16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNMrnOgWPrV"No!" Eilana screamed. She gripped Kael’s hands, her knuckles white as she shook him. "Don’t let them do this again!"
Kael’s expression didn’t soften. His eyes were cold, distant—nothing like the boy who had been laughing with her only moments ago. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice like ice. He wrenched his hands away from hers. "Why are you touching me?"
"The bell," Eilara whispered, her heart sinking. "It was the bell."
"The bell clears away the distractions that keep us from learning," Kael snapped, his voice robotic. "Now get off me." He shoved past her, nearly knocking her over.
"So, the bell didn't work on you either, huh?"
Eilara spun around. Standing there was a girl with raven-black hair and piercing turquoise eyes. She held out a book. "This dropped out of your bag."
"Thanks," Eilara muttered, taking it with trembling hands.
"I’m Mary Beth, by the way," the girl said, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. She turned to walk away, throwing a final comment over her shoulder: "I hope we see each other again."
Eilara watched her disappear into the shadows of the hallway. When she turned back, the corridor was empty. The silence was heavy, and the map in her hand felt like a useless maze. She scrambled through the shifting halls until she finally skidded to a halt in front of a door marked 113.
Inside, the atmosphere was suffocating. The teacher stood abruptly, slamming his book onto the wooden desk. He didn't look up as he spoke. "You are Eilara Moore."
It wasn't a question. It was a statment.
"How are you so sure?" Eilara asked, her voice small.
"You are the only one absent!" he roared. He slammed his teacup down, tea splashing onto the desk, and stalked toward her. Eilara locked her knees, refusing to back down even as he invaded her personal space.
"Detention!" he barked. He grabbed her arm, his fingers digging into her skin like talons. Before she could pull away, he produced a heavy metal stamp.
He pressed it into her forearm. Eilana’s scream tore through the silent room as the metal seared her flesh. Tears blurred her vision, but through the haze, she looked at the other students. They sat perfectly still. Calm. Indifferent.
Then, she saw him.
Kael Zorvath was staring at her. They were supposed to be friends—they were supposed to protect each other—but he didn't move. As their eyes met, his lips curled into a slow, cruel smile.
"It will be over soon enough," he whispered, his voice dripping with a chilling satisfaction,"We will be laughing together soon just like nothing happened. When the time is right..." His voice was cut of from a strong ringing sound as Eilara's senses blurred.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfT14sBRtaL
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