The cafeteria buzzed with the vibrant energy of students mingling and sharing stories over steaming plates of food. Sunlight poured through the large windows, casting a warm glow across the long tables filled with students of all species—vampires sipping dark juice, sirens laughing melodically, and werewolves indulging in hearty meals.I sat with Lyra, Kieran, and my cousin Morgan, a plate of pasta in front of me that I hardly touched. Instead, I was distracted by the lively atmosphere and the scattered conversations around us. As I glanced around the room, I felt a sense of camaraderie with my friends. We had each other’s backs, and it felt good to be part of something bigger at Windamere.“Have you heard about the new student joining us next week?” Kieran said, a glimmer of excitement in his eyes.“Another one?” Lyra laughed. “Are we sure it’s not just another rumor? This place has more new students than I have pairs of shoes!”“I’m telling you, it’s true!” Kieran insisted, his mout
The day after the cafeteria incident, Windamere Academy felt different. An almost imperceptible tension filled the halls, lingering like the faintest whisper of smoke. My friends and I had met up for breakfast in the smaller, less populated dining area since the main cafeteria was still being cleaned up. Despite the more casual setting, we were all too aware that something strange was brewing.As we picked at our breakfast, Lyra leaned in, her voice barely above a whisper. “So, any theories on what happened yesterday?”Kieran glanced around the room, lowering his voice. “It’s not exactly normal for a tray to fly across the room by itself. It felt like a targeted attack.”“Against Evie?” Morgan asked, frowning. “But why?”A shiver ran down my spine. It wasn’t the first time I’d felt targeted since arriving at Windamere, but this felt different—almost more calculated. The idea that someone might be watching me, or worse, trying to harm me, didn’t sit well.“There’s one person who knows
The next few days at Windamere seemed to drag by in a haze of routine and restlessness. Each day, the same classes and faces, but beneath the surface, a tension simmered. My friends and I kept our eyes peeled for any sign of the shadows, any whisper of dark magic, but the only hint of anything unusual was the strange chill that lingered in the halls, like the memory of something sinister lurking just out of sight.One afternoon, during our study session in the library, Morgan pulled me aside. She was holding an old leather-bound book, her expression tense. "Evie, I found something that might explain what we saw in the hallway."She opened the book, flipping through yellowed pages filled with diagrams of shadow creatures, spell components, and dark enchantments. She stopped on a page titled "Umbra Servientes"—Shadow Servants."This passage here," she whispered, tapping a paragraph, "says that shadows can be summoned and controlled by someone with enough power to bend them to their will
The afternoon sun cast long shadows over Windamere’s open training grounds, the faint hum of magic thickening the air as students prepared for the upcoming tournament. Morgan and I had just finished sparring with some low-level spells, practicing our agility and endurance. She wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead, grinning as we caught our breath."Not bad, Evie. I’d say you’re getting the hang of it," she said, giving me an approving nod. "Although, if you’re paired with anyone like Jace in the tournament, you’re going to need to be a bit faster."I rolled my eyes, but the mention of Jace stirred up a strange mixture of nerves and anticipation in me. Before I could respond, a tall figure approached us, her steps deliberate and light.“Evie, right?”I turned to see a striking girl with glossy dark hair and a lean, athletic frame. Her blue eyes sparkled with amusement, and she wore a confident smirk. She looked familiar, but I couldn’t quite place her.“Uh, yes, that’s me,” I replie
The morning sun bathed the grounds of Windamere Academy in a golden glow as students gathered around the amphitheater for the opening task of the Elemental Tournament. Buzzing excitement filled the air as teachers and mentors arranged students into clusters, explaining the rules. Morgan and I pushed our way through the crowd, and I spotted Silas lounging casually nearby, grinning as he noticed our approach. His presence was a mix of familiar and thrilling, and Morgan seemed to enjoy his company, her laughter ringing out as she listened to whatever he was saying."Hey, Evie," Silas said, shifting the conversation to me, “Ready to dominate the tournament?”I couldn’t help but smile at his confidence. “Here’s hoping. What about you?”“Please,” he smirked, nodding at the grand stage being set up. “I’m just here to watch. But for what it’s worth, I have a feeling you’ll do great.”Morgan gave me a supportive pat on the shoulder. “You’ve got this, Evie. Just remember what we practiced.”I t
Have you ever felt a pain that consumed your entire being? A pain that latched onto your heart and felt as if it shattered it into a million pieces? A pain that you try to shove down deep, but in the end, you weep until your eyes run dry and there should be nothing left inside of you? And yet, you somehow come out unscathed. You’re still alive to see another day, to sleep, to eat and to live.The pain I am referring to is a pain like no other.The pain of losing your parents.My entire world came crashing down around me when I heard about my parents’ brutal car accident. It’s been three months, and I’ve been living a walking nightmare ever since. Day after day, week after week, wondering what I did to deserve such a harsh punishment.I’ve learned that showing how much pain I’m in is useless. Everyone else moves on, leaving me behind in the darkness. No one wants to hang out with the “sad” girl who lost her p
