4

Maevryn’s POV

I looked around the dark hallway that Brinley’s pulled me down.

My stomach twisted tighter with every step. The halls were dark with shadows creeping around the corners. It felt eerie like the walls could swallow me at any moment.

As we neared the end of the hall, she let go of my hand and punched a code into a panel I hadn’t even noticed.

A keypad? What the hell?

I shot her a look. She met my eyes and smirked slightly, like she knew what I was thinking.

“It’s a safety precaution. This is the hospital wing of the school—we can’t risk people getting into the first aid or medicine stash,” she said, opening the door.

I glanced back down the hall. There was no way out. Just grey walls and shadows that seemed to flicker at the edges of my vision.

Then I heard it. a small whisper at first.

The shadows loomed the hallways and the whispers grew louder by the second.

Before I knew it I felt a small panic attack starting to brew in my chest, I quickly let out a gasp and fell to the floor, pinning myself against the brick wall.

I hold my hand on my chest trying to equal out my breaths and I realize that it wasn't helping.

Brinley dropped beside me, grabbing my hand. “Breathe. Maeve, you’re okay. You’re okay. Inhale—now exhale. I’m here.”

After what felt like forever, my breaths evened out and I let out a loud sigh.

“How often do you get panic attacks?” She asked gently,

I looked at her with a frantic look.

“I umm.. I… I don’t have my meds,” I said, eyes wide. “Shit. I really need them. They only get bad like this if I miss a dose.”

“How long have I been here?” I asked frantically. With my meds they stay in my system for at least a couple days which.. Why aren't they working?

“I don’t know. Five days?”

“Do you remember what the medication was called?” she asked, already reaching for the infirmary door again.

“Aconite,” I said, my voice shaking. “Every three days.”

She went completely still. Her eyes locked onto mine—worry flooding them like a tidal wave.

“We need to see Lucian. Right now.”

She helped me off the ground, half-dragging me as we sprinted down the corridor. The air grew thick with the smell of cigars and whiskey. Another hall. Another turn. Then we stopped in front of a massive door.

It looked like it was older than the school itself. Faded oak, splintered edges, and claw marks across the center. They must have a dog or something here that I haven't seen yet. Only logical thought right?

Brinley didn’t knock. She flung the door open.

Lucian stood behind a heavy desk, startled—and then furious.

She quickly glanced around the room not seeming to care and angrily spewed out

“She’s been poisoned,” Brinley spat. “Her mother's been poisoning her, we need those test results back NOW!”

Poisoned?

I looked at her like she’d just grown a second head. Lucian’s face paled.

“What do you mean she’s been poisoned?”

Brinley hesitated—then looked at me, then back to Lucian. It was like they were speaking without words.

Some silent language between them.

Finally, she said it.

“Aconite.”

Lucian’s face changed instantly. He stormed across the room toward me, rage flaring.

“Why the hell are you taking that?!”

I flinched instinctively and fell to the floor. My heart was pounding again.

“It’s for my anxiety,” I whispered, shaking. “And my heart.”

My vision blurred.

Another wave hit.

Then… darkness.

My eyes slowly fluttered open as I woke up to the backs of Lucian, Brinley and two very tall boys whispering and talking amongst each other.

No.. not boys.

They looked like they belonged in a magazine. Or a movie.

They stood side-by-side, nearly identical. Tall. Black hair. Their skin tanned like they just walked off the set of Baywatch. Their arms finely defined with muscles and jaws tightly squeezed shut, they'd be any girl's dream guy or in this case guys. Freckles dusted across their sharp cheekbones. Their eyes were the strangest, most intense shade of sea blue I’d ever seen.

I stared.

Holy hell, they're beautiful… No Shut up! Stop. You dont know them, they'll probably think you're a freak like everyone else.

I looked around the room thankfully not seeing anything in the shadows, I heard whispers but they were human. I wasn't going insane.

I contemplated on answering Lucian's question, he looked so worried and concerned..

I finally mustered up enough courage to speak to them. Their heads snapped in my direction, clearly caught off guard.

“When I was 4 I told my mom about the shadows.. The whispers and how they made my heart hurt and made me not able to breathe, I also told her when I felt a strong emotion everything around me would shake…” I paused, unsure of why I'm telling them this story. I don't even know these people. But at this point I couldn’t stop.

“She brought me to a doctor in town. He told her these meds—aconite—would stop it. Help me not see things. Help me not feel things. help me not see the shadow people and that it'll help me with all my issues. I've been taking them ever since.”

Lucian’s jaw tightened.

My voice trembled. “I thought I was broken.”

Lucian’s eyes flicked toward the twins. His expression was unreadable—but burning.

“You need to leave,” he said sharply.

I panicked. My hand shot out toward Brinley.

“Stay. Please.”

Whatever he was about to do to me, I definitely needed someone who could protect me..

Lucian hesitated, staring at our hands. He didn’t argue. But the room felt like it had shifted.

Something was happening—something deeper than I could understand.

He won’t hurt you. He’s not Nythera.

A voice said. But not Brinley’s.

A different voice.

I felt a tinge of relief but now I was wondering.

Who the fuck said that?