Midnight Mischief and the Not-So-Stealthy Escape

Arvanya's POV:

Esme and Calen sat on the chairs across from me, their impatience growing by the second. Esme tapped her foot against the floor, arms crossed. "Arvi, will you just tell us already? You're making us wait for no reason!"

Calen leaned back against the armrest, letting out an exasperated sigh. "Seriously, why did you call me inside if you're just going to stare at the door?"

I sat on the edge of my bed, facing them, my expression calm. "Just wait a little longer," I said evenly. "Once everyone is here, I'll explain."

Esme narrowed her eyes. "Everyone? Who else did you invite?"

I gave her a knowing smile. "You'll see. Just be patient."

She groaned dramatically. "Ugh! This is torture."

Calen threw his hands up. "You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"

Before I could respond, a knock sounded at the door.

Esme sat up straighter, suspicion in her eyes. "That better be whoever you're waiting for."

I quickly stood and opened the door. One by one, Kai, Dante, and Nico stepped inside, their expressions mirroring Esme and Calen's impatience. Kai leaned against the wall near the door, arms crossed. Dante plopped down onto the bed, while Nico pulled up a chair from the study desk and sat on it backward, resting his arms on the backrest.

Esme and Calen looked at them like they'd seen ghosts. Esme shot me a look, her voice tinged with disbelief. "You messaged them, then why didn't you ask them to come when they were with us in the hallway?"

I leaned against the doorframe, smirking. "Oh, you're absolutely right. I should've asked them there. Maybe even invited Lucian, Zane, and Ryker so they could come along and tell the authorities everything. That way, they'd directly handle it."

The sarcasm in my voice wasn't lost on them.

Calen exhaled sharply, clearly done with the suspense. "Alright, now that everyone's here, can we finally get to the point?"

Esme nodded, her arms still crossed as she glanced around at the group. "Yes, before we die of curiosity."

I took a deep breath and finally spoke up, looking at each of them. "I have to go into the forest tonight to see the air elementals who are kept there."

The moment the words left my mouth, their expressions completely changed. Shock, concern, and disbelief flickered across their faces as they processed what I had just said.

They stared at me, the weight of my words sinking in. The silence stretched, thick with unspoken questions, until Esme finally broke it, her voice laced with concern "Tonight? Is it really necessary to go tonight?"

I nodded, my voice filled with determination. "Yes, it is. I can't delay anymore. If something happens to them and I'm not there, I'll never forgive myself. They asked for my help, and now it's my responsibility to save them."

Calen leaned back, thoughtful. "The night is actually the safest time. The chances of getting caught are almost zero. No one's going to be out there, and we'll have the cover we need."

I nodded in agreement. "Exactly. That's why I need to go now." I paused, looking at each of them. "I asked you all to come here so I could ask... will you come with me?"

Kai pushed off the wall and stepped forward, his face serious. "Our purpose for coming to this academy is to always have your back, so there's no chance I'm not going." His words were firm and filled with resolve.

I nodded, feeling a sense of relief. One down.

Dante stood up from the bed without hesitation. "Yeah, we're in this together." His grin was reassuring, and I could see the loyalty in his eyes.

I gave a quiet nod. Two down.

Nico gave a small shrug, his arms crossed. "You don't even have to ask. We're with you." He said it so matter-of-factly, but there was no doubt in his voice.

Three down

Then Esme responded. She raised an eyebrow, her arms still crossed over her chest. "If you're going, I'm coming too." She uncrossed her arms and sighed, her expression softening. "I can't let you go out there alone."

My heart gave a little jump. Four down.

Calen ran a hand through his hair, looking at me with a serious but thoughtful expression. "I'm in. It's not even a question." He paused, his voice softer now. "I know how important this is to you, and I won't let you go without knowing you've got someone watching your back."

I felt a wave of gratitude wash over me. I smiled, relieved that they were all on my side. "Thank you, all of you."

After a moment of silence, Nico spoke up, his voice thoughtful. "Shouldn't we also ask Sofia and Lila to come with us?"

I shook my head, my expression firm. "No, we can't. They're with their mates, Zane and Ryker. First, we can't let Zane and Ryker know about this. It's too risky." I paused, trying to make my point clear. "Second, we should let them spend their time with their mates. They deserve that peace, especially right now."