I couldn’t help but eagerly nod and follow as she walked past the vast tapestries into what looked like common room. We passed many students on the way in, staring at me. I could feel a harsh blush form across my pale cheeks, as I met each set of eyes. Something about the looks they were giving me set me on edge, but I tried to shake it off as I followed closely behind Morgan.“Don’t worry about them, they’re just curious about you. You’re the new girl, after all,” Morgan said, as if reading my thoughts.“What happens if the new girl doesn’t want to be checked out?” I mumble out loud, trying to duck my head so I wouldn’t have to see the staring eyes. I was never someone who wanted to be the centre of attention, but I guess that’s what I get since I’m so shiny and new here.The common room is exactly what it sounded like. There was only one photo on the walls, and it was a portrait of a man h
“I should go,” I said after a few seconds of awkwardness, wanting to be anywhere else but here in this moment. “Yeah, you should. The front door is that way,” he said, pointing through to the common room where I had come from. My eyes immediately rose to meet his face. His response was quite rude and unexpected, and I couldn’t help but feel offended that he just told me to leave. Who does this guy think he is?I was getting angrier by the second being in the presence of this guy, especially when his response was to just shrug his shoulders after a comment like that. “As long as you leave and never come back, it doesn’t really matter to me." My anger was building as each word left this guy’s mouth, burning away any amount of sadness or anxiety that floated throughout me. Anger wasn’t an emotion that I had felt since my parents deaths, but this guy made my blood boil in the first five minutes of meeting him. “Who the hell do you think you are? Wh
The morning sun bathed the grounds of Windamere Academy in a golden glow as students gathered around the amphitheater for the opening task of the Elemental Tournament. Buzzing excitement filled the air as teachers and mentors arranged students into clusters, explaining the rules. Morgan and I pushed our way through the crowd, and I spotted Silas lounging casually nearby, grinning as he noticed our approach. His presence was a mix of familiar and thrilling, and Morgan seemed to enjoy his company, her laughter ringing out as she listened to whatever he was saying."Hey, Evie," Silas said, shifting the conversation to me, “Ready to dominate the tournament?”I couldn’t help but smile at his confidence. “Here’s hoping. What about you?”“Please,” he smirked, nodding at the grand stage being set up. “I’m just here to watch. But for what it’s worth, I have a feeling you’ll do great.”Morgan gave me a supportive pat on the shoulder. “You’ve got this, Evie. Just remember what we practiced.”I t
The afternoon sun cast long shadows over Windamere’s open training grounds, the faint hum of magic thickening the air as students prepared for the upcoming tournament. Morgan and I had just finished sparring with some low-level spells, practicing our agility and endurance. She wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead, grinning as we caught our breath."Not bad, Evie. I’d say you’re getting the hang of it," she said, giving me an approving nod. "Although, if you’re paired with anyone like Jace in the tournament, you’re going to need to be a bit faster."I rolled my eyes, but the mention of Jace stirred up a strange mixture of nerves and anticipation in me. Before I could respond, a tall figure approached us, her steps deliberate and light.“Evie, right?”I turned to see a striking girl with glossy dark hair and a lean, athletic frame. Her blue eyes sparkled with amusement, and she wore a confident smirk. She looked familiar, but I couldn’t quite place her.“Uh, yes, that’s me,” I replie
The next few days at Windamere seemed to drag by in a haze of routine and restlessness. Each day, the same classes and faces, but beneath the surface, a tension simmered. My friends and I kept our eyes peeled for any sign of the shadows, any whisper of dark magic, but the only hint of anything unusual was the strange chill that lingered in the halls, like the memory of something sinister lurking just out of sight.One afternoon, during our study session in the library, Morgan pulled me aside. She was holding an old leather-bound book, her expression tense. "Evie, I found something that might explain what we saw in the hallway."She opened the book, flipping through yellowed pages filled with diagrams of shadow creatures, spell components, and dark enchantments. She stopped on a page titled "Umbra Servientes"—Shadow Servants."This passage here," she whispered, tapping a paragraph, "says that shadows can be summoned and controlled by someone with enough power to bend them to their will
