Sleek hadn't slept.
He sat on the edge of his bed, elbows on his knees, head in his hands. No matter how hard he tried, the image kept replaying — Bixy in Josh's arms, her face buried in his chest, the way Josh had touched her back as if she belonged there.
His jaw clenched. Jealousy, sharp and raw, twisted inside him… but beneath it was something worse — fear.
A knock came at his door. Before he could answer, it opened, and Soya stepped in like she owned the place. She was smiling, her hair swept over one shoulder, her perfume faint but sweet.
"You look like you've seen a ghost," she said lightly.
"Not in the mood, Soya."
She tilted her head, studying him. "You know… people slip away when you don't act. Especially girls. Especially ones like Bixy."
Sleek's eyes snapped to hers. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Her smile didn't fade. "Nothing. Just… if you care about her, maybe don't take too long." She stepped past him, her fingers brushing his desk as she moved toward the door. "Because sometimes," she added, glancing over her shoulder, "when you finally decide, it's already too late."
The door clicked shut behind her, leaving Sleek with the echo of her words.
By morning, Bixy's strength had slipped further. The mark on her wrist pulsed now, faint but steady, like a second heartbeat. She kept her sleeve tugged low as she walked to class, though every step made her chest feel heavier.
Halfway through a lecture, her vision blurred. Her pen slipped from her hand. She tried to breathe deeply, but it wasn't enough.
"Bixy?" a voice whispered urgently.
She blinked — Josh was kneeling beside her desk. "Come on," he said softly, taking her arm.
Outside, he sat her on a bench under the shade of a jacaranda tree. "It's getting worse," he said, his voice tight.
"I'm fine—"
"No, you're not." He hesitated, then lowered his voice. "There might be a cure. But it's… complicated."
She looked at him, her heartbeat quickening. "Tell me."
"It has to be someone you truly love. The one who holds your heart. They have to spill their blood onto the mark — willingly. That's the only way to break the Seal before it's too late."
Bixy stared down at her hands. She didn't need him to say the name. "You mean… Sleek."
Josh said nothing, but the silence was enough.
She left him soon after, but instead of heading to her next class, she turned toward the east garden — a quiet place where she knew she could find Soya during free periods. The weight of suspicion pressed hard in her chest, heavier than the ache from the mark.
Soya was exactly where she expected — lounging under the pergola with two other girls, a perfect picture of ease. The sight of her made Bixy's jaw tighten.
"Can we talk?" Bixy's voice was calm, but there was steel in it.
Soya glanced up, one brow arched. "Sure." She waved her friends away with a flick of her hand, then leaned back in her chair. "What's on your mind?"
Bixy didn't sit. "That night… at your sister's party. The drink you gave me. What was in it?"
Soya's lips curved faintly. "It was just a cocktail, Bixy. You were having fun. Why—"
"Don't," Bixy cut in, her tone sharp. She yanked back her sleeve, revealing the faintly glowing mark. "Then explain this. Explain why I woke up the next morning feeling like something inside me was breaking. Explain why my wrist burns every few hours and pulses like a second heartbeat."
Soya's eyes darted to the mark and then back up, her smile faltering. "Bix, you're overthinking—"
"Stop lying!" The words burst out louder than she intended. "We've been friends for years. I trusted you. Why would you go this far? What did I do to deserve this?"
For a moment, something flickered in Soya's eyes — not guilt, but hesitation, as if she were weighing how much to reveal. "It's… not what you think."
"Then tell me what it is," Bixy demanded. "Because right now, it looks like you wanted me gone."
Soya's voice softened. "It was supposed to protect you. That drink, the mark — it wasn't meant to hurt you. Someone told me it would keep you safe."
"Safe?" Bixy's laugh was short and bitter. "I can barely walk to class without feeling like I'm going to collapse. If this is safety, I'd hate to see what danger looks like."
"I didn't know," Soya said quickly. "I thought it was a blessing. I didn't realise it would… take from you."
"Who told you?"
Soya's jaw tightened. She looked away. "If I say their name, it won't just be you in danger. It'll be me. And my family."
Bixy's anger cooled just enough to let hurt seep in. "You could have warned me. We could have found another way."
"I thought I was doing the right thing," Soya whispered.
Bixy took a step back. "Then you thought wrong."
The silence between them was thick, unsteady. Bixy turned and walked away without another word. She didn't see Soya's expression crumple the moment her back was turned.
Across campus, Sleek wandered toward the old oak tree from yesterday, trying to clear his head. But when he reached it, he froze.
On the grass, faint scorch marks shimmered in the early sunlight — the same place Bixy had stood. He crouched, touching the ground, and felt a strange hum beneath his fingertips.
A low laugh drifted from behind the library. Sleek's head turned sharply. He crept closer, moving between the hedges, until he saw them — Soya and a tall, cloaked figure whose face was hidden in shadow.
"She's fading faster than we thought," Soya said, her voice calm.
The cloaked figure replied, "Good. The Seal will consume her completely before the week's end. Josh won't be able to interfere."
Sleek's blood ran cold.
They turned away, disappearing into the shade of the building. Sleek stayed frozen for a moment, heart pounding, then took a step back — but stopped. A wave of dizziness washed over him, making him grip the nearest wall.
When he looked down at his right hand… a faint, swirling glow was there, curling over his skin like fire under glass.
He stared, his breath catching.
Was it the curse spreading? Or… was it something else — the first spark of a bond he didn't understand?