After I finished explaining, the others nodded in understanding. Nico seemed to understand, though a flicker of concern passed through his eyes. "Fair enough. Just thought I'd ask."

I gave a small, reassuring smile. "I appreciate it. But right now, it's just us."

Kai raised an eyebrow, clearly eager to get started. "So, we should go now?"

I shook my head, keeping my voice firm. "No, it’s too risky right now. Students are still wandering the halls and courtyard, and the dorm staff will start their patrols soon. We’ll wait until midnight—when everyone’s in their rooms and the academy is completely silent."

They all looked at me with curious expressions, like I was some expert in sneaking around.

I shrugged, my tone calm and confident. "I've been there before, so I know exactly what time would be best to leave without getting caught."

They exchanged glances, then nodded in agreement.

Esme raised an eyebrow, a playful smile forming on her lips. "Oh, I'm sure you do, Arvi. I mean, you've had plenty of practice sneaking around when I was in deep sleep, haven't you?" She winked at me, clearly teasing.

My face flushed slightly. I hadn't thought she'd remember those late-night escapes. "Esme, I—" I started, realizing there was no way out of this. "I'm sorry. I should have told you. I didn't mean to hide it from you."

Esme's grin softened, and she shrugged. "I get it, Arvi. But next time, just wake me up and let me in on the secret. I promise I won't stop you... much." She winked again.

I smiled sheepishly. "I promise, no more sneaking around without telling you first."

Esme nodded approvingly. "That's better. Just... don't make a habit of it, okay?"

The others chuckled, clearly enjoying my embarrassment. Nico smirked. "Arvi, our resident stealth expert. Maybe you should give us all lessons."

Dante leaned back, grinning. "Or maybe she just enjoys the thrill of it."

I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms. "Ha-ha, very funny."

Calen shook his head, amused. "Alright, enough teasing. We have more important things to focus on."

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Dante's expression turned serious as he nodded. "Okay. Then midnight it is."

I exhaled, relieved that we were finally back on track. "Good. Now, you all need to go to your rooms and change. Wear something like a hoodie or anything that covers your face, so no one can recognize you."

They all nodded, taking in my instructions.

I added, "And remember, make sure no one sees you on the way there. Be careful."

The words hung in the air for a moment, and as I watched their faces, I could tell they understood the weight of it. When they were all ready to head out, I stopped them with one last thing. "Esme and I will meet you by the nature statue in the courtyard at midnight."

The group replied in unison, "Got it, Princess," followed by a playful laugh.

I couldn't help but chuckle too, but the tension in my mind lingered. Tonight, I hoped we would be able to free those air elementals.

As soon as the others left, Esme stretched her arms dramatically and grinned at me. "Well, I guess I should go freshen up and prepare for our grand adventure—sneaking into a dark, creepy forest in the dead of night. What a dream come true!" She placed a hand over her heart, pretending to be moved. "Truly, the highlight of my life."

I chuckled at her theatrics. "Yeah, yeah, just don't take forever."

She shot me a playful wink before disappearing into the bathroom.

With a sigh, I stepped out onto the balcony. The cool night breeze brushed against my skin, but it did little to ease the unease settling in my chest. My gaze drifted toward the distant forest, shrouded in shadows, a place that felt too familiar.

That strange place... The one that haunts my dreams.

I could almost hear the whispering voice again, distant but persistent, like it was calling to me. I didn't know what it wanted, but I knew one thing—I was scared.

Stepping into the forest felt like venturing straight into the unknown, into a place filled with shadows and secrets I wasn't sure I was ready to face. But hesitation wasn't an option. The air elementals were trapped here, waiting, hoping—depending on me.

No matter what lurked in the darkness ahead, I had to keep moving. I couldn't turn back now.

After some time, both Esme and I were ready. I had pulled on a black hoodie, the hood drawn low over my face, while Esme wore a deep navy one. The fabric was thick enough to shadow our features, making us just two more indistinguishable figures in the dark.

Esme tugged her hood over her head, grinning. "Alright, mission 'Don't Get Caught and Possibly Die in the Forest' is a go."

