His eyes.
Bright blue. Icy. Beautiful. impossible to look away from.
His hair shimmered—silvery blue, like moonlight trapped in water. His lips… okay, why were her own lips parting? She needed to get a grip.
Yvaine was utterly frozen. She tried to speak, but silence choked her.
"Are you fine?"He asked.
Dear gods! His voice.
"Uh..yes.. I'm sorry." She stuttered.
"Good," he said, then let her go.
Ugh. Why did she wish he hadn't? His arms were warm. His chest? She could curl into it and just… never leave.
"Mister Vireleith, one more misbehavior and you'll be kicked out of the student representative council!" Principal Myrrin's voice rang from inside the hall.
"Noted, ma'am," he replied with a soft laugh.
He turned back to Yvaine and tapped her arm lightly. "See you around, Pup."
He left.
But his scent didn't. It lingered. Warm. Clean. Sharp. It made that weird tingling in her body rise again.
Yvaine stared after him.
What just happened?
"Miss Theolux," Principal Myrrin called. Her voice snapped her out of the daze.
Right. Meeting.
Yvaine walked in. The hall was big and too quiet. There was a long table. Five people sat behind it. Principal Myrrin was in the center. One student sat too. Yvaine's eyes paused on her.
"Good evening, Miss Theolux," Principal Myrrin said. "Apologies for interrupting your evening."
Yvaine nodded. "Good evening."
"This is the council," Principal Myrrin explained. "We are conducting an investigation."
The council?
Yvaine glanced at the student again. "Why is she here?"
"She's Priya. Student rep," Myrrin said simply.
Of course. Student rep.
The girl, Priya, gave Yvaine a small smirk. Yvaine looked away.
A man spoke. He had sprinkles of silver in his black hair. " I am Tywin Starwood. Grand seer of the academy. Could you tell us what really happened that night?"
Yvaine hesitated.
"Don't be scared. Just speak the truth." Another woman spoke. She had round glasses balanced on her nose.
Yvaine nodded, taking a shaky breath. "I was kidnapped. By Lucien Lioréan. During the party, when I went to the bathroom."
Priya cut in, "Lucien says he never kidnapped you."
Yvaine's mouth moved before she could think. "He's a stupid liar."
"Tone, please," Principal Myrrin said sharply.
Yvaine bit her lip. "Sorry."
"Go on," Tywin said.
"I woke up hours later… somewhere dark. I didn't know where I was. I tried to get back to the dorms and… I heard someone scream. From the garden. I went there and…" She paused. Her voice cracked. "Solera… she was hanging from a tree. I swear I didn't do it."
The council members exchanged glances.
Then Priya opened her mouth again. "But you were seen arguing with her. At the party."
Yvaine's hands clenched into fists.
Oh, moon. Will this girl shut the fuck up?
"I didn't do anything to her!" Yvaine snapped, voice rising. "I swear it on the Moon Goddess—"
"That's enough," Principal Myrrin cut in, calm but firm. "We'll continue the investigation. In the meantime, this matter is to remain confidential."
She turned to Priya. "Make sure the student body hears nothing of this until we have clarity."
Priya folded her arms and said nothing.
"Miss Theolux, you're dismissed," Principal Myrrin said.
Yvaine gave a small nod. She turned and walked out, her eyes burning.
Her thoughts were louder than the hall.
Lucien's lies.
Priya's smug face.
Ed's beautiful picnic and the buzz he activated.
And that Vireleith boy... He made it louder.
_______
"Okay, so what happened on your little date with Ed?" Zully asked, wiggling her brows as they walked out of Potions class.
Yvaine rolled her eyes.
Elyan gasped. "Wait—you went on a date with Ed?"
"It wasn't really a date," Yvaine muttered, hugging her books.
Zully grinned. "It was under the blossom tree."
"Yeah," Elyan said. "That's definitely a date. Tell me what love potion you used. I've been in this school two years and still no romantic history."
Yvaine laughed.
Zully smirked. "It looked like it went well. I caught creepy Ed staring at you today, all awestruck. Did you kiss?"
"Zully…" Yvaine gave her a look. "Privacy, please. And he's not creepy. He's... cute."
She smiled to herself without meaning to.
Zully raised a brow. "Mmm. Fine, fine. But why'd you return late?"
They went straight to their table as they reached the cafeteria. Yvaine sighed as she sat.
"I was summoned," she said. "By the student council."
Zully and Elyan turned to her, brows raised.
"There's this girl, Priya," Yvaine continued. "She kept trying to twist things like I killed Solera."
Elyan groaned. "Ugh, Priya. She's the most pompous witch ever. Got into the council and it doubled her ego."
"She tried dating a Silverwolf once for clout," Zully added, stabbing her salad. "Didn't work, so she went for politics. She's a wannabe. Nothing more."
"Seriously," Elyan said. "No one likes her. Don't stress."
