"Serena, please hurry up! We have to be on the road before seven if we don't want to miss our flight, okay?"
Missy's voice floated up the stairs, the sound of zippers punctuating her words as she dragged yet another bag toward the front door.
Serena didn't answer immediately.
She stood before her mirror, staring at her reflection as if it belonged to a stranger. Confusion, relief, pain, and joy warred within her, each emotion clawing for dominance. Her chest felt tight, her breath shallow. Eldermere loomed ahead like a question she was terrified to ask, and even more terrified to ignore.
What if the truth destroys what little I have left?
The thought slithered through her mind like a whisper she could not silence. She had chased answers for so long that she had never stopped to consider what those answers might cost her.
She squeezed her eyes shut and exhaled slowly, forcing her racing heart to steady.
"This isn't the time to fall apart," she murmured weakly to her reflection, as though the girl staring back at her needed reassurance as much as she did.
Reaching for her mother's old red scarf, she wrapped it carefully around her neck, tucking it just high enough to conceal her collarbone. Beneath it rested her most prized possession: her mother's ruby necklace. Serena never wore it for beauty. She wore it because without it, she felt exposed, unprotected, as though something vital had been stripped away from her skin.
She assessed herself once more.
Plain blue jeans that hugged her curves comfortably. A long-sleeved burgundy top soft, fitted . Her favorite black flats, worn but dependable. Her thick black curls, finally tamed after hours of conditioning and coaxing, framed her face beautifully, falling around her shoulders like a shield.
She barely touched makeup, just cherry lip balm, enough to keep her lips from cracking. Serena had never liked disguises. She wanted to be seen as she was, even when she wasn't entirely sure who that was anymore.
Before leaving the room, she picked up her journal and her father's letter, handling them with reverence before sliding them carefully into her bag. The weight of them felt grounding, like proof that her past still existed somewhere beyond fragments and doubt.
Then she squared her shoulders and went downstairs.
The journey to Eldermere was long, thirteen grueling hours that felt like a slow unraveling. Their flight to London was delayed by two hours, stretching Serena's nerves thin as she paced the terminal. By the time they finally landed, exhaustion clung to her bones. From there came the drive, miles upon miles of unfamiliar countryside that grew increasingly desolate the farther they went.
By the time they passed the weathered wooden sign that read THIS WAY TO ELDERMERE TOWN, the world seemed to empty itself.
No cars followed them.
No houses lined the road.
Even the wind felt muted, as though the land itself was holding its breath.
"Miss… are you sure you have a permit to enter Eldermere?" the cab driver asked nervously, his eyes flicking to Missy through the rearview mirror. "I don't want any trouble."
"Yes, we do," Missy replied smoothly, offering him a charming smile that had smoothed over countless problems in the past. "Just take us to the town gate. We'll find our way from there."
Something in her tone, warm yet final put him at ease. He grinned unconsciously and turned onto the deserted road, though his fingers tightened slightly around the steering wheel.
As they drew closer, Serena pressed her forehead to the cold window.
The air thickened with fog, curling low against the ground. Clouds sagged heavy and gray, swallowing the sky whole. Towering oak trees lined the road, their branches twisting overhead like skeletal fingers reaching to block out what little light remained. There were no birds, no insects—nothing to suggest life had ever flourished here.
"This place is… creepy," the driver muttered, forcing a laugh that quickly died. "What are pretty dolls like you girls doing in such a gloomy town?"
Missy smiled politely. "My niece was accepted into Eldermere University. She's reporting today."
The driver glanced at Serena, his gaze lingering far too long, sliding down her body before shifting back to Missy. Missy's smile vanished instantly, her posture stiffening.
"She must be very intelligent," he said awkwardly, clearly sensing the shift in mood.
"Yes," Missy replied sharply, rubbing Serena's back protectively. "She is."
Silence fell over the rest of the drive, thick and uncomfortable.
By the time they reached the gates, darkness had fully claimed the sky.
Serena stepped out of the cab and froze.
The gates were massive, black wrought iron adorned with jagged, gothic designs that rose impossibly high. They felt less like an entrance and more like a warning carved in metal. Ancient symbols were etched into the ironwork, worn smooth by time yet still humming faintly beneath her skin.
The driver helped unload their luggage before hesitating, shuffling his feet.
"So… can I get your number?" he asked Missy, rubbing the back of his neck. "Maybe I could pick you up when you're done here?"
Missy fluttered her lashes sweetly. "Oh, definitely not. But thank you for the offer."
She turned away before he could respond, effectively dismissing him.
Serena hadn't moved.
"Is everything okay, love?" Missy asked gently.
"I think so," Serena said slowly. "I just… feel like I've been here before."
Missy's face went pale for a fraction of a second before she forced a smile.
"Never mind," Serena added quickly. "Let's go."
Missy shook the gate. It didn't budge.
"Hello?" she called. "Is anyone there?"
Serena stepped forward, her fingers brushing the cold iron.
A shock ran through her.
Cold unnaturally so shot through her veins, carrying with it a sense of being watched, measured, weighed.
"State your business or leave immediately."
A man stood behind the gate, close enough that Serena screamed and stumbled back. He wore a dark blue security uniform, a cap shadowing his face completely.
Missy pulled Serena behind her without hesitation.
"This is Eldermere," the man said again, his voice devoid of warmth. "No entry without permit."
More men emerged from the shadows, identical uniforms, identical caps, their faces hidden as though they shared a single, faceless will.
"Good evening," Missy said carefully, lifting her phone. "My niece was accepted into Eldermere University. We have the letter."
The man examined it briefly, then nodded once.
"Open the gates!"
The iron groaned as it parted, the sound echoing through the forest like a warning bell.
"Welcome, Ms. Serena," he said softly, his lips curving. "We have been expecting you."
Serena's stomach dropped.
"It's too late to proceed to campus," he continued. "You'll stay at an inn tonight. Tomorrow, you'll meet the leaders before entering university grounds."
She wanted to ask questions, wanted to scream them, but her voice failed her.
As they passed through the gates, Serena glanced back one last time.
The man lifted his head.
Ruby-red eyes met hers.
And smiled.
A chill raced down her spine, settling deep in her bones.
Those eyes… this feeling, what are you? she thought.
As the gates closed behind them with a final, thunderous clang, one truth echoed relentlessly in her mind:
There is no going back from here