I rolled my eyes but smirked. "Just don't trip over your own feet and ruin the plan before it even starts."

She gasped in mock offense. "Excuse you, I am the definition of grace."

Ignoring her dramatics, I quietly unlocked the door, stepping into the dimly lit hallway. Esme did the same, carefully turning the key in the lock before tucking it into her pocket. We exchanged a glance and nodded. It was time.

Moving in silence, we crept down the hallway, pausing every few steps to check for any passing students or patrolling staff. Every distant sound made my heartbeat spike, but we moved quickly and carefully, slipping through the corridors like shadows.

Previously, whenever I sneaked out, I was alone. A single person had less chance of getting caught. But now, we were six—it was going to be much riskier.

When we finally reached the exit, Esme let out a quiet breath. "So far, so good."

I pushed open the door just enough for us to slide out, the cool night air hitting us instantly. We stuck close to the walls, keeping to the darkest parts of the courtyard, dodging the glow of lanterns.

As we neared the nature statue, I scanned the area. It was quiet, just the rustling of leaves in the breeze. Still, we positioned ourselves carefully—standing slightly behind the statue where, if anyone happened to wander into the courtyard, they wouldn't see us right away.

Esme leaned against the stone base of the statue, her voice barely above a whisper. "Tell me again why our first attempt at sneaking around has to feel like a scene from a crime novel?"

I let out a quiet sigh. "Because fate clearly enjoys making our lives unnecessarily dramatic."

She stifled a laugh but didn't argue, both of us falling silent as we kept watch, waiting for the others to arrive.

The night air was cool against my skin as Esme and I remained hidden behind the nature statue, waiting for others in silence. Minutes stretched by, and just when I started to grow impatient, the courtyard door creaked open.

Immediately, we ducked lower, peeking from behind the statue to see who it was. The figure stood near the entrance, dressed in dark jeans, a brown hoodie, and a pair of sneakers. The hood was pulled up, shadowing most of his face, making it impossible to recognize him right away.

Then, he pulled out his phone, and before I could even wonder what he was doing—my own phone vibrated in my pocket.

I quickly pulled it out and saw Kai's name flashing on the screen.

I answered in a whisper, "Hello?"

"I'm in the courtyard. Where are you?" Kai's voice came through the speaker.

I nearly groaned. Of course, it was him.

Hissing into the phone, I whispered urgently, "We're behind the nature statue. Get over here fast before anyone sees you!"

Kai didn't even respond; he just put his phone away and moved quickly toward us. As soon as he reached the statue, he crouched down beside us, his expression slightly amused.

"Nice hiding spot," he murmured.

Esme smirked. "Not bad for first-timers, huh?"

Before Kai could respond, the courtyard door creaked open again.

We all tensed, holding our breath as two more figures stepped out. It didn't take long to recognize Nico and Dante—they moved confidently, checking the surroundings as if this was just another casual stroll. Both had their hoods pulled low, covering their faces perfectly, which was a relief, but their hoodies? Well, that was a different story.

Nico's hoodie had a single fire dragon emblazoned across the chest, but it looked like the dragon had been drawn by someone who had never seen a dragon before. Its body was all jagged lines and squiggly flames, like it had been caught in a cartoonish explosion. The words “Certified Fire Hazard” were splashed beneath it, like a warning label for the fashion disaster it was.

Dante's hoodie, on the other hand, sported an equally questionable design of a fire elemental dragon that looked like a stick figure trying to do the cha-cha—if dragons even danced, that is.

Esme peeked around the statue and whispered, “Pssst! Over here, you idiots!”

Nico and Dante immediately turned toward us, spotted where we were, and quickly hurried over, crouching beside us.

Dante grinned. “Man, this really feels like a spy mission.”

Nico snorted. “Yeah, except spies don’t trip over their own feet.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You tripped?”

Nico looked away. “…No.”

Esme burst out laughing. “Oh my gods, you two are the worst. But seriously, those hoodies—are you trying to make a fashion statement or just set fire to the place with those designs?”

Dante looked down at his hoodie, which had a fire elemental dragon design that looked like a stick figure caught in an explosion. “Hey, it’s got… character!”

