the loss of everything I believed I was. My mother’s sword shone in the firelight, and as she took a step closer, time slipped away from me. The choice between fight or flight loomed large, and yet all I could do was stare into the abyss of her fury.
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