I stepped into The Velvet Lounge, my eyes immediately scanning the room until they landed on Lara.
She was lounging in one of the booths, lazily stirring her milkshake with a magic-infused straw, the faint glow from the enchantment flickering against the dim lighting.
Sliding into the seat across from her, I got straight to the point.
"Where's Calder? He was supposed to be here as well."
Lara lifted a perfectly arched brow, smirking. "Missing him already?"
I groaned. "Lara, don't even."
"What?" She feigned innocence, twirling the straw in her glass. "You owe me some explanations here. Calder crashing into bed with you?" She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.
I exhaled, already losing patience. "Lara, come on. Nothing happened. There's nothing between us."
"That's what you keep telling me," she sang teasingly, "but…"
"Alright, enough." I cut her off, leaning forward, choosing my next words carefully. "That's not why I wanted to meet up here."
Lara's smirk faded slightly, sensing my shift in tone.
I hesitated before saying, "Lara, something happened last night at Lune Noire. My mind is a huge blank. I have no recollection of anything after we had dinner."
Her brow furrowed, the amusement draining from her face.
"Wait, you don't remember?"
I shook my head, exhaling. "Not a damn thing."
Lara tapped her nails against the glass, considering. "That's… weird."
"I know, right? Calder filled me in on some details this morning. Where is he, by the way?"
Lara shifted in her seat, her gaze flickering away for a second before she answered. "Oh, he said he had something important to handle. Told me to send his apologies. He'll catch up later."
My eyes narrowed as I watched her stir her drink with sudden interest.
Right.
I crossed my arms. "Care to fill me in on what happened at Lune Noire?"
Lara's fingers drummed on the table, her telltale sign of nervousness. Then she finally looked up.
"Well, we downed some cocktails, had dinner, had some more cocktails until we could barely stand straight. Calder came to the rescue, drove us home, helped me to my room, helped you to yours, and apparently stayed there too."
I rolled my eyes. "That's it? We didn't meet up with anyone? A stranger? Someone we know?"
Lara stiffened.
It was quick. Subtle.
But I saw it.
She recovered fast, giving a careless shrug. "Not that I remember. With the amount of cocktails we had, you can't expect me to recall every detail."
I nodded slowly, as I processed her answer.
"Calder said I saw something that freaked me out." I studied her reaction. "Do you have any idea what I encountered or saw?"
Lara's lip caught between her teeth, a rare flicker of uncertainty flashing in her eyes.
"I don't remember this part." She shifted again. "I was kind of a mess myself at that time."
Frustration burned through me.
She wasn't helping.
And here I thought she could fill in the missing pieces.
I combed my fingers through my hair, suppressing the irritation bubbling up inside me.
Just then, a group of Arcanis Academy guys entered the Lounge, their easy banter and laughter cutting through the air.
And among them I spotted Zayn, and the asshole himself. Calder.
What the hell?
Our eyes met immediately.
And of course, he smirked.
Calder strode over, stopping right at our booth.
"Two times in one day. Aren't I lucky?"
I leaned back, crossing my arms. "Is this the 'important' matter you had to handle?"
I air-quoted, glancing behind him at the group settling into their own booth.
Calder blinked, genuinely confused. "What?"
I sighed, patience wearing thin. "You told Lara you couldn't meet up here with us because you had something important to handle." I arched a brow. "Apologies not accepted, by the way."
His gaze flickered to Lara for a moment before turning back to me.
There was a brief hesitation.
"Yeah... yeah, I'm just catching up with the guys."
Lara scoffed. "Alright, Calder. You can just go ahead and do your guy stuff now… since that seems to be your priority."
Calder's jaw tightened. He looked back at Lara, a flicker of something sharp, close to anger, flashing in his eyes.
Oh. That hit a nerve.
I, on the other hand, just felt a twinge of disappointment.
I didn't spare him another glance.
Instead, I pressed my hands against my temples, exhaustion creeping in.
Between Lara and Calder, the latter had at least been more forthcoming with some details.
But they were both clearly hiding something.
Something major.
And whatever it was, it was the missing piece I needed.
While Lara was adamant about dodging the truth, Calder was holding something back.
This was pointless.
I realized then, I was on my own to find the answers.
Exhaling sharply, I stood up and grabbed my bag.
"See you at home," I muttered, already walking toward the exit.
I smiled briefly at Zayn, completely ignoring Calder, and made my way to the waiting car.
Because if neither of them would give me the truth…
I'd find it myself.
The ride home was silent.
I barely registered the city lights flickering past as I stared out the window, lost in my thoughts, planning my next move.
Zarich said nothing as he drove this time. His focus solely on the road.
But he wasn't oblivious.
He could tell I wasn't just tired, I was thinking. Calculating.
When the car rolled to a stop in the driveway, I didn't move immediately.
I sat there, fingers curled around the strap of my bag, staring at the familiar house in front of me.
