The next morning, the academy buzzed with whispers. Rumors spread faster than wildfire—someone claimed to have seen lights flickering in the old library at midnight, others swore they heard laughter echoing through the walls.
Elena walked the corridor with her head held high, though inside her pulse still throbbed from the encounter with Lila. Her enemy had shown herself, bold and unafraid. That meant the games had truly begun.
But Lila wasn't the only one watching.
Adrian leaned against the marble column near the stairwell, his sharp gaze never leaving Elena. He didn't speak, but his presence was heavy enough to make her skin prickle.
"Morning, Elena."
The cheerful voice broke her tension. Ryan appeared from the opposite end of the hall, carrying his books casually, but his eyes searched hers with quiet intensity. He had always been the steady one, the one who asked nothing but gave everything. Yet now, even his kindness felt like a risk—Lila's poisonous tongue could twist any bond into a weapon.
Before Elena could reply, another figure stepped into their path.
Clara.
Her smile was polished, calculated, but her eyes flickered to Adrian first, then to Elena, as if measuring the air between them. "You're all gathered so early," she said sweetly, though her tone carried an edge. "Almost looks like you're plotting something."
Elena's fists tightened at her side. Clara wasn't an outright enemy like Lila, but she was still an obstacle—an unpredictable rival who thrived in stirring unrest.
And then, as if summoned by her own name, Lila appeared at the end of the corridor. Heads turned; students greeted her warmly, unaware of the venom she carried. She glided forward like she owned the very ground.
Her eyes met Elena's across the hall, and for a split second, time froze. A sly smile curved on her lips—mocking and daring.
The air grew so thick Elena could almost hear the crack of tension between the five of them. Adrian finally pushed off the wall, stepping closer to Elena, his voice low enough for only her to hear.
"Looks like the pieces are all on the board now," he murmured.
Elena swallowed hard, her eyes locked on Lila. She could feel Ryan's steady gaze at her side, Clara's sharp curiosity hovering like a blade, and Adrian's quiet fire burning near her shoulder.
Five players.
One game.
And this time, Elena vowed, she would not lose, at the same she's doubting her ability to win...
Breathing out faintly....