Raiven had been trying to shake off the unease that followed him like a shadow. Every day felt like the same puzzle, pieces constantly shifting, people never quite being who they seemed.
This morning, however, he couldn't ignore the growing feeling that things were finally about to change. He just didn't know if he was ready for it.
As the bell rang, dismissing students for lunch, Raiven made his way to the courtyard, keeping his eyes sharp. His mind kept drifting back to his encounter with Seraphine, and the strange, cryptic way she spoke. She'd vanished before he could press her for more answers, and he couldn't shake the feeling that something was building—something that would pull him into a conflict bigger than just school rivalries.
He wasn't sure what to expect, but he wasn't prepared for the sight of Senya waiting for him in the courtyard.
"Thought I'd find you here," Senya said, her voice like ice.
Raiven clenched his fists, every muscle tensing. He didn't need to hear the challenge in her words to know what was coming.
"You're still here," he said, his tone sharp, as he stepped closer.
Senya's eyes flickered briefly to the side before locking back onto him. "We never really finished things, did we?"
Raiven met her gaze with an equal amount of fire. "We'll finish them, Senya. Just not here."
The tension between them was thick enough to slice, but neither of them moved. Their rivalry was an unspoken agreement, a constant friction that neither could seem to escape.
Senya took a slow step forward, her posture never wavering. "Don't forget what I told you. Outside these walls, it'll be different."
Raiven gave a dark smirk. "We'll see."
Before either of them could speak again, a sudden voice interrupted.
"Is this a bad time?"
Both turned sharply. Standing a few paces away was Seraphine, her golden hair catching the light as she approached with a casual grace.
Senya's face darkened slightly. "What do you want, Sera?"
Sera smiled, unfazed. "Actually, I was hoping Raiven might want a little chat." She turned her gaze to him, her eyes gleaming with mystery. "I think you and I need to talk more."
Raiven frowned, his instincts telling him to stay alert. "About what?"
Sera's smile widened, though it wasn't quite comforting. "Everything. But let's not keep Senya waiting, huh?"
Senya's expression tightened, but she stepped back without saying another word, leaving the two of them standing in the courtyard. It was a rare moment of peace between the three of them, one that Raiven was unsure he should trust.
Raiven followed Sera to a quieter part of the school, his thoughts swirling. She hadn't been this forward before, and he could sense that her game had changed. This wasn't a mere casual conversation.
"So," he began, keeping his voice guarded, "what do you want from me?"
Sera's eyes gleamed with something unreadable. "You and I? We're connected, Raiven. I told you that before. You don't understand it yet, but you will."
He frowned. "That's vague. And I'm not in the mood for riddles."
Seraphine chuckled; the sound light but with an edge to it. "I'm offering you a chance to know. A chance to figure out who you really are, why you're being pulled into all of this."
Raiven's brows furrowed. "And what's the catch?"
"The catch is simple," she said, her tone turning serious. "The people you think you can trust—Senya, the Wair Cats—none of them are what they seem. Not all of them. You'll need to decide who to trust and who to fight."
He remained silent, not sure what to say to that. Trust wasn't something Raiven gave easily. And as far as he was concerned, Senya was his rival, not his ally.
"What are you really offering me?" he asked again.
"I'm offering you a chance to see the truth. To break free of the chains they've placed on you," she said softly, her voice almost hypnotic.
Raiven stared at her, torn. "And why me? Why now?"
She met his gaze evenly. "Because it's your destiny, Raiven. You can't escape it."
Raiven wasn't sure what to make of her words. But deep down, he felt an uneasy pull, as if her offer was something he might not be able to refuse.
The rest of the day dragged by in a blur of faces and voices that didn't seem to matter. But as Raiven walked home that evening, the weight of Sera's words still hung heavily in his mind.
It's your destiny. You can't escape it.
But there was one thing Raiven knew for certain: he wasn't about to just let his life be dictated by some unseen force. The fight for control was only beginning.
And he was determined to win.