I took a breath before saying the next words.
"Zarich?"
He turned slightly in his seat, waiting.
"I need a favor."
It was now or never.
If I was about to go on a quest for answers, I might as well use the help of someone experienced.
Zarich studied me for a moment, then gave me a final nod.
Without another word, I stepped out of the car, determination coursing through me. I watched as the vehicle disappeared down the driveway, before heading inside.
By the time I stepped out of my well-deserved shower, the weight of everything settled in.
I lounged in bed, still wrapped in a towel, my damp hair clinging to my shoulders.
The ceiling stared back at me, unmoving, while my mind raced through everything that had happened this past week.
Everything I had tried so hard to ignore.
I had spent days pretending.
Pretending I wasn't being lied to my face.
Pretending I was fine with people keeping secrets from me.
Pretending like I wasn't being played.
It all stops now.
Because this just got personal.
Whoever, or whatever this dark force was, it wasn't just lurking anymore.
It was testing me. Playing with me. Trying to lure something out of me.
But what? What was it looking for?
I thought back to every encounter, every time I felt the shadows watching me, creeping at the edges of my reality, haunting my dreams.
A cold realization struck me then.
I never fought back. Not even once.
Not when the shadows tried to drown me.
Not when the air turned too thick to breathe.
Not even when it tried to suppress the Ancient Rune's magic.
I hadn't even known its power had clawed its way in. Ms. Amara had to fight it in my place.
My stomach twisted.
The anomaly at school, it wasn't random.
I was convinced now.
It was there. Watching. Waiting.
I sat up, my fingers gripping the sheets as a new resolve settled over me.
I might not have magic to fight back, but I wasn't about to let this dark force remain a mystery.
I needed to know what I was dealing with.
The only person who might have an idea was Riven. But he was determined to keep this information to himself.
I knew he told me to trust him in handling this.
But from where I was standing?
He wasn't doing a fine job handling whatever the hell this was.
Tonight, I was getting answers.
I turned to my bedside clock.
Time to get ready.
I walked to my closet, pulling out a dress that screamed expensive, dangerously confident, and just a little sinful.
It was backless, hugging my curves in all the right ways, the fabric smooth, silky, and dark. A thigh-high slit added just the right amount of edge.
I went all out with my makeup, defining my features with sharp contours, deep eyeshadow, and a glossy finish.
My hair was swept into a high bun, pinned curls giving it a polished, elegant look, two loose tendrils framing my face.
The finishing touch?
Silver heels.
Tall, sleek, and designed to break hearts.
I stepped back, taking in my reflection.
Damn.
I looked… different.
Sophisticated. Confident.
And I had to admit, sexy. Exactly what I was aiming for.
I grabbed a small, elegant purse that complemented the outfit, took one last glance at my reflection, and walked downstairs.
Lucky for me, no one was around.
Myrren was still buried in her 'Council business', and Lara was probably locked in her room, doing heavens knows what.
Perfect.
Because tonight?
I wasn't sneaking out for fun.
I was hunting down the truth.
As I stepped outside, the familiar hum of an approaching engine pulled my attention toward the driveway.
A sleek silver car rolled to a stop, its polished exterior gleaming under the moonlight.
Gotta say, being a guard for the Council did pay well.
The driver's door opened, and Zarich stepped out.
Dressed in a fitted black shirt, the top buttons undone just enough to hint at his sculpted frame, paired with black slacks, he looked… good.
Better than a glorified chauffeur and guard had any right to.
His mid-fade hairstyle was sharp as ever, and for once, he looked more like a man enjoying a night out rather than a Council guard on duty.
"Lady Athena." His deep voice carried just the right amount of formality as he moved to open the passenger door for me.
I smirked. "Okay, Zarich, you can drop the formality. It's just Athena."
I slid into the seat before adding, "You look great, by the way."
For the first time, he actually cracked a smile.
"You stole the words right out of my mouth." He shut the door and got in on his side. "I was about to compliment your look. You're dressed to kill, Athena."
I grinned. "Why, thank you, Zarich."
With that, he pulled out of the driveway, the quiet purr of the engine barely noticeable as we sped toward the posh streets of Lysoria.
The ride was smooth and steady, but my mind was anything but.
I went over the plan with Zarich, discussing the right approach, what I needed to look out for, and what I was hoping to uncover.
By the time we pulled up in front of Lune Noire, the air had shifted.
I stared out the window, taking in the sight of the dark, elegant establishment, its golden accents flickering under the streetlights.
The doorman stepped forward the moment we stopped, reaching for my door.
I gave Zarich one last look, my nerves creeping in.
"You ready for this?" he asked, his expression unreadable.
I exhaled slowly. "It's now or never, Zarich. I gotta do this."
He nodded, a silent reassurance.
As I stepped out, the doorman offered a polite nod. "Good evening, ma'am. Right this way."
And just like that, I was back inside Lune Noire.