Before Yvaine could answer, Veylor showed up with Nyxara beside him.
Yvaine blinked. "Whoa. Vey, you look good. Loving the cornrows."
Veylor turned pink. "Nyx did them."
All eyes turned to Nyx as she sat down.
She looked up. "What? Stop staring at me. I was bored."
"Lies," Zully and Elyan said together.
"Shut up, both of you," Nyx muttered, rolling her eyes.
They all laughed.
Their food appeared—plates floating softly onto the table. They started eating.
But Yvaine's mind… wasn't fully at the table.
She glanced across the room, towards the Frosthowl corner. Lots of silver-blue heads. But not his.
The boy from Esix Hall.
Vireleith.
Her eyes searched again, just in case.
Still not there.
Why was she suddenly disappointed?
She tried shaking it off and continuing with her food.
Then two boys approached their table. Identical faces. Blank stares. They walked slow, like they weren't fully here.
Yvaine looked up at them. Everyone did.
They stopped in front of her.
And spoke in perfect sync.
"Doom looms around you," they said, eyes fixed on her. "Doom will swallow you—unless you're strong enough."
Yvaine froze.
"What the—?" Elyan started.
But then the boys blinked.
Their eyes shifted.
And they walked away. Just like that.
Yvaine turned slowly to the table. "Okay... what was that?"
Nyx didn't look up from her drink. "Ignore them. Lawson twins. They're Dusk wolves. Don't believe anything a Dusk wolf says to you, especially those two."
Zully shrugged. "They're always loopy. Always living in a trance."
But that didn't sound loopy to Yvaine.
It sounded like a warning.
She turned her head to look at the boys again. They were back at their table. Laughing. Eating.
Totally normal.
Nothing about them looked off now.
Her heart pounded. Her fingers gripped the edge of her tray.
What did they mean by that?
And why did it feel like something was... coming?
And something did come.
Three girls walked straight toward their table.
The one in the middle had silver-blonde hair. Silverwolf. The other two flanked her like backup dancers. One of them was Priya.
Oh, for Moon's sake.
"Well, well. Look who we have here. The murderous wolfless girl. And her pathetic little friends." The one in the middle spoke.
Everything went silent.
Forks paused mid-air.
Heads turned.
Eyes locked on Yvaine's table.
Yvaine froze.
Nyx was the first to stand.
"What's this supposed to mean, Valtira? We're trying to eat."
Valtira smirked. "Oh, nothing. Just thought we could all take a moment and ask Yvaine here why she killed Solera."
The other students gasped.
Yvaine's breath caught. Her fingers went cold.
Zully stood too. "That's a dangerous lie to spread."
Priya folded her arms. "Is it, though? The council meeting yesterday was pretty eye-opening."
Elyan looked around and muttered, "Oh gods."
Valtira tilted her head at Yvaine. Don't even try denying."
Yvaine tried to speak, but for some reason, she just couldn't.
Her throat felt tight. She could feel every single pair of eyes on her.
"I didn't," she finally said. Quiet. But it was all she could manage.
Valtira laughed. "Sure. Just like how you didn't get caught sneaking around the garden where Solera died."
"Back off," Nyx said, stepping closer.
"What are you gonna do?" Valtira snapped. "Suck me dry, Vampy?"
Nyx's eyes flashed.
Zully put a hand on Nyx's arm. "Not worth it. Don't lose it here."
But Yvaine… she couldn't move. She couldn't speak.
Her chest was tight. Her eyes stung. Everyone was still staring.
Valtira gave one last smug smile. "Just saying… if I were the headmaster, I'd kick her out before someone else ends up dead."
She turned like she was done.
Then paused.
"No, actually," she said louder. "Maybe I should kill her myself."
Gasps again. Chairs screeched.
Valtira moved fast.
Too fast.
But before she could get close to Yvaine, Nyx stepped in front of her.
Veylor stood too, beside Nyx. "Don't even try it."
Valtira looked between them, laughing like she wasn't serious. But her eyes said otherwise.
"What's all this fuss about?"
A new voice. Calm. Cold.
Lucien.
He stood behind Valtira, arms crossed. His school jacket hanging lazily off one shoulder.
Valtira spun toward him. "Lucien, my love. That wolfless girl killed Solera!"
Yvaine's eyes widened.
My love?
She and Lucien… were a thing?
Lucien didn't even look at Yvaine.
"Come on, Valtira. Let's go."
Valtira pouted. "But—"
"Let's go," he said again.
She gave Yvaine one last smug glare, then turned and followed Lucien.
Lucien walked ahead.
But right before he passed the door, he turned his head and stared at Yvaine. No expression, just cold.
Then came the whispers.
"Solera is dead?"
"She really killed her?"
"I'd disappear if I were her."
Yvaine couldn't bear the stares and whispering. She just ran out.
"Yvie, come back." Zully called after her.