Page 9

CHAPTER 9

Raven

The mirror in my dorm room doesn’t lie—it’s seen me at my best and at my absolute worst. Right now, it’s somewhere in between. I stare at my reflection, trying to focus on my breathing, even though my hands tremble as they tie the sash of the simple white dress Alex gave me. It’s supposed to be “traditional,” according to him, but all it feels like is suffocation.

“This is so stupid,” I mutter under my breath, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear. My reflection doesn’t answer, just stares back with wide, uncertain eyes.

The dress is plain but clingy, and it doesn’t do much to calm my nerves. I feel exposed, like I’m being dressed up for something I don’t fully understand. Which, honestly, is exactly what’s happening. Alex has been buzzing with excitement ever since he told me about the ritual, but all it’s done is twist my stomach into knots.

Speak of the devil—his voice echoes from the other side of the door. “You almost ready in there?”

“Yeah, give me a second,” I call back, trying to steady my hands as I adjust the neckline of the dress. My nerves are a damn mess, and I’m running out of ways to fake it.

When I open the door, Alex beams at me like I just stepped out of a fairy tale. “You look amazing.”

“Thanks,” I say, forcing a smile. “I feel like I’m auditioning for a part in some creepy cult movie, but sure.”

He laughs, his hand slipping into mine. “Don’t be like that. It’s going to be fine. You’re helping me prove myself, and that means everything.”

I nod, swallowing hard. “Yeah, I know. I just... wish I knew more about what I’m walking into.”

“It’s just a game,” he says, squeezing my hand reassuringly. “A tradition. You’ll play along, and before you know it, it’ll be over.”

The ease in his voice makes me want to believe him, but there’s a tightness in his smile that doesn’t match the words coming out of his mouth. Still, I let him lead me out of the dorm and toward whatever the hell this night has in store.

Halfway to the meeting spot, my phone buzzes in my handbag. Alex is chattering about something—hockey, probably—but his words fade into the background as I pull my phone out and glance at the screen.

It’s a message. From him .

Malakai: Tonight. 10 PM. The woods. Tell no one. Not even Callahan. You’ll know it’s the right spot when you see the lanterns.

My heart skips a beat, and I almost trip over my own feet. Alex doesn’t notice, too caught up in his monologue. I reread the message, my pulse pounding in my ears. The woods? Why there? And why the secrecy?

“Everything okay?” Alex asks, glancing over at me.

“Yeah,” I say quickly, locking my phone and shoving it back into my pocket. “Just, uh... a spam text.”

His brow furrows, but he doesn’t push it. “Well, anyway, like I was saying?—”

I tune him out again, my thoughts spinning. Malakai’s message feels like a warning and a trap all rolled into one. The way he said tell no one sends a shiver down my spine. He’s already gotten into my head, and I hate it.

I want to tell Alex. I should tell Alex. But the way Malakai phrased it—the weight of his words—makes it clear that saying anything would be a bad idea. A very bad idea.

When we get to the edge of campus, Alex pulls me aside, his hands resting on my shoulders as he looks me straight in the eye. “Raven, I can’t thank you enough for this.”

I shift uncomfortably under his gaze. “You don’t have to keep thanking me, Alex. I’m doing it for you.”

“That’s why I’m thanking you,” he says, his voice soft. “Because I know this isn’t easy for you. But it means everything to me.”

There’s so much sincerity in his expression that it almost hurts to look at him. I force a smile, trying to push past the unease. “Just... don’t screw this up, okay? If I’m going through with this, you’d better make it worth it.”

He laughs, pulling me into a quick hug. “I promise. After tonight, everything will change.”

For better or worse? I wonder, but I don’t ask. Instead, I step back, give him a small wave, and head toward the path that leads to the woods.

The walk feels longer than it should, every crunch of gravel under my shoes echoing in the stillness. The trees close in around me, their branches stretching like skeletal fingers against the moonlit sky. I keep glancing over my shoulder, half-expecting to see someone—or something—lurking in the shadows.

When I reach a clearing, the sight I was imagining finally comes into view, and it's exactly as Malakai described. Lanterns hang from the trees, somehow making the place look more eerie than it would've been if it was pitch dark. Maybe it's all in my head, but the air here feels different from the air I was breathing just a few minutes back. Cursed place!

I stop in my tracks suddenly, realizing this is a point of no return. This is it . No turning back now.

A figure steps out from the shadows, tall and imposing, and my breath catches. It’s him. Malakai.

“Right on time,” he says in a smooth and charming voice. He’s dressed in all black, the dim light catching on the ink of his tattoos as he steps closer. His green eyes glint like a predator’s, and the smirk on his face is enough to make my stomach flip.

“Where’s everyone else?” I ask, my voice coming out steadier than I expected.

“They’ll be here soon,” he says, his gaze locking onto mine. “You’re the first. That makes you special.”

I swallow hard, every instinct screaming at me to run. But instead, I stand my ground, lifting my chin. “Let’s just get this over with.”

His smirk widens, and for a moment, I swear there’s something almost... impressed in his expression. “That’s the spirit.”

He steps aside, gesturing toward the lanterns. “Follow the path until you reach a second clearing. And remember, Raven—tonight’s about proving your worth. Don’t disappoint me.”

I glare at him, my heart pounding, and step forward into the unknown.

Why do the woods always seem too dark and endless? As I walk through the maze of tress, I wonder if the woods are generally scary of if the hunt is freaking me out already. To add to the nerves, the wind is whispering through the trees like it knows a secret I don’t.

My heart pounds as I move through the thick underbrush. Branches snag on my toga; twigs snap under my bare feet. I don’t know where I’m going—I just know I have to run .

That’s the point of this ritual, right?

To be hunted?

Well, the ritual hasn't even begun, and we should be meeting in the clearing for a meet-up before it starts. But as I press forward, I feel like I'm being chased already. My mind starts playing tricks on me. The shadows shift, the trees all look the same, and suddenly, I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve been here before .

And then?—

I have .

My mind goes back to when I was fifteen.

It was during a summer retreat with the church. Reverend Callahan had brought his most devoted families to a lake house for the weekend—prayer, bonding, wholesome community fun.

I had followed Alex and a few of the older boys toward the edge of the woods, desperate to keep up, even though my legs were smaller, even though the others were faster.

But Alex never waited for me.

And when I stumbled on a tree root and fell, scraping my knees, they kept going.

I shouted after them, my voice thin and panicked. “Alex?”

Nothing.

I got up, trying to track their footprints, trying to follow the sound of their voices.

But the deeper I went, the quieter the world became.

Soon, there was nothing but trees.

And I was alone.

I wandered for what felt like hours, my knees bleeding, my white church dress covered in dirt. I kept telling myself Alex would come back for me.

That any second now, he’d realize I was missing and rush in to save me.

He never did.

Eventually, one of the church counselors found me, sitting on a fallen log, trying not to cry. They told me Alex had already gone back to the lake house—that he hadn’t even noticed I was gone.

When I saw him later, he shrugged it off.

“You shouldn’t have fallen behind, Rae,” he'd said, like it was my fault.

Like I should’ve known better.

Like I was an afterthought.

Now, in the present, I stop moving.

The memory claws at my chest, and suddenly, the air feels thicker , the darkness pressing in tighter.

I don’t know why I thought of that night.

Maybe because this feels eerily similar—running through the woods, alone, waiting for someone to catch me.

Only this time? I don’t want Alex to come. Because I know he won’t .

But someone else will .

A shiver runs down my spine, anticipation curling in my stomach.

Malakai will be coming.

And this time, when I’m caught?—

I won’t fight it.