The semester had just ended, and one by one, students were heading back to their homes. The halls were filled with laughter, rolling suitcases, and the sound of goodbyes. But Lior stayed in her seat, quiet and still.
She wasn't worried about the roles waiting for her at Hollow. It wasn't about the work. It was something else—something she couldn't explain. A strange feeling had been sitting in her chest for weeks now. Heavy. Cold. Like a quiet warning.
"Lior…"
She looked up. It was Solen, standing by the door with a puzzled look.
"You're not going home?"
"I'm not sure…" Lior said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Solen stepped into the room and sat on the edge of the bed. "This isn't like you. You're always the first to pack. You love semester break."
Lior let out a deep sigh. "Yeah… I know. But this time feels different."
Since the start of the semester, something had changed. She couldn't say what it was. It wasn't loud or clear. Just a quiet pull in her chest, like something was waiting for her at Hollow. Something she didn't want to face. But she didn't know how to say that out loud. So she stayed quiet.
Nira walked in next, holding a half-zipped bag. "Lior, you're still here? You okay?"
"I'm fine," Lior replied quickly, forcing a small smile. "Just… thinking."
Asha followed behind, tossing his hoodie over his shoulder. "You're not skipping out on Hollow, are you? "
She looks down at her hands. "I'll go. Just… not yet."
They exchanged glances but didn't push. They were not that close, but they knew Lior a little enough to sense when something was off. But they also knew she'd talk when she was ready.
The room fell into a soft silence. The kind that holds space, not pressure.
Later that afternoon, Lior's friends were waiting outside the dormitory, wondering why she was taking so long. The sun was already dipping low, and the breeze carried the soft sounds of students saying goodbye.
Kira, sensing something wasn't right, walked back inside. She knocked gently on Lior's doorframe and stepped in, her voice calm.
"Lior," she said softly, "Let's go. They're waiting."
Lior looked up slowly. Her eyes were kind, but tired. "I feel strange," she said. "Something's off."
Kira sat beside her, concern in her eyes. "What do you mean?"
Lior didn't answer right away. She just stared at the wall, quiet. After a long silence, she turned to Kira with a troubled look.
"Maybe it's nothing. Maybe I'm just overthinking."
She stood up, brushing off the feeling like dust from her shoulders. But Kira knew better. Something was bothering Lior—she could feel it. Still, she didn't push. She simply stood and followed her out.
Outside, the three boys—Keal, Jex, and Thorne—were already waiting. Lior smiled at them like nothing was wrong, her usual spark returning for a moment.
"What took you so long?" Thorne asked with a teasing grin.
Lior rolled her eyes. "Maybe I was writing a long letter to give to the prince…" she joked, making them all laugh.
As they started walking, Kira stepped out last. Lior quickly hugged her arm, acting like a child begging for snacks.
"I'm hungry," she said playfully. "Can we stop for food?"
Kira smiled, but Lior's voice dropped to a whisper. "Can we keep what we talked about earlier just between us? I don't want them to worry."
Kira gently pinched her cheek. "Of course. I know you'll tell us when you're ready. I just hope… when you do, it's not too late."
"Thank you," Lior said, her smile soft and grateful.
"What are you two whispering about?" Keal asked, raising an eyebrow.
Lior and Kira turned with matching smiles. "Just girl stuff," Lior said quickly, waving it off.
They continued walking toward the exit of the academia. Around them, students were being picked up by flying carriages, soaring off toward their homes. The air shimmered with magic, but Lior and her friends didn't use theirs. They had their own way—walking together, step by step, through the forest path that led to Hollow.
They were about to pass by the gates of the academia when Thalmyra stepped forward, making them stop in their tracks.
"Hi…" she said with a bright smile, her voice full of energy. But Lior and her friends—Kira, Keal, Jex, and Thorne—stood still, their faces calm, unreadable.
The royals might have seen a different side of them before, but Lior's group had learned not to show too much. Not here. Not yet.
Thalmyra hesitated, her words stuck in her throat. Glacielle, standing beside her, stepped in.
"Thalmyra would like to invite you to the palace," she said gently. "She's celebrating her birthday and wants you to be there."
The group exchanged glances, unsure of what to say. The walls between them had started to crack, but to many others, they were still seen as enemies.
Kira raised an eyebrow. "Are you really sure about this, Princess?"
Thalmyra nodded, her smile softening. Lior frowned slightly.
"You know what this could mean?" Lior asked, her voice low.
"I already told my parents," Thalmyra replied. "They're okay with it."
Lior paused, then nodded once. "When?"
"The fourth day after tomorrow."
Lior didn't say anything more. She turned and walked away, her friends following close behind.
There was no carriage waiting for them. They had travel powers, but they didn't use them. They wanted to walk.
The path to Hollow stretched far beyond the stone walls of the academia. It twisted through thick forests and quiet hills. The walk was long, but they didn't mind. They chose it over fast travel—not for speed, but for space. Space to breathe, to talk, to delay whatever was waiting at Hollow.
The trees whispered as they passed, branches swaying like they remembered something the group had forgotten. Lior walked a little behind the others, her steps steady but slow. The strange feeling in her chest hadn't left. It sat there, quiet and cold, like a shadow she couldn't name.
But her friends filled the silence with laughter.
Jex kicked a pinecone toward Keal and grinned. "So, are we just not gonna talk about the way Terren looked at Kira during finