Chapter Three: Knotted

The buzzer rang, echoing through the classroom as the final bell of the day dismissed everyone. Yozora grabbed his backpack, slung it over his shoulder, and made his way to the door. As he stepped into the hallway, a familiar, energetic voice cutting through the crowd.

"YO, ZORA! WAIT UP!"

Yozora turned to see his boy, T.LAC, jogging up to him. They exchanged their signature handshake, quick and smooth from years of practice.

"My guy! You ready to roll? Wait... where’s Mara?"

Yozora sighed, shaking his head. "No idea, man. She’s in one of her moods, probably heading to my place to vent to my parents. Let me text her real quick, see what’s up."

He pulled out his phone, typing a quick message. A few minutes later, Mara’s response buzzed on the screen: Yeah, waiting at BBP (Buffalo Bayou Park), hurry the hell up!!!

Yozora facepalmed rubbing his temple. "Yeah, she’s already at the spot. Let’s bounce, T."

As they walked toward the park, T.LAC couldn’t ignore the vibe coming off Yozora, like something heavy was weighing him down. He nudged him. "Yo, Zora, you good? You’ve been kinda off lately. Graduation getting to you? Shouldn’t be, bro. You’re second in our class, right behind Mara."

Yozora rubbed his ear absently as the wind ruffling his locs. He looked up at the sky, his face clouded with uncertainty. "It’s not that, T. I don’t know… this tightness in my chest just keeps getting worse. Something’s telling me things are about to change. Like, big change. And after that, nothing’s ever gonna be the same."

T.LAC scratched his head, puzzled. "Well yeah, dude, we’re about to graduate from Stars Institute for the Gifted! We’re about to hit college—any college in the world! You know how wild it’s gonna be? Parties, new faces, sexy women—it’s gonna be lit, bro. Maybe you’re just excited?"

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

Wrapping his arm around Yozora’s shoulder, T.LAC grinned. "Look, bro, whatever’s coming, don’t sweat it. know why? ‘Cause no matter what happens, this guy always got your back.”

Yozora chuckled slightly, but the weight in his chest didn’t ease. T.LAC's words were comforting, but deep down, Yozora knew something far more significant was on the horizon—something that even T.LAC couldn’t prepare him for.

Upon reaching the park, the air thick with the scent of rain and the croaking of frogs, Yozora and T.LAC scanned the area for Mara. She was nowhere to be found.

“Where the hell is she?” Yozora muttered, his words cut off as something caught his eye—a figure in a dark cloak, carrying what looked like Mara draped over their shoulder.

“T, look!” Yozora’s voice was urgent, his heart pounding. “That person—he has Mara!”

Without thinking, both Yozora and T.LAC bolted into action, sprinting after the cloaked figure. The stranger noticed them immediately, turning sharply and disappearing into the thick brush that led into the forest.

“Where the hell did they go?” Yozora thought, pushing through the branches and undergrowth. Both he and T.LAC were shouting Mara’s name, their voices echoing through the forest.

“Maraaaa! Maraaaa!”

But their cries went unanswered, swallowed by the dense woods.

They pressed on, navigating through the thick foliage, until they emerged into an open field. There, waiting for them, was the cloaked figure—sitting casually on the back of Mara, as if expecting their arrival.

In a voice dripping with amusement, the figure spoke, her words laced with a sinister laugh. “Zora boy, how long has it been? Five years? No, no, that’s not right… it’s been almost six years! Haha, I can’t believe it’s been that long since I last gazed into those beautiful, starry eyes.”

Yozora froze, confusion swirling in his mind. “Who are you? And why do you have Mara?”

The figure slowly stood, unbuttoning her cloak and pulling down her hood to reveal a slender woman with sky-blue hair and piercing emerald eyes. She wore black shorts that barely covered her, and a skeleton crop top that left her underboobs exposed. Placing a hand over her face, she cackled.

“Who am I? Hahaha, who am I? You should be asking yourself, who the hell are you?”

Her grin widened, but her voice turned cold and calm as she continued. “Now, to the task at hand. I led you here to deliver a message. In twenty-four hours, I’m going to kill this woman,” she said, nodding toward Mara. “If you don’t come for her, I swear on my soul, I’ll make sure she screams in agony until she begs me to end her life.”

Yozora’s heart raced as the knot in his chest tightened painfully.

“Go home,” the woman continued, her tone almost casual, “and talk to Mommy and Daddy about this. Ask them for the truth, or Mara dies. Understand? I’ll send you a location to your phone. You’ve got twenty-four hours... but I’m not a patient person.”

Before Yozora could even process what was happening, the woman grabbed Mara by the arm, her grin returning as she prepared to leave. “Oh, and one more thing,” she said with a twisted smile. “Tell them the Jester, Jezebel, found their puppy.”

With that, Jezebel leapt into the sky, vanishing into the dark clouds above. Yozora stood frozen, his mind racing, the weight of the threat heavy on his chest. He knew one thing for certain: Everything changed….