A truth on the verge of being revealed

  Arvanya's POV:

  I couldn't breathe. My heart slammed against my ribs, each beat a thunderous warning in my ears. The canteen, usually alive with chatter, had fallen into a suffocating silence. Every student stood frozen, their wide, unblinking eyes fixed on one person—Lucian.

  He stood in the center of the chaos, his expression unreadable, his presence commanding. Darkness slithered like living serpents, winding toward Owen, the boy who had challenged him in the arena. But this wasn’t just intimidation—this was something far more sinister. Tendrils of inky mist constricted tightly, hoisting Owen into the air. His legs dangled helplessly, his fingers clawing at his throat as he struggled for air. His face was turning deathly pale.

  My stomach twisted painfully. This wasn't a fight anymore. This was dangerous. This was Lucian.

  I barely registered my friends around me—Nico, Dante, Kai, Sofia, Esme, and Calen—all standing in stunned silence. Even Zane and Ryker, his closest friends, weren't moving to stop him. Why aren't they doing anything?! I could hear frantic whispers, but no one dared to step forward. Fear hung thick in the air, suffocating the entire room.

  Then a voice broke through.

  "Lucian, stop! He'll die!" It was Mira, one of the challengers from the arena. Her voice trembled with desperation.

  "Lucian, Let him go!" Charles shouted.

  Lucian didn’t flinch. He didn’t even look at them. The shadows only tightened, squeezing the last traces of life from Owen’s trembling body.

  A horrifying thought clawed its way into my mind—He’s going to kill him.

  I didn’t think. I moved.

  The distance between us vanished in seconds. Owen’s head lolled, his limbs hanging limp. My heart slammed harder, the pulse roaring in my ears as I reached Lucian.

  "What the hell are you doing?" My voice cut through the silence, sharp and furious.

  Lucian’s head snapped toward me. For the briefest moment, something flickered in his eyes—surprise, hesitation. But his grip didn’t loosen.

  Owen’s face turned gray. His breath came in shallow, fragile wisps. There was no time.

  With trembling hands, I grabbed his arm and yanked, forcing his gaze onto me. “I said stop.” My voice steadied, but my pulse pounded so hard I could hear it in my ears. “He’ll die if you don’t.”

  The second my skin met his, a jolt shot through me—a white-hot spark that raced down my spine. It wasn’t just heat. It wasn’t just a shiver. It was something deeper, something primal. I had felt this before, the electric pull of our mate bond. But this time, it hit me like a tidal wave, raw and overwhelming.

  And Lucian felt it too.

  His stare drilled into mine, sharp and unreadable. The black tendrils coiling around Owen’s body quivered, frozen mid-air like a predator hesitating before the final strike. Then, as if something inside him snapped, the darkness unraveled in an instant. Owen’s body crumpled to the floor with a sickening thud, his limp form motionless except for the faint rise and fall of his chest. The suffocating grip of Lucian’s power dissipated, leaving behind a silence so thick it pressed against my skin.

  No one moved.

  Students stood like statues, eyes wide, fear and disbelief flickering across their faces. Some barely breathed, others clutched the edges of tables as if grounding themselves. Even Lucian remained still, his outstretched hand hanging in the air, fingers twitching as though his power still lingered there.

  Then, the quiet shattered.

  Owen’s friends scrambled forward, dropping to their knees beside him. Their frantic whispers mixed with the rustling of fabric as they checked his pulse, the rise of his chest.

  A sharp voice cut through the stillness. “How did you do that?”

  Ryker. His piercing gaze locked onto me, confusion etched into every tense muscle of his face.

  I opened my mouth. Nothing came out.

  Do what? I had no idea what he meant. My thoughts tangled, still caught in the lingering energy of what had just happened—how Lucian had stopped, how the bond between us had surged like a living thing, crackling in my veins.

  Before I could even form a question, Lucian moved.

  His voice, low and edged with something unreadable, slipped through the charged air. “Do you have any idea what you just did?”