The day after the cafeteria incident, Windamere Academy felt different. An almost imperceptible tension filled the halls, lingering like the faintest whisper of smoke. My friends and I had met up for breakfast in the smaller, less populated dining area since the main cafeteria was still being cleaned up. Despite the more casual setting, we were all too aware that something strange was brewing.As we picked at our breakfast, Lyra leaned in, her voice barely above a whisper. “So, any theories on what happened yesterday?”Kieran glanced around the room, lowering his voice. “It’s not exactly normal for a tray to fly across the room by itself. It felt like a targeted attack.”“Against Evie?” Morgan asked, frowning. “But why?”A shiver ran down my spine. It wasn’t the first time I’d felt targeted since arriving at Windamere, but this felt different—almost more calculated. The idea that someone might be watching me, or worse, trying to harm me, didn’t sit well.“There’s one person who knows
The cafeteria buzzed with the vibrant energy of students mingling and sharing stories over steaming plates of food. Sunlight poured through the large windows, casting a warm glow across the long tables filled with students of all species—vampires sipping dark juice, sirens laughing melodically, and werewolves indulging in hearty meals.I sat with Lyra, Kieran, and my cousin Morgan, a plate of pasta in front of me that I hardly touched. Instead, I was distracted by the lively atmosphere and the scattered conversations around us. As I glanced around the room, I felt a sense of camaraderie with my friends. We had each other’s backs, and it felt good to be part of something bigger at Windamere.“Have you heard about the new student joining us next week?” Kieran said, a glimmer of excitement in his eyes.“Another one?” Lyra laughed. “Are we sure it’s not just another rumor? This place has more new students than I have pairs of shoes!”“I’m telling you, it’s true!” Kieran insisted, his mout
he next few days flew by in a whirlwind of excitement and anxiety as I settled into the rhythm of Windamere Academy. Each morning began with a mix of anticipation and uncertainty as I explored my new classes and met students from diverse backgrounds. I felt like a tiny fish in a vast ocean, but I was determined to find my place.On my first day of classes, I walked into Elemental Magic with a flutter of nerves. The classroom was spacious, with windows that opened to a stunning view of the grounds, and the air crackled with energy. The teacher, a tall woman with flowing hair the color of flames and eyes that shimmered like embers, introduced herself as Professor Pyra.“Welcome, students! Here, we will explore the elemental forces of nature: fire, water, earth, and air. Each of you has a connection to one or more elements, and by the end of this term, you will learn to harness that connection.” Her voice was vibrant, filling the room with warmth.I took a seat next to a girl with dark,
The sunlight filtered through my bedroom window, casting warm patterns on the floor. After the whirlwind of the previous night, I struggled to shake off the lingering feelings that had kept me awake. A gentle knock at my door interrupted my thoughts.“Evie? Are you awake?” It was my uncle, his voice calm and inviting.“Yeah, I’m up!” I called, quickly jumping out of bed and pulling my hair into a messy bun. I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the lingering confusion from last night’s events.The door creaked open, and my uncle stepped inside with a wide smile. “I thought I’d take you on a proper tour of Windamere today. Show you around, introduce you to some of the other students, and maybe help you get a better understanding of what this place is all about.”“Sounds good,” I said, feeling a surge of excitement mixed with nervousness. I had only caught glimpses of the school and its inhabitants, and my previous experiences with Briar and Liam had left me anxious.As we walked do
I lay there, heart racing and thoughts spiraling, the events of the night playing like a movie in my mind. The encounter with Briar and Liam had left me feeling vulnerable and shaken, but now it was Jace who occupied my thoughts. His intensity, the way he looked at me, and that inexplicable connection we seemed to share sent my heart into a chaotic rhythm.I buried my face deeper into my pillow, trying to block out the memories, but it was futile. The warmth of his hands on my waist lingered, and I could still feel the ghost of his breath against my ear. The way he had stood so close, the way he made me feel… it was all too much.“What am I doing?” I muttered to myself, my voice muffled by the pillow. I had come to Windamere Academy for a fresh start, to escape the ghosts of my past, not to get tangled up in some cryptic drama with a boy who was as infuriating as he was mesmerizing.As I tried to convince myself to focus on sleep, the anxiety churned in my stomach. I wanted to forget
Both boys nod, but don’t wait for another second before sprinting off down one of the hallways in the opposite direction, leaving Jace and I alone in the empty school foyer. Jace turns his attention back to me but doesn’t say anything as his eyes scan my body. His eyes are so intense as they trail over every inch, making goosebumps flash across my skin.“Nice jammies,” he says rubbing the hem of my pj shirt between his fingers. I let out a small chuckle but could feel my already rosy cheeks redden even more from his words.“Don’t you hate it when that happens? Getting caught in the hallway in your pjs?" I say, trying to make light of the situation, and getting caught in this awkward situation, “Do you always rescue girls in the hallway?”“Only girls who don’t take my advice and stay in their rooms,” he says smirking down at me. I look away from his face, unable to meet his eyes. There’s some