Jericho trudged through the school hallways, his frustration mounting with every step. He hadn’t seen anyone from his circle—no Airam, no Dahlia, not even Freya, who always seemed to be around somewhere. His hearing was spiraling out of control again. The muted chatter of students in distant classrooms roared like a crowd in his ears. He could even smell the sharp tang of sweat from the students who’d just finished gym class. Every sense felt heightened, and it was exhausting.
“Jericho!” Dahlia’s voice called from behind him, piercing through the noise like a bell. It felt painfully loud, making him wince slightly as he rubbed his temples.
He turned to face her, masking his discomfort with a faint smile. “Hey, what’s up?”
“Nothing much,” she replied, her expression soft but observant. “Airam wants us to meet her in the library. She said she has something to show us.”
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Jericho frowned slightly, his brows knitting together. “What does she want to show us?” he asked, though his tone carried more weariness than curiosity.
Dahlia tilted her head, studying him. “I’m not sure,” she admitted. “But it seemed important. She told me to hurry.” She took a step closer, her voice lowering as she asked, “Are you okay? You don’t look like yourself.”
“I’m fine,” he lied quickly, forcing a shrug. “Just tired.” The truth was far more complicated—his senses were overwhelming him, and the constant buzz in his head wasn’t just from the noise. He was worried about Irene, about all of them, really. But he didn’t want to unpack that right now.
Dahlia’s gaze lingered on him, skepticism flashing briefly in her eyes, but she didn’t press. Instead, she nodded and motioned for him to follow. “Come on. If it’s from Airam, it’s probably important.”
Jericho hesitated for a moment before falling into step behind her. His thoughts churned as they walked, the sound of their footsteps echoing louder than they should have. Whatever Airam wanted to share, he hoped it would be something that made sense—for once.