Page 33

THIRTY-TWO

FREYA

It was 4 a.m. by the time we returned from Blackburn Woods. We strolled through the square, and I tiptoed alongside him, my fingers intertwined with his. His blazer was draped over my shoulders, offering little warmth against the chill. My clothes were soiled with dirt, and my heart pounded against my chest when the thought of being caught crossed my mind. Somebody had to be around at this time, but the square was empty, almost so empty that it felt haunted.

We slipped into the hallway, walking slowly before we reached his office. As much as I wanted to stay curled up with him for the rest of the morning, I had my first class with Professor Luna today. I needed to get ready.

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay?” Lucius asked, his voice low. He looked around, ensuring no prying eyes were nearby, before pressing his lips against mine, stealing one more forbidden kiss.

“I’m sure,” I whispered into his mouth. “But I’ll see you after class.”

He nodded, his teeth grazing my lip as he kissed me once more, this time harder. I pulled away, letting my fingers slip from his, but just as I was turning, a sharp slapping noise echoed out, followed by a sting to my ass cheek.

Spinning around, I met his smirk with a teasing head shake, biting my lip to stifle a smile. He just winked, then disappeared into his office, leaving me standing there.

The hallway spread before me. It was silent, too silent perhaps, but I like the quiet, even if it was isolating. But I was not alone anymore; now I had someone with whom I could share it.

Upon opening the door to my dorm, I found Blue fast asleep, lying stretched out on the sofa.

I tiptoed in, not wanting to wake her, but just before I got to my room, she stirred.

“Hello,” she mumbled, yawning. “I was waiting to check up on you, but I fell asleep while waiting.”

“I’m fine,” I assured her, stepping closer to my door. But her gaze fell on the blazer sliding from my shoulders, and she sat up, fully awake now.

Her lips curled into a smirk. “Wait… is that from Lockwood?”

I rolled my eyes. “No,” I lied, but the laugh that escaped her showed she didn’t believe me.

“Blue,” I groaned, “I can explain.”

She laughed. “Relax. I already know.”

A pause, then a soft sigh. “Anyway, can we talk?”

I pushed open the door to my room. “About what?” I asked as I stepped inside. She followed, settling onto my bed while I moved toward the closet.

Shrugging off Lucius’s blazer, I placed it inside before turning back to her.

“I know Stella got a video of me coming into your room,” she started, her voice quieter than usual. “I just want to explain.”

I folded my arms across my chest. “Go on.”

She exhaled, staring at the floor. “Last month, I got a letter from A. I came here hoping someone I cared about was still alive.” Her tone wavered. “But on my first day, I found out she wasn’t. It was just some sick game A and O is playing with me.”

Her fingers curled into fists on her lap. “One of their twisted little games was leaving letters.”

I sat beside her, close enough that she could feel I was listening. “Do you know who’s behind it?”

Blue wiped a tear away quickly, like she didn’t want me to see it. “I knew the game before,” she murmured. “But now… it’s different.”

“What do you mean?” I pressed.

“I…” she began, hesitating.

Before she could finish, the door burst open.

Ava stormed in, slamming it against the wall. “Freya, we can’t find—“ She stopped in the middle of her sentence the second she saw Blue. Her arms folded over her chest, tongue clicking against her teeth as she tapped an impatient rhythm against the floor.

“We searched for you for hours,” she hissed, eyes narrowed. “And you’ve just been here?”

Blue rolled her eyes and flopped backward onto the bed. “I took a nap.”

Ava’s jaw clenched. She lunged forward, hands flexing like she was ready to strangle her, but I jumped up, blocking her just in time.

“She took a nap,” Ava seethed, clicking her tongue. “She fucking took a nap.”

Her voice rose. “Are you joking ? I am done playing your games.”

“I was busy, okay?” Blue shot back, sitting up. “There’s more to do in this damn school than playing Sherlock and Watson with you two.”

Ava scoffed. “Oh, right. Like sucking off my cousin Cass?” She arched a brow, blinking slowly before her lips curled into a sharp smile. “Yeah, I know.”

I turned to Blue, stunned. “Wait. Cassius Blackthorn ? Seriously?”

Blue groaned, running a hand down her face.

“And if she wants that little secret to stay a secret, she better start talking,” Ava continued, but then her phone buzzed. She looked at the screen, sighed, then placed it back in her pocket.

“Too much drama for 4 a.m.,” I said, collapsing onto the bed beside Blue.

Ava rolled her eyes. “Stella found something. She wants to see us after class. And by us , I mean you too , Blue.”