Nico smirked at Esme, tugging at his hoodie with pride. “What do you mean? It’s bold! It embodies the fire element.”

Esme wiped a tear from her eye from laughing so hard. “Screams, alright. It screams, ‘Help, I’m on fire!’ You guys look like walking advertisements for what not to wear.”

I chuckled, trying to stifle my laugh. “I’m just waiting for the fire drill. Can’t have a fashion disaster without a fire hazard.”

Nico shot me a glare but grinned. “One day, this will be high fashion, and you’ll regret not jumping on the trend.”

Dante laughed. “Yeah, right. In another universe maybe.”

Kai raised an eyebrow, still chuckling. "Well, when you two burn down the school with those, just make sure you're not wearing the hoodies when you're running out."

I couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculousness of their hoodies. The fire elemental dragons they were supposed to represent were so badly drawn, they almost looked like cartoon characters instead of anything remotely fierce. Yet, they wore them with pride, or at least tried to.

We all continued to laugh, trying to keep our voices low, but the tension of the mission felt a little lighter now. Even in the most ridiculous moments, these idiots were good at making me forget the seriousness of the situation.

Esme laughing so hard, nearly choking on her own breath, but then suddenly stopped. Her face turned serious as she looked around, her expression shifting. "Wait, where's Calen?"

As if on cue, the courtyard door opened yet again. We ducked behind the statue, and Nico and Dante quickly followed suit, pressing against the cool stone to keep out of sight. Then, in strolled Calen—completely casual, hands in his pockets, face fully visible in the moonlight, as if he were here for a midnight sightseeing tour.

We all froze. Then, in perfect synchronization, facepalmed.

Esme's eyes widened in horror, and she immediately ducked lower behind the statue. She cupped her hands around her mouth and whispered urgently, "Calen! Get over here! Now!"

Calen turned his head, spotted us, and—without hurrying at all—sauntered toward our hiding spot.

The moment he crouched down, Esme smacked his head. "Oh my gods, are you DEAF? Didn't Arvi tell you to HIDE your face?!"

Calen blinked at her, looking genuinely confused. "Oh. Uh... yeah. I forgot."

Dante groaned. "Unbelievable."

Kai sighed and rubbed his temples. "Fantastic. Why not just yell, 'Hey, everyone, look over here' while you're at it?"

Calen huffed, finally pulling his hood up. "Okay, okay! I get it! No need to gang up on me."

Esme shook her head. "If we get caught, I'm blaming you."

Calen muttered something under his breath as he pulled his hood over his head, shrouding his face in shadows. But he stayed quiet after that.

"Alright, listen up," I said, my tone firm. "We're not here for a party. We need to move now before someone sees us."

The joking faded. They all nodded, their expressions turning serious.

Esme nudged me. "Lead the way, expert sneaky princess."

I rolled my eyes but smirked. "Just do as I say. And for the love of everything, stay quiet."

As the group prepared to move, I gestured toward the direction of the forest where we needed to go. Keeping my voice low, I instructed, "First, Kai, you go and check if the way is clear. Make sure no one sees you. We all have to go one by one."

Kai nodded and silently stepped out from behind the statue. His movements were smooth, almost ghost-like, as he made his way toward the forest. We watched as he carefully navigated past a wooden sign planted firmly in the ground near the tree line.

Its bold, weathered letters read: "DO NOT GO FURTHER." The warning stood stark against the dimly lit path, but Kai didn't hesitate. He slipped past it, vanishing into the thick shadows between the trees.

A few tense moments passed before we spotted him again. He had taken cover behind a large tree, his figure barely visible in the darkness. Peeking out cautiously, he scanned the area before lifting one hand, signaling that the way was clear.

"Calen, you're next," I whispered, nodding toward him.

He followed, his steps light but quick.

Then Esme, then Dante. Each of them moved swiftly, blending into the night as they vanished into the trees.

Just as Nico was about to go, a sudden noise echoed from the courtyard entrance.

Both of us froze.

I turned my head sharply, and so did Nico. Someone had entered the courtyard.

Nico immediately ducked back behind the statue with me, his eyes wide as if saying, Great. We're caught.