In the forest's shadows, truths unravel and sparks ignite

Arvanya's POV:

I stood at the forest's edge, my mind spinning with all the possibilities of what might lie beyond those trees. The whispers of the wind, the rustling leaves—it all felt like an invitation I couldn't resist. I was just planning my daring little escapade when it hit me.

That smell. That ridiculously intoxicating, maddeningly familiar smell.

I froze. My stomach did a flip as the realization dawned on me. Of course, it had to be him. Because who else would have the uncanny ability to show up at the absolute worst possible time?

Sure enough, I didn't need to turn around to confirm it. He was already there. I could feel his presence like a thundercloud looming behind me. The mate bond strikes again. Great.

Seriously, did Lucian have some kind of built-in tracker for ruining my plans? Last night, it was the same thing, and now here he was again. I swear, if he keeps this up, I'll never get anything done.

I sighed, letting my shoulders sag just enough to express my irritation without giving him too much satisfaction. If he was here, sneaking into the forest was officially off the table.

"You've become obsessed with this place," his deep, annoyingly smug voice broke the silence.

I turned around slowly, trying to keep my expression neutral. Inside, though, I was screaming. Obsessed with the forest? Sure, Lucian, because staring at trees is my ultimate life goal. What a genius observation.

"Maybe as obsessed as you are with following me here," I shot back, smirking just enough to challenge him.

His eyes narrowed. Ah, got him. He looked torn between irritation and grudging respect, which was honestly my favorite reaction to provoke from him.

"So," he continued, nodding toward the trees as if trying to distract me, "what are you doing out here at this hour? Looking for something?"

I rolled my eyes so hard I nearly saw the back of my skull. "What does it look like? Maybe I just enjoy a little peace without someone interrupting me every five seconds."

His jaw tightened, and I felt a tiny thrill of satisfaction. Yep, definitely annoyed now.

"Watch your tone," he snapped, his voice turning cold. "Don't talk to me like that."

I raised an eyebrow, not even trying to hide my defiance. "Or what? Are you going to attack me with your five dragons?"

The way his fists clenched told me I'd hit a nerve. Bingo. But instead of exploding, he leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to that low, threatening tone he thought was intimidating.

"You should be more cautious," he warned. "At least pretend to be afraid. It's for your own good. This isn't Aetheria Academy. The students here are stronger, and they don't play nice."

Oh, great. Another lecture. Does he practice these in front of a mirror?

"Didn't you see today's match in the arena?" I countered, cutting him off before he could go full "wise protector" mode. "If the students are stronger here, then I'm not weak."

His gaze darkened, and I could almost see the wheels turning in his head. "Oh, I saw it very carefully," he said, his tone almost mocking. "And I also know you have no idea what you've done."

I crossed my arms, refusing to back down. "Whatever I do—or don't do—is none of your business. And stop telling me this isn't Aetheria. I can take care of myself."

He stepped closer, and for a moment, his shadow felt larger than life. His voice was calm but firm, the kind that sent shivers down your spine. "We'll see how confident you are when you realize what you've walked into."

Before I could fire back, a rustling noise snapped both our attention to the trees. We moved together, instinctively cautious, and what we found in the clearing was...

Well, not what I expected.

There, behind the nature statue, were a boy and a girl—very enthusiastically locked in an embrace.

For a moment, I was too stunned to process it. Then, the absurdity hit me, and I clamped a hand over my mouth to keep from bursting out laughing. My shoulders shook as I tried to hold it in, but Lucian's expression—somewhere between disgusted and done with the universe—was too much.

"And you were lecturing me about being careful and not coming here at this hour?" I whispered, barely able to keep my laughter under control.

Lucian pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling slowly like he was trying to summon the patience of a saint. "At least I'm not hiding behind trees doing... that," he muttered.

Unable to contain myself any longer, I doubled over laughing, my sides aching as tears formed in the corners of my eyes.

Finally, Lucian decided he'd had enough. He stepped forward, clearing his throat loudly. The couple broke apart like they'd been hit with a bucket of ice water, their faces a lovely shade of crimson.