  His fingers tightened around my wrist—not rough, not painful, but firm, deliberate. A silent command.

  I barely had time to process before he turned sharply, pulling me with him.

  “Lucian!” I stumbled, struggling to match his pace. “Where are you taking me?”

  No answer. He didn’t look back, his grip unyielding as he cut through the stunned crowd.

  I felt the weight of a hundred stares burning into my skin as we passed, but no one dared to stop him. The hushed murmurs, the scrape of chairs shifting—everything blurred into the background.

  Then, realization hit me like ice in my veins.

  I recognized this path.

  My breath caught as the familiar hallways came into view. The dormitories. His room.

  A sharp click echoed through the room as Lucian slammed the door behind us, the sound of the lock sliding into place sending a chill down my spine. The silence that followed was thick, suffocating, as if the very air had changed.

  His hand released mine. The absence of his touch left a strange emptiness between us, the air now heavier, charged with something unspoken. I could feel it in the way the space around us seemed to close in, the weight of his presence pressing down on me.

  Lucian stood still, eyes stormy, a flicker of shadows dancing in their depths. He wasn’t just angry. He wasn’t just questioning me. He was… searching. His gaze, sharp and piercing, swept over me as if looking for something hidden, something he wasn’t sure he’d find.

  I swallowed hard, my pulse quickening. "Lucian... what is this? Why did you bring me here?" The words left my mouth steadier than I felt, but my heart was pounding in my chest, each beat louder than the last.

  He didn’t answer right away. The silence between us stretched, suffocating, until he finally spoke. His voice was low, laced with something I couldn’t quite place. "Why do you always interfere in my matters?" The words hung in the air, sharp and biting.

  I stiffened, my frustration bubbling up. "Are you serious right now? You were about to kill him, Lucian! I had to stop you!"

  His jaw clenched, his body going rigid. "Had to?" He took a step closer, and I instinctively stepped back, my breath quickening. "You think you can just waltz in and fix everything without thinking of the consequences?"

  "I—" My mind scrambled, trying to find the right words, but nothing seemed to come out right. "I couldn’t just stand there and let you—"

  He scoffed, his eyes flashing dangerously, every muscle in his body coiled like a spring. "You never think before acting, do you? Do you have any idea what could’ve happened if I lost control?"

  "I made you stop," I shot back, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me. "And you did stop."

  His expression darkened, his gaze now cold and focused. "That’s the problem, Aria." His voice dropped, becoming a low whisper that seemed to vibrate in the air. "You make me stop."

  A cold shiver ran through me. The space between us shrank, the tension so thick it was suffocating. His presence loomed, drawing me in even though every instinct told me to step away.

  "But you hide things from me," he continued, his voice now quieter, but no less intense. "When I ask, you don’t tell me. But you have no problem stepping in and meddling in my matters, do you?"

  I swallowed hard, words failing me. "Lucian, I—"

  "Everything can't always go your way," he growled, the words rough with emotion, each one sharper than the last. "You always do reckless things, things that aren’t good for you. And when I try to stop you, you don’t listen. But now, you think you have the right to stop me?"

  The sting of his words hit harder than I expected. I lifted my chin, holding his gaze, even as my heart fluttered in my chest. "I didn’t do what you just did," I whispered, my voice trembling under the weight of the unspoken.

  Lucian’s eyes narrowed, dark with an emotion I couldn’t quite name. He moved towards me with deliberate slowness, and my pulse quickened, my body instinctively pulling back.

  "Now I’m going to ask you straight, Aria," he said, his voice barely above a whisper, but heavy with intent. "There’s something between us, isn’t there? You feel it, too."

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  Before I could respond, his hand shot out, gripping mine, and the air crackled with tension. "Don’t you dare deny it," he warned, his voice a low growl. "Damn it, I know it. You’re not hiding other things, but... you’re hiding something related to me."

