Aralyn's POV
I was frustrated. No, scratch that. I was this close to losing it.
If I wasn't so unsure whether or not screaming in this school would somehow earn me detention or worse, I would have let one rip loud enough to shake the walls, but instead, I clenched my fists at my sides and forced myself to breathe slowly. In. Out. In. Out.
My palms were sweaty, my feet ached, and I had no idea where I was.
After running away from those three mysterious boys who looked like they belonged on the front of some big time magazine, I'd just kept walking. Not because I had anywhere to go, but because stopping felt like giving up. I'd taken a random hallway in the opposite direction of where I came from, hoping, maybe praying, that I'd run into someone. Anyone, but nope.
Just more endless stone corridors, strange glowing symbols on the walls, and occasional gusts of air that felt like whispers on the back of my neck.
I hated how every corner of this place made me feel like an intruder, like I didn't belong here, and like the building itself was questioning my presence.
All I wanted was a tour, or a distraction, or a sign that I wasn't completely alone here. Just something to get my mind off of being stuck with Serenessa and having absolutely nothing to do, but of course, I wasn't even getting that.
Just more walls, more silence, and now, to make matters worse, my stomach was growling.
Loudly.
I hadn't eaten anything since fleeing Vasthral, and the hunger was starting to turn into nausea. I wrapped an arm around my middle, like that would somehow make the ache go away.
"Great," I muttered, stopping in my tracks.
The hallway I was in had a tall archway ahead, but it didn't look like a dining hall. More like some kind of lounge, or a sitting area, or a place where I definitely didn't belong.
I leaned against the wall, trying to steady my breath, but it was no use. The tightness in my chest just kept growing, and then it hit me—I was really alone.
Not just in this hallway or this moment, but in life.
If I died here, collapsed from hunger, or got zapped by some magical trap, no one would come looking for me. No one would know or care. There wouldn't be some grand search party or dramatic scene. Just a missing girl in a school full of people who never knew she existed.
Tears welled up in my eyes before I could stop them. I wiped them away quickly, pressing the heels of my hands against my eyelids to force the stinging away.
"No," I whispered to myself. "Don't cry. Don't cry now. You made it this far, so just keep moving."
I sniffled and straightened up. I could cry later, but right now, I needed food or directions, or maybe both, but mostly food.
I took another step forward, unsure if I was headed toward help or deeper into confusion. Either way, I couldn't stay standing here forever.
This school was supposed to be my fresh start. My escape, but right now, it felt like a maze with no end, and I was starting to wonder if I'd ever find my way out.
"Screw it," I muttered under my breath, plopping down right there in the hallway. The floor was cold and probably dusty, but I didn't care.
If anyone wanted to scold me, they'd have to show up first, and that hadn't happened in the past half hour of walking around like a ghost in a maze.
I leaned back against the wall and let out a long breath. Maybe if I just sat here long enough, someone would come by. Someone normal.
Honestly, I just wanted to ask about food. Was there a cafeteria? A mess hall? A fruit stand? Did they even eat what I ate here? Because if they expected me to snack on live rodents or raw fish, I was prepared to go on a hunger strike. I could survive off pride if needed.
"Maybe I died back in Vasthral, and this is just purgatory..."
I shook the thought out of my head and pressed my hands against my growling stomach, but it didn't help. The hunger was real, and so was the dull ache crawling up my legs.
I had been sitting there for maybe twenty minutes, though it felt like hours, when a voice suddenly cut through the silence.
"What are you doing on the floor?" a voice suddenly asked, and I nearly jumped out of my skin.
"What—who said that?" I whipped my head around, my heart pounding.
At first, I didn't see anyone, and the hallway was as empty as ever. I looked up, then side to side, confused and kind of terrified that I might actually be losing my mind, and then, like some kind of magic trick, a figure shimmered into view.
One second, there was nothing, and the next, bam. There he was, standing like he'd been there all along.
I gasped. Loudly.
He was tall with dark blonde hair, midnight blue eyes, and somehow both boyish and intimidating at the same time. His face was all sharp angles and elegance, like he belonged on the cover of some fantasy novel. His uniform was similar to what I'd seen on the boys from earlier, but it was darker and lined with some kind of faint runes that almost glowed.
Of course he was good-looking, because apparently, ugly people weren't allowed in this school.
He tilted his head, a curious look playing on his lips. "Well?"
I blinked, still trying to catch up. "You were invisible just now. You weren't there."
He gave a small shrug, like that was a perfectly normal thing to do. "I was practicing."
"Practicing... what? Jump scares?"
His lips quirked slightly, like he was amused. "Stealth. Invisibility. You know, typical basic skills."
I stared at him. He said that like it was something everyone could do.
I shook my head and got to my feet, brushing off my shorts awkwardly. "I was just sitting. I'm new, so I got lost, and I'm also... really hungry."
He raised a brow. "You sat on the floor because you were hungry?"
"No. I sat because I was tired of wandering in circles. The hunger is just a bonus problem."
He studied me for a second longer, and then, to my surprise, said, "Follow me."
"Wait, what? Where?" I questioned skeptically.
"To get food. You said you were hungry, didn't you?" he responded like it was the most normal thing.
I hesitated. "And why are you being nice enough to help me?"
He smirked. "I'm not. I'm just curious, so you either come or don't. I won't beg."
And with that, he turned and started walking away like he fully expected me to follow.
Which, of course, I did, because my stomach made the decision for me.
We walked in silence for a while, and I kept sneaking glances at him. He didn't look much older than me, maybe a year or two tops, but he had this air of confidence that made him seem older, like he knew exactly who he was and what he could do. A sharp contrast to... well, me.
He didn't ask questions, didn't make small talk, just walked like he owned the place, and maybe he did, who knew?
Eventually, we reached a tall arched door that opened into what looked like a massive dining hall. I stopped in my tracks.
It looked... normal with long tables, benches, and food being served from a counter at the back. Actual food and recognizable food like bread, soups, fruits, and roasted things that smelled heavenly.
I could have cried.
The boy gave me a look over his shoulder. "Still suspicious?"
"Nope. Sold."
I walked in quickly, grabbed a tray, and started piling on whatever looked remotely edible. I didn't even care what it was anymore.
He didn't eat anything. Just stood nearby with his arms crossed, watching me like I was some strange creature.
"You're human, aren't you?" he asked suddenly.
I froze, the piece of bread halfway to my mouth.
Then I turned slowly to look at him. "Is that a bad thing?"
He didn't answer right away. Just kept his eyes on me, unreadable. "It's rare, that's all. You don't belong here."
That stung a little more than I wanted to admit. "Yeah, well. I didn't exactly ask to be dragged into this magical madhouse."
He tilted his head again. "Then why are you here?"
"You're the second person to ask me that today," I muttered. "Maybe when I find out, I'll let you know."
He was silent for a while and then finally said, "You eat like someone who's never had food before."
"Because it tastes like actual food, and I haven't eaten since I ran away from home, thank you very much," I retorted, barely able to mask my irritation.
That got his attention.
"You ran away?"
I sighed, setting the tray down. "Yeah, long story. The kind that'll ruin your appetite."
He looked like he wanted to ask more but didn't. Instead, he gave a small nod and turned like he was about to leave.
"Hey," I called after him.
He stopped.
"You never told me your name."
He looked back, a half-smile on his lips. "I know."
And just like that, he shimmered and disappeared.
I stood there with my tray of food and the lingering scent of roasted meat, wondering if I had just imagined him, but I knew I hadn't, and I had a feeling I'd be seeing him again.