Without another word, she spun on her heel and slammed the door behind her.

Silence spread for a moment before I turned my head toward Blue.

“So… Cass , huh?“ I smirked.

She let out a breathy laugh. “He kind of doesn’t know what no means…”

“Must be something in the air around here,” I mused. “Because Lucius? Same .”

We both laughed.

“This was never the plan,” she said softly, staring at the ceiling. “I was supposed to come here, study, find out about Addie, and leave. Happy. Closure.”

I frowned. “Addie?”

Her voice turned quiet. “Adeline Ravenshaw. She was my sister.”

She paused, like the words were heavier than she expected.

“When our mom died, my dad struggled. He asked Rosalind for a favor, to adopt Addie, get her into school.”

Her gaze flickered to me, but I didn’t say anything. I just listened.

Because sometimes, silence said more than words ever could.

“I’m sorry for what happened,” I said, turning toward her. “Rosalind loved her,” I added softly. “Her room... It’s exactly how she left it. That says a lot.”

Her eyes filled with tears. “I miss her,” she whispered. “You would have loved her.”

I hesitated, my voice barely above a breath. “I came here to escape my grandma and my mom... but I think, deep down, I wanted to find out what happened to her too.”

A sad smile spread across her face. “We used to play tic-tac-toe with our names,” she said, going back in time. “A for Addie, O for Olivia. Whoever lost had to do a dare.” She let out a trembling laugh before her voice broke. “The most frightening dare I ever did was stealing Mom’s heels for her. And now this.” She wiped at her tears, sniffling. “Someone is playing our game, but this isn’t our game anymore. They’re playing with people’s lives, Freya. It wasn’t supposed to be like this.”

I breathed in sharply. “Olivia?” I asked. “Is that your real name?”

“Yeah,” she muttered, dabbing at the rest of her tears. “Cass helped me hide it. Otherwise, I never would’ve made it in here.”

I couldn’t help but give a slight laugh. “Stella is going to freak when she finds out that I found out about it before she did.” I exhaled, feeling a bit lighter in the chest. “Thanks for telling me. I needed something to pull me away from all things dark in Blackthorn. As you said, none of this was supposed to happen.”

“I know.” She took a step closer. “But I’m glad I met you.”

I grinned, rolling my eyes. “Obviously. I’m the best you can get around here.”

She snorted. “Ugh, the best.” Then, after a pause, her gaze turned more serious. “I have to ask, though... you and Luci?”

“Luci?” I repeated, tilting my head.

“That’s what Cass calls him. Also...” She bit her lip before grinning wider. “What he did to those bitches who hurt you? Iconic.”

I stiffened. “What do you mean?”

Her eyes sparkled as if she admired the words she was about to say. “The girl who carved ‘SLUT’ on you? He made her write ‘ I am a slut’ fifty times on her own skin. And those two who held you down while she did it?“ She leaned in slightly. “He burned their hands. Now everyone is too damn scared to step out of line.”

My heart thudded against my ribs. “He did that?” My voice felt distant, like it belonged to someone else. “For me?”

She raised her hands dramatically. “If Cass doesn’t do the same for me, I swear I’ll feed him to that python.”

He did that for me. He hurt them... for me.

“I...” My lips parted, but nothing came out.

She kept talking about her and Cass, but her voice faded into the background. My mind was somewhere else. On him.

He was there for me.

He hurt them for me.

“Oh shit!” Blue suddenly jumped up. “We have class in an hour!” She rushed for the door. “See you!”

And just like that, she was gone. But my thoughts on what he had done and what it meant stayed. I only saw her as a wind passing by. I closed my eyes, pressing a hand to my stomach.

Soul was never meant for me. It was for him.

He became my soul because I had none until I met him. His darkness gave my light a reason. And I fell for him, all of him. Even the parts I once hated were becoming the ones I couldn’t help but love.

Is this what it feels like to fall in love?

Because if it is, I was falling. Falling for the way his eyes held storms and secrets. For those two strands of hair that always fell to his forehead. For the way he hates his glasses. The way he talked, the way he moved—every sharp edge, every quiet moment. I was falling for the way he made me feel.

For so long, I believed that pain was the only thing that could steady my thoughts. I had carved scars just to silence the chaos in my head. But now... now he made me want to feel alive. The chaos was still there, but he was the one who tamed it.

Fuck, Lucius Lockwood.

I am in love.

I had been waiting for this class for what felt like forever.

Quantum Mysticism it turns your brain into oatmeal, too.