  I stood frozen, caught in the fire of his gaze. My breath caught in my throat. This was it. He was about to see through me, wasn’t he? All of it—everything. There was no way I could keep the truth from him now.

  But just as panic threatened to overwhelm me, there was a sharp knock on the door, breaking through the heavy silence.

  Lucian’s brows furrowed, frustration radiating off him like heat from a flame. He turned his gaze toward the door, his eyes flashing with irritation.

  "I'm not done with this conversation, Aria," he growled, his voice still low and threatening.

  I hesitated, unsure whether to speak or remain silent. But my voice broke through, soft, barely above a whisper. "Lucian, someone's at the door."

  He didn’t even look at me, his jaw tight with barely suppressed anger. "Let whoever it is wait. First, answer me. What are you hiding?"

  Another knock, louder this time.

  Lucian’s patience snapped, his temper flaring. "I’m not answering to anyone until I get answers from you," he snarled, his eyes fixed on me with an intensity that sent a shiver through my bones.

  I was shaking now, both from the weight of his words and the nerves crawling under my skin. But just as I thought he might erupt, a calm voice rang out from behind the door, slicing through the tension.

  "Lucian, I know you're busy, but there's an important matter we need to discuss. Master Orin wants to meet with us," Zane’s voice called, steady and insistent.

  Lucian’s expression darkened further, his eyes squeezing shut as if trying to suppress his growing frustration. With a deep exhale, he turned sharply and strode toward the door.

  When the door swung open, Zane and Ryker both stood in the doorway, Zane holding a scroll and Ryker’s arms casually crossed, their faces composed but with that ever-present hint of mischief. Lucian didn’t speak, only gestured for them to come in, his eyes flicking to me for a brief moment before shifting away, the anger still simmering just beneath the surface.

  I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding, my shoulders loosening as the tension in the room shifted. Their timely arrival had saved me. If they hadn’t knocked when they did, I would have been forced to face the truth, and I wasn’t ready for that yet. My heart still pounded, each beat an echo of the near-collision.

  I couldn’t stand being there anymore. Lucian’s stare still pressed into my back, but I refused to let him know how much it affected me. I turned toward the door, my steps quick, almost desperate as I tried to escape the suffocating weight of his presence.

  "You should go meet Master Orin," I said, my voice steady but tight. "I have something important to do as well."

  Zane and Ryker exchanged a look before smirking, clearly enjoying the shift in the air.

  "Something important?" Zane raised an eyebrow. "Like running away after a private moment with Lucian?"

  Ryker leaned in, feigning solemnity. "Should we be worried? Wedding bells ringing sooner than expected?"

  I rolled my eyes, groaning under my breath. "You two are impossible."

  "Oh, come on," Zane nudged, his grin sharp. "We saw the tension. What exactly did you do to him?"

  "Nothing!" I snapped, crossing my arms. "He was just... apologizing for what happened in the canteen."

  The air around us went deathly quiet. Zane and Ryker stared at me as if I'd just sprouted wings.

  "Lucian?" Ryker repeated, as if he hadn’t heard me right. "Lucian Vortex said sorry?"

  "To you?" Zane added, eyes wide with disbelief. "Voluntarily?"

  I sighed, the frustration simmering under my skin. "Yes."

  They both turned, staring at Lucian with expressions that would’ve been comical if I wasn’t so damn uncomfortable. Lucian was still standing in the doorway, his arms crossed and his expression a mask of disdain.

  "Are we in an alternate reality?" Ryker muttered to Zane. "Or did someone finally knock Lucian on the head?"

  Lucian shot them a glare that could have burned through steel. "You are out of your minds."

  I couldn’t help but smile wryly, despite the knots in my stomach. I quickly turned to leave, eager to escape before this conversation could spiral any further. But then, his voice sliced through the air, low and demanding.

  "Our conversation isn’t over."

  I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. The words hit me like a punch to the gut, but I forced myself to nod and walk away, each step taking me farther from him and the storm that was waiting to break.

