Lucien threw himself right between Sera and the shadow, locking his posture into a protective wall.
Every muscle in his shoulders bunched tight.
His hand hovered near his side, fingers flexed and ready to strike at the slightest twitch.
The night air bit at their faces, yet Lucien’s breaths came in heavy, jagged bursts.
The stranger who had drifted out from the tree line was still grinning.
His eyes lacked any flicker of warmth just hollow, bottomless voids staring back.
Like a starving predator measuring its next meal.
Under the sickly yellow gleam of the torchlight, his features stood out in sharp relief.
Gaunt cheeks.
Sunken eyes.
An eerie, unnatural composure.
It was the kind of unnatural calm that instantly twisted your stomach into knots.
”Duke Malric sent me,” the intruder offered softly.
His tone carried no urgency at all, grounded in the quiet confidence of someone who already felt in control.
”He’d like a look at the girl.
The Dragon’s Vessel.” Sera’s throat tightened, cutting off her breath mid-air.
Deep beneath her skin, that familiar, ice-cold chill surged through her veins.
It felt so real, so vivid, that she almost glanced down, half-expecting her skin to burst into light.
Yet, no glow appeared.
Just a phantom ripple…
and then cold emptiness.
The entity within her receded back into total stillness, pretending it had never been there at all.
Lucien’s voice dropped an octave, dripping with rare, lethal conviction.
”Turn around and leave.
Right now.” The man merely tilted his head, his smile stretching just a fraction wider.
”I’m only here to look.
Hands off…
for the moment.” He shifted his weight, taking a single step forward.
Before his foot even hit the ground, the sound of snapping twigs echoed from the far edge of the courtyard.
Kairos and Caelum burst through the tree line together.
Kairos wore a look of pure venom, his eyes fixed on the target.
Caelum remained completely unreadable cold, silent, but already resting a hand on his weapon hilt.
”Step any closer,” Kairos cut in.
His voice was quiet, but sharp enough to slice through the tension, making the intruder pause mid-stride.
”And I won’t guarantee you’ll be walking back to your master in one piece.” The stranger’s gaze drifted lazily over the three boys, assessing each of them.
Finally, his eyes crawled back to Sera, lingering a second too long.
He chuckled under his breath.
”Three hounds…
guarding one little bird.
Duke Malric will find this quite entertaining.” Caelum stepped forward, his voice a flatline.
”Your window to leave is closing.
Move.” The man raised both palms in mock surrender.
”Understood.
My message is delivered.” He began stepping backward into the thick gloom of the trees.
”Just remember…
the Duke isn’t known for his patience.
We’ll be seeing each other soon, Dragon’s Vessel.” Before anyone could move, he melted into the pitch-black shadows of the garden.
He vanished so cleanly that chasing him felt entirely pointless.
For a few agonizing moments, the only sound was the cold wind rustling through the leaves.
Then, total silence.
Sera’s knees buckled.
She forced herself to stay upright, but the ground beneath her felt completely unsteady.
Lucien spun around immediately, reaching out to steady her.
”Sera…
are you alright?” ”I’m fine,” Sera lied.
Her voice cracked slightly.
In reality, her heart was hammering against her ribs so hard it felt painful.
Kairos scanned the perimeter one last time before gesturing toward the building.
”Inside.
Right now.” They formed a tight perimeter around Sera, walking her back through the stone courtyard and into the academy.
The corridors were completely deserted.
The heavy thud of their boots bounced off the stone walls in a tense, rhythmic pattern.
No one said a word.
Only the sound of heavy breathing echoed through the hall.
Outside her doorway, Kairos stopped.
He stared down at her, the anxiety in his chest leaking into his expression.
”Starting tonight, you don’t step foot outside alone.
Got it?” Sera just gave a stiff nod.
Her throat felt too dry to frame proper words.
Caelum leaned his shoulder against the opposite wall, his expression grim.
”I’ll take the first watch out here.” Lucien pushed her door open slightly, looking at her with quiet concern.
”Lock it behind you.
I won’t be far either.” Sera stepped inside and pulled the door shut.
Click.
The metallic sound of the deadbolt sliding into place offered a tiny flicker of relief a faint comfort that vanished the moment she turned to face her room.
Pale moonlight seeped past the window drapes, washing the room in a grim, metallic glow.
It felt far too sharp tonight, carving deep shadows into the furniture and stripping away any sense of comfort.
She dragged her feet across the floor and collapsed onto the edge of the mattress.
She held up her hands, staring at her palms.
No faint shimmer.
No rising warmth.
Just a persistent tremor in her fingers that refused to settle.
Where are you?
she called out inward, directing her thought into the silent void within her.
When everything was falling apart, you hid.
Are you still hiding?
Nothing stirred in the dark.
The silence stretched on, unbroken save for the ragged rhythm of her own breathing.
Completely drained, she lay back against the pillows, but sleep felt miles away.
Every time her eyelids grew heavy, those hollow, hungry eyes flashed in her mind.
Along with that heavy title: Dragon’s Vessel.
Time seemed to warp.
Minutes stretched into half an hour, maybe longer.
Then, something sharp caught her eye over on the writing desk.
A small, pitch-black envelope was resting near the edge.
It definitely hadn’t been there when she left earlier today.
Nor was it there when she walked into the room moments ago.
Someone had placed it there while she was away.
A fresh wave of dread hit her stomach.
Forcing her weak legs to move, she crossed the room and picked up the heavy paper.
No addressee.
No stamp.
Just a smooth, ink-black envelope sealed with a blob of dark red wax that looked uncomfortably like dried blood.
With trembling hands, she broke the seal and slid the parchment out.
Across the center of the heavy paper, a single line was written in sharp, dark calligraphy: ”Dragon’s Vessel, Duke Malric requests your presence for a private meeting.
Do not make the mistake of declining.” Sera’s hand jerked violently, nearly dropping the parchment.
A soft, hesitant knock echoed from the hallway door right at that exact moment.
”Sera?” Lucien’s muffled voice called through the thick wood.
“Everything okay?” Sera instantly crumpled the note inside her palm, crushing the paper.
She held her breath, remaining silent.
A few seconds of heavy silence passed outside before the slow sound of footsteps faded down the corridor.
Sera smoothed out the crumpled note and read it once more.
Every word burned into her thoughts.
Duke Malric.
Private meeting.
Do not decline.
She squeezed her eyes shut as a hollow ache bloomed in her chest.
The ancient power within her remained dead silent almost mockingly so.
As if whispering, You’re on your own now.
She set the note back onto the wood and stepped toward the window glass.
Down in the courtyard below, the garden was swallowed in absolute pitch black.
Where that terrifying man had been standing minutes ago, there were now only swaying, empty tree branches.
Yet, deep down, Sera knew…
Someone was still standing out there in the dark, watching her window.
She leaned her forehead against the cool glass, her whisper barely stirring the air: ”If you picked me…
then own up to it.” No magic answered.
Only the heavy, stifling quiet of the night…
And the black envelope sitting on her desk, holding her fate hostage.