Elias clutched the folder under his jacket as he left the greenhouse, the cold night air biting at his skin. The words of Mallory, Mr. Thorne, and Mrs. Hendricks echoed in his mind: Bella Rivers is a Moonblood. A weapon. A threat.
He had twenty-four hours to decide, join their cause to document Bella's supposed danger or risk everything to warn her. The choice loomed like a storm cloud, and every step back to his dorm room felt like a step towards doom.
Back in his room, Elias locked the door and shoved a chair under the handle, his paranoia spiking. He was being watched.
He sat on his bed, the folder open in front of him, its pages spilling out reports, about Bella's behavior. Her late-night disappearances, her unnerving silver eyes, the glowing hands during the dining hall fight. It was damning, but something about it felt too neat, too orchestrated.
Could he trust Mallory's group, or were they manipulating him to serve Principal Maren's agenda?
