Liebe couldn’t sleep.
Again.
The dormitory was silent.
Moonlight spilled across the floor in pale lines, cutting through the darkness.
He sat at the edge of his bed, replaying Aurelion’s words.
She knows about you now.
The thought refused to leave.
Finally, he stood.
He needed air.
The Academy’s outer courtyard was empty at this hour.
Cold stone.
Quiet wind.
Stillness.
Too much stillness.
“Can’t sleep either?”
Liebe spun around.
A figure leaned against one of the pillars, half-hidden in shadow.
Kai.
His expression was unreadable, as always.
“What are you doing here?” Liebe asked.
Kai gave a faint shrug.
“Watching.”
The answer irritated him.
“Watching what?”
“You.”
Silence.
Liebe’s jaw tightened.
“What do you know?”
Kai tilted his head slightly.
For a moment, he said nothing.
Then—
“So it finally noticed you.”
Liebe froze.
“…What?”
Kai stepped forward.
Not threatening.
Just calm.
“You heard it, didn’t you?”
“The whisper.”
Liebe’s pulse quickened.
“How do you know that?”
A faint smile crossed Kai’s face.
Not warm.
Not mocking.
Just knowing.
“Because I heard it too.”
The courtyard suddenly felt colder.
“When?”
“Two years ago.”
Liebe stared.
Kai looked past him, toward the Academy walls.
“There was another student back then.”
“He disappeared.”
No hesitation.
No uncertainty.
Gone.
“And after that… I started hearing her.”
Liebe’s throat tightened.
“You told someone?”
Kai laughed softly.
“Aurelion.”
A pause.
“He told me the same thing he told you.”
Tell no one.
Liebe said nothing.
Kai’s eyes returned to him. The source of this chapter is g.com.
“You’re wondering why I’m telling you this now.”
“…Yeah.”
“Because she never marked me.”
The words were quiet.
“But she marked you.”
A long silence stretched between them.
“Why me?” Liebe asked.
Kai’s expression darkened.
“I don’t know.”
Then he stepped closer.
Close enough that his voice dropped to almost a whisper.
“But if she’s watching you…”
his eyes narrowed—
“then whatever is inside your light…”
Pause.
“…is something she wants.”
Liebe felt his breath catch.
Before he could respond, Kai stepped back.
“One warning.”
“What?”
Kai turned toward the darkness.
“If Aurelion starts acting afraid…”
A pause.
“Run.”
And then he was gone.
Leaving Liebe alone beneath the moonlight.
Heart racing.
Because now— he knew one thing for certain.
This had started long before him.
And whatever was coming— was already moving.