The entire academy was drenched in a strange crimson hue as the blood moon rose high in the midnight sky. For an ordinary school, it might have been just a natural phenomenon. But here—in this school of criminals and mafias—it was a signal. A call. A reminder that everything tonight was about power, loyalty, and betrayal.
Ashira sat by the tall glass window in her dorm room, her disguise still perfectly intact, though her heart hammered with unease. Too much had unfolded in such little time—Alden's cryptic words about her past, the professor's watchful gaze that never seemed to leave her, the three mafia heirs constantly circling her life like wolves stalking prey.
And now… this blood moon.
She exhaled slowly. Get it together, Ashira. A spy doesn't panic. You wanted to infiltrate this world—you got what you asked for.
Suddenly, a soft knock rattled her door.
Her muscles stiffened. "Who?" she called, her voice steady, despite the tension crawling up her spine.
"It's me." A familiar low voice slipped through—the playful, cocky tone of Riven, the dark-haired trickster of the trio.
She unlocked the door reluctantly, and he strolled in with a smirk. He looked strangely serious tonight, though—the mischief dimmed, replaced by something sharper.
"You shouldn't stay here alone," he said, leaning casually against her desk. "The blood moon means a gathering. And you've been… invited."
Her eyes narrowed. "Invited? By who?"
Riven tilted his head, eyes glinting. "By all of them."
Before she could answer, the window creaked, and in slid Kai, his white hair glowing faintly under the moonlight. His presence carried an aura of authority, his every step a declaration of power.
"Ashira." His voice was cool, commanding. "Change your clothes. You're coming with us."
Her lips twitched in irritation. "Excuse me? Since when did you start giving me orders?"
Kai's gaze didn't waver. "Since the moment you entered our school. Since the moment you started drawing blood without even realizing it."
Before she could demand what he meant, the door creaked open again, and Damien walked in. Unlike the others, he didn't speak immediately. He simply set a black cloak on her bed, his expression unreadable.
"The council meets tonight," he finally said. "And you don't want to be late."
Minutes later, Ashira found herself walking down the marble hall, cloaked and surrounded by the three mafia heirs. The atmosphere was suffocating—the silence heavy, the echo of their footsteps sharp against the stone.
The school's underground chambers opened into what looked like a cathedral of shadows. Candles lined the circular hall, casting flickering light on the masked figures seated in a ring.
At the center stood Alden—the mysterious professor whose presence alone seemed to silence the room. He raised a hand, and the gathering bowed slightly in respect.
"Tonight," Alden's deep voice filled the chamber, "we renew our Blood Moon Agreement. Loyalty to the brotherhood. Loyalty to the code. And loyalty…" His eyes flicked to Ashira. "…to the truth."
Whispers erupted. Some masked figures muttered, "The outsider…" "Why is she here?"
Ashira clenched her fists under the cloak. So this is it. They're testing me. Waiting for me to slip.
Alden's gaze locked with hers, piercing and unrelenting. "Ashira," he said, his tone slow and deliberate. "Step forward."
Her heart skipped, but her feet moved on their own. She stepped into the circle, feeling the weight of every gaze burn into her skin.
Alden raised a silver dagger, its blade gleaming under the moonlight streaming through the skylight. He held it out to her.
"Tonight," he said, "you choose. You bleed for the agreement… or you walk away. But if you walk away—" His smile curved coldly. "—you will not walk far."
Her pulse thundered. This was more than a ceremony—it was a trap. If she refused, she would be branded a traitor. If she accepted, she'd bind herself deeper into their world.
For a fleeting moment, she thought about her mission, about the agency that sent her here. About freedom.
But then… she remembered the professor's watchful eyes, the mafia heirs' possessive gazes, and the twisted comfort she had begun to feel in this dangerous chaos.
Slowly, Ashira took the dagger.
Gasps filled the chamber.
She lifted her hand and let the blade graze her palm, crimson drops falling onto the black stone floor.
"I agree." Her voice cut through the silence.
The room erupted with approving shouts and murmurs. Some masked figures smiled darkly, while others looked at her with suspicion. But she had done it—she had survived this test.
Alden's expression softened, though only slightly. "Good," he murmured. "Now, the game begins."
Her brows furrowed. "Game?"
But before she could press further, the lights dimmed, and the room shifted. Behind Alden, massive iron gates creaked open, revealing a labyrinth bathed in moonlight.
"The Blood Moon Trial," Kai whispered, stepping closer to her ear. His tone carried both warning and challenge. "Survive this night, Ashira… and maybe you'll live to see the next dawn."
Her breath caught.
The mafia school's secrets were just beginning to unravel.
And so was her fate.
---
🔥 End of Chapter 45 🔥