"As much as I hate to interrupt," Lucian began, his tone dry and unimpressed, "you might want to find a less obvious spot for... whatever this is."

The boy stammered something unintelligible while the girl glared at him as if this were all his fault.

"The tree just fell on your lips, then?" Lucian added, one eyebrow raised.

That was it. I lost it completely, laughing so hard I had to lean against a tree for support.

The girl grabbed her partner's arm, muttering something about bad ideas and dragging him away before they could embarrass themselves further.

As the clearing fell silent again, I wiped the tears from my eyes and smirked at Lucian. "Yeah, clearly they're the ones who need to be careful," I teased.

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For once, he didn't have a retort. Instead, he just glared at me like he was rethinking every life choice that had led him to this moment.

"Enough show for today," I said, brushing a stray strand of hair behind my ear. "I should get back to my room."

He smirked, the glint of amusement returning to his eyes. "Back to being serious already? Don't let me stop you from having fun."

"Goodnight, Lucian," I said firmly, turning on my heel and walking away.

As I left the grove, his voice didn't follow me, but I could still feel his gaze lingering, the faint echo of my laugh hanging in the air between us.

After leaving Lucian behind in the clearing, I returned to my room, my steps heavy with frustration. As soon as the door clicked shut, I threw myself onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling, but my mind refused to quiet down.

I needed to figure out a way to get into that forest.

My thoughts raced, piecing together the puzzle of what I'd seen, felt, and heard over the past few days. Whoever those people were—whether students or strangers—they had to be connected to the visions I'd been having. Those dragons, the ones that kept calling me in my dreams, weren't just a figment of my imagination.

They were real, and they needed me.

The thought sent a shiver down my spine, not of fear, but urgency. I couldn't keep brushing it off, couldn't keep letting distractions like Lucian—or random couples behind statues—get in my way.

The forest held answers, I was sure of it. But sneaking past everyone wasn't going to be easy. Lucian was already suspicious, and if he caught me snooping around again, he'd probably chain me to a chair in the dining hall just to keep me under his watchful eye.

I groaned, running my hands through my hair. Why did everything have to be so complicated?

Still, there was no way I could delay this any longer. Too much time had already been wasted on trivial things—training matches, nosy mates, and whatever else the day threw at me.

No. Tonight, or tomorrow at the latest, I'd figure out a way into the forest. Quietly. Carefully. Without raising anyone's suspicion.

The dragons were calling me. I could feel their pull, as if their souls were tethered to mine, begging me to act. And I wasn't about to let them down.

"Tomorrow," I whispered to myself, clenching my fists. "I'll find a way. No more distractions."

With that resolution firm in my mind, I lay back down. Sleep, however, was elusive as my thoughts swirled with plans, possibilities, and the haunting echo of the dragons' cries, distant yet insistent.

The morning air was cool and invigorating as Esme and I strolled toward the mess hall. The soft murmur of students' conversations filled the corridors, blending with the rhythmic sound of our footsteps. A quiet heaviness settled in my chest—a blend of anticipation and unease—reminding me that I still hadn’t figured out my next move regarding the forest and the dragons.

For now, I forced myself to focus on the day ahead, tucking those thoughts away. Just for a little while.

As we approached the mess hall, I spotted Calen standing by the large door, his arms casually crossed, waiting for us. He gave us a smile when he saw us approach, his usual easygoing demeanor giving me a slight sense of comfort.

"Morning," he greeted us as we walked inside. "You both ready to eat?"

Esme smiled back. "Always," she replied, and we followed Calen to an empty table.

After grabbing our breakfast, we sat down to eat, and the usual hum of conversation filled the room. But today, there was a tension in the air, and I couldn’t help but overhear snippets of the whispers and murmurs around us.

At first, I assumed it was more chatter about my match with Reed yesterday. But then, something felt off. The tone was different—quieter, almost secretive. Students were speaking in hushed voices, casting furtive glances over their shoulders, as if afraid someone might overhear.

Curiosity piqued, I leaned in closer to Esme. "What’s going on?" I whispered, scanning the room.