  I rounded the corner and nearly collided with my friends. Their eyes were already on me, their expressions a blend of curiosity and concern. Nico was the first to speak, his brow furrowed.

  "So, what happened?" he asked, voice steady but searching. "Why did Lucian drag you with him? Did he say anything?"

  I forced a smile, but it felt thin, fragile. "He was just angry I interfered with his business. Nothing serious. I handled it."

  Their skepticism was palpable, and I braced myself for the questions that were sure to follow. But before they could press further, Kai stepped forward, his arms crossed, his gaze unwavering.

  "But why did you step in the first place?" His voice was calm but sharp, the weight of the question sinking in.

  I paused, swallowing the unease that had risen in my chest. "Because if I hadn’t, Owen would’ve been dead. Lucian was about to kill him, and I couldn’t just stand by and let that happen."

  Kai’s eyes locked with mine, his expression unreadable, but I could feel the calculation behind his gaze, as if he was piecing together something I wasn’t ready to face. He lingered for a moment, studying me, before his posture softened.

  "Okay," he said finally, nodding. "For now."

  The relief hit me like a cool breeze, but it was gone as quickly as it came. A tightening sensation gnawed at my stomach again. Something was off. I could feel it in my bones—the subtle way the air shifted, the unease in their glances. It wouldn’t be long before they started piecing things together.

  And on the other side Lucian had sensed it. I was sure of it. His eyes—those calculating eyes—had lingered too long on me, as if searching for something beneath the surface. He knew I was hiding something, something that had to do with both of us. I could almost hear the gears turning in his mind, and I knew him well enough to understand that he wouldn’t let it slide.

  He wasn’t the type to back off once he’d latched onto something.

  I couldn't afford for him to dig deeper. Not yet. Not until the elemental souls were freed, at least.

  The weight of that promise settled heavily on my shoulders. I tried to ignore it, but the pressure pressed on me from all sides, cracking my resolve bit by bit.

  Taking a deep breath, I forced a smile, though it felt like the edges of it might break. "Anyway, enough about that," I said, trying to shake the tension from my voice. "Let's go. We need to get to the library and figure out more about those relics."

  The shift in focus was immediate. Nico and Sofia exchanged a silent look before nodding, though Kai’s eyes still held a trace of suspicion. He didn’t question it, though—he just kept watching, as if he were weighing my every move.

  Dante, as usual, couldn't resist the urge to voice his thoughts. "Finally," he groaned, stretching his arms. "I was starting to think we'd never get to the fun part."

  Lila shot him an exasperated look. "Your idea of fun is questionable at best."

  I tuned out their bickering, letting it fade into the background. I had more pressing matters.

  The library was just ahead, and with every step, I could feel my pulse quickening. Not because of the dust and the smell of old paper—it was the familiar scent of secrets, the kind of knowledge that always seemed to beckon me deeper. But this time, it wasn’t curiosity driving me forward. It was urgency.

  Inside, the quiet was suffocating. Alina, the librarian, looked up from her desk, offering the same polite smile as always. "Back again, Esme?" she asked, her voice a soft lilt of familiarity.

  Esme gave a small nod, a knowing smile curling her lips. "You know I can't stay away for long."

  I greeted her casually, though I was still running on high alert. Calen offered his usual formality.

  "Good to see you again, Alina," I said, keeping my voice level.

  "It's been a while," Calen echoed.

  Alina’s gaze shifted to the others, her eyes narrowing slightly. I gestured toward my friends, hoping to make things seem normal. "These five are new students—Kai, Nico, Dante, Sofia, and Lila. They’ll probably be here often."

  Alina’s expression softened, though she still measured them with a quiet, professional gaze. "Welcome to the library. Feel free to ask if you need help finding anything."

  "Thank you," Lila replied, her voice polite, while Dante offered a grin. "We’ll try not to cause any trouble."

  I rolled my eyes at Dante’s words, but then a realization struck me like a jolt of electricity. I had completely forgotten that my friends were new to this place, and they didn’t have their library cards yet.

