The following day was a blur of tension and uncertainty. Rowan couldn't shake the weight of what Avery had revealed. He spent the morning in a daze, walking the hallowed halls of Blackthorn Academy like a ghost. Every time someone looked his way, he felt their eyes following him, whispering about the newcomer—the last heir of the Thirteenth House. They didn't know the full truth, but Rowan could feel the suspicion in the air, thick and oppressive.
Avery's warning echoed in his mind. There were forces at work—dangerous, powerful forces—that would stop at nothing to use him or destroy him. The House of Shadows had offered him protection, but at a cost he wasn't sure he was ready to pay.
He didn't even know what they wanted in return.
As the final bell of the day rang, signaling the end of classes, Rowan hurried back to his dorm, eager to escape the whispers. But before he could reach the door, a voice called out from behind him.
"Rowan! Wait up."
He turned to see Lyra, the mysterious girl from the House of Shadows, walking briskly toward him. Her presence made the air feel colder, as though the temperature dropped several degrees in her wake. She wasn't alone. Behind her, a tall, broad-shouldered student from the House of Flames loomed, his eyes locked on Rowan with a look that was almost predatory.
Lyra gave him a tight smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "I've been looking for you."
Rowan stopped in his tracks, a sense of unease rising in his chest. "What do you want?"
Lyra's gaze flickered over to the crystal still hanging from Rowan's neck, its soft blue glow pulsing in time with his heartbeat. "You've made your choice, haven't you?" she asked, her voice laced with something that could only be described as amusement. "To align with the House of Shadows. Interesting."
Rowan stepped back, instinctively clutching the crystal. "I haven't made any choice yet."
Lyra tilted her head, her expression unreadable. "Lies won't get you far, Rowan. The magic calls to you, and whether you like it or not, you're already part of this game."
Before Rowan could respond, the student from the House of Flames stepped forward, his posture threatening. He was taller than Rowan by a few inches, his dark eyes gleaming with disdain. "You think you can just waltz into this academy and take what belongs to us?" His voice was low, filled with barely contained anger.
Rowan's blood ran cold. "I don't want anything," he said quickly, though the words didn't sound convincing even to himself. "I didn't ask for any of this."
The student sneered. "You should've stayed out of it then. But you've got the House of Flames' attention now. And we don't take kindly to uninvited guests."
Lyra raised a hand, stopping the student before he could say more. "Let's not get too hasty, Leon." She turned her icy gaze back to Rowan. "This is just a friendly warning. The House of Flames won't tolerate anyone standing in their way. Especially not someone with that kind of magic."
Rowan felt a wave of heat radiate from the crystal in his hand, as if responding to the threat. A whisper of fire flickered in the air, and for a moment, he could almost feel the magic inside him growing stronger, more alive.
But before he could react, Lyra's voice cut through the tension. "Don't test him, Leon," she said coldly. "We're not the enemies here."
Leon's glare lingered on Rowan for a few seconds longer, then he turned and stalked off, disappearing down the hallway.
Lyra watched him go before her eyes fixed back on Rowan. "You need to be careful. The House of Flames isn't the only one after you. You've got the attention of everyone who has a stake in the power of the Thirteenth House. And they'll come for you, whether you're ready or not."
Rowan swallowed hard. "What should I do? I don't know how to control this power. I don't know how to make it stop."
Lyra stepped closer, her expression softer now—almost sympathetic. "You can learn, but you won't do it alone. If you want to survive, you need to trust the right people. Not everyone at Blackthorn is your enemy, but the Factions will use you however they can."
"Who can I trust?" Rowan asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Lyra gave him a long, measuring look. "You can trust me," she said. Her voice was steady, but there was an underlying edge to it. "But you have to make a choice, Rowan. Right now. The more you hesitate, the more dangerous it becomes."
Before he could respond, Lyra turned on her heel and walked away, her cloak billowing behind her. As she disappeared into the shadows, Rowan stood there, conflicted, unsure of what his next move should be.
That evening, Rowan found himself back in the hidden passage beneath the school, the one that had led him to the crystal. The air felt thick with ancient magic, and he couldn't help but feel as though the walls were closing in on him.
The whispers, ever present, seemed to beckon him deeper into the underground labyrinth. As he moved forward, he could feel the power growing stronger—stronger than it had ever felt before. The crystal pulsed with a new intensity, and Rowan knew that he was getting closer to the answers he desperately sought.
The passage finally opened up to a large, circular chamber, its stone walls etched with old runes and symbols that seemed to shimmer in the dim light. At the center of the room, a pedestal stood, and on it rested a dark tome, its pages bound in what looked like blackened leather.
Rowan's hand trembled as he approached the pedestal. His heart pounded in his chest. The whispers were louder now, urging him to take the book. To unleash the power.
He hesitated.
Suddenly, a voice echoed from the shadows. "You should not be here."
Rowan spun around, his breath catching in his throat. Standing in the doorway, silhouetted against the faint light from the passage, was Avery.
"You don't know what you're dealing with," Avery warned, his voice low and urgent. "You can't just walk into this place and start playing with things you don't understand."
Rowan's pulse raced. "I need answers. I need to know what's happening to me."
Avery's gaze softened for a moment. "I understand. But this is the one place you should not be alone. Not yet."
Rowan took a step toward the book. "I don't have a choice. I need to know what it all means."
Avery shook his head. "Then you've already made a dangerous choice. Everything you've done up until now has set things in motion. But the real danger is just beginning."
Before Rowan could respond, the ground beneath them trembled, and the air grew unnaturally cold.
A voice, deep and menacing, echoed through the chamber.
"The heir has arrived."