Before she could answer, Calen, who had been watching the room carefully, spoke up, his voice low but serious.

"Did you hear?" he said, glancing between us. "Another air elemental left the academy last night."

My fork froze halfway to my mouth. I looked at him, shocked. "Left? What do you mean, left?"

Calen nodded grimly, his expression darkening. "It’s not the first time. Every month, one or two of the air elementals pack up and leave. The pressure’s too much for them here."

Esme added, her voice softer than usual. "The students with air powers… they’re treated differently here, like they’re weak. They don’t get the same respect as the others, and it gets to them. Many leave because they feel like they’re never going to fit in."

I shook my head in disbelief. I had heard the rumors about how students with air dragons were treated differently, but I never imagined it was this bad.

"But why would anyone leave?" I asked, feeling a sense of unease creeping over me. "Isn’t the whole point of this academy to train and help us get stronger?"

Calen sighed, his eyes thoughtful. "You’d think so. But the truth is, the fire elementals run the show here. They think their powers are the strongest, and the rest of us… well, we’re just getting by. Air elementals especially are treated like they’re just… there to fill in space."

Esme nodded, looking down at her plate. "It’s not fair, but it’s the reality. Some of them can’t handle it, so they leave. It’s been happening ever since the academy was founded."

I felt a pang of guilt, even though I knew there was nothing I could do about it. The unfair treatment of air elementals… it seemed like an invisible weight that hung over the entire academy, and I hadn’t even noticed it until now.

"That’s... terrible," I muttered, my thoughts swirling.

Calen gave me a sympathetic look. "Yeah, it is. But you’ll see it too. The more you stay here, the more you’ll understand how much the different elements are divided. Some groups are stronger, and the air elementals? They’re always on the bottom of the pile."

I sat back in my seat, trying to process everything I’d just learned. There was so much I still didn’t know about the dynamics here. But one thing was for sure—I wasn’t going to let the treatment of others slide.

After breakfast, the three of us walked together toward the math class. The morning air was crisp, and the pathways were already buzzing with students heading to their respective classes. Math was one of those subjects I didn’t mind—it kept me focused, and numbers always had a way of making sense.

Esme and Calen sat next to me as the professor began explaining some advanced concepts. I couldn’t help but notice how focused Calen was, jotting down notes like his life depended on it. Esme, on the other hand, doodled absentmindedly on the corner of her notebook.

The class flew by faster than I expected, and soon we were heading to economics. This subject had always fascinated me, probably because it had a bit of logic and strategy mixed in. The professor was engaging, and I actually found myself enjoying the discussions.

Then came physics.

I groaned internally as the professor droned on about some theoretical concept involving energy transfer. I tried to focus, but my mind kept wandering. Physics had never been my favorite, and today was no exception.

My gaze drifted to the window, where I could see the sunlight streaming through the trees. It made me think of the forest, of the dragons calling me, and—most annoyingly—of Lucian and his habit of showing up at the worst possible times.

And then, like a wave, the memories of Nico and Dante hit me. Their constant chatter, their over-the-top banter during class, and their knack for making even the dullest subjects entertaining.

I smiled to myself, remembering how Nico used to nudge me every five minutes to crack a joke, or how Dante would dramatically feign confusion just to make everyone laugh.

Esme nudged me, snapping me out of my thoughts. "You okay? You look like you’re plotting something."

I shook my head, laughing softly. "No plotting. Just... physics is unbearable, and honestly, it’s never been my thing."

Calen, who had been scribbling something in his notebook, glanced up with a smirk. "Unbearable for you? Physics is practically a puzzle. You’re just missing the fun in it."

Esme giggled, rolling her eyes. "Oh, please, Calen. Not everyone thinks solving equations is fun."

He shrugged, unfazed. "Well, they should. It’s like a game, and I’m winning."

I couldn’t help but chuckle at his smug tone, though the lecture didn’t suddenly become any less tedious. The professor’s voice droned on, and I found myself glancing at the clock every few minutes, willing time to move faster.

As soon as the bell rang, I was up and out of my seat in record time, ready to escape the monotony and get on with the day.