  “Wait... you guys don’t have your library cards yet, right? You can use mine if you need to borrow anything,” I said, quickly turning to them.

  Dante raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Actually, we do."

  I blinked in surprise, scanning each of them. “What? How?”

  Sofia’s lips twitched into a sly smile. "We picked them up while you were occupied with Lucian."

  Dante crossed his arms, a smirk playing on his lips. "We figured we’d need them. You know... borrowing books makes a perfect excuse to be here."

  Nico chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Plus, we actually need them for our assignments too. So this works out."

  I let out a breath, shaking my head, an amused smile creeping onto my face. "You guys are something else."

  Kai gave a shrug. "We prefer to be prepared."

  I shook my head, laughing softly. "Alright, alright. Let's get to work."

  As we moved deeper into the library, the urgency continued to build. We had to find something—anything—about the relics. But there was a problem: the restricted section, our best chance, was off-limits to students.

  I glanced around, my voice dropping to a whisper. "Alright, here's the plan. Some of you keep an eye on Alina. We need to make sure she doesn’t catch on to what we’re doing. If she starts to get suspicious, we abort."

  Nico nodded, his eyes scanning the room with a practiced ease. "Got it. I’ll keep watch."

  "Me too," Kai added, his lips curling into a grin. "We’ll blend in with the shelves."

  I turned to the rest of them, speaking quickly. "The rest of you, follow me. We need to get to the restricted section, but we have to be careful. If any other students see us, we’re in trouble."

  Dante raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "You think anyone would risk getting caught in here with all the rules?"

  Esme’s expression was serious, her voice low. "People don’t mess around with Alina. She’s been known to report anyone trying to sneak in."

  "Exactly," I said, feeling the weight of the moment settle over me. "We need to move fast. If they catch us, we might never get another chance."

  Everyone nodded, the tension palpable, and with synchronized steps, we moved toward the back of the library. The restricted section lay just beyond the thick velvet rope that separated it from the rest of the room.

  I kept my movements casual, even though my pulse was drumming in my ears. As we reached the rope, I glanced back at my friends. "Stay quiet, stay quick, and don’t let anyone see us."

  We waited, our eyes scanning the room for any passing students who might catch sight of us. The seconds seemed to stretch into eternity. When the coast seemed clear, I gently lifted the rope, careful to make no sound, and slipped through without hesitation. The cool air hit me immediately, like stepping into a space that was meant to be hidden.

  Motioning for the others to follow, I whispered, "Let’s find whatever we can about the relics. We don’t have much time."

  The restricted section felt different—cooler, more secretive. The shelves stretched higher than any others, filled with books older than I could comprehend. We moved quickly, gliding between the shadows, but the silence was heavy. Every footstep, every rustle of pages, felt like it could alert someone to our presence.

  I held my breath as footsteps neared. We froze, listening.

  The footsteps passed.

  I exhaled slowly, a quiet sigh of relief. "Keep moving."

  The tension grew thicker with each step. Our mission felt impossibly monumental. As we reached the far end of the room, my gaze landed on a book—a familiar green leather-bound one, tucked among the other volumes, almost as if waiting for me.

  Secrets of Elemental Kingdoms

  Without thinking, I reached out, my fingers grazing the cool leather. The moment I touched it, a strange pull seemed to draw me closer. My pulse quickened, and I knew—this was it. I slipped the book into my bag, my thoughts racing.

  Just then, I heard Sofia’s voice behind me. "Hey, guys, I think I found something."

  I quickly moved toward her, my bag pressed tightly against my side. Sofia was holding out a book, and when I saw the title, my heart skipped a beat.

  The Dark Relics: A History of Forbidden Magic and its Origins.

  We all exchanged a look—this was no coincidence. We had found it.

  "We need to see what’s inside," I whispered, my voice tight with anticipation.

  The weight of our discovery hung in the air, and I could feel the tension rise as we all realized just how close we were to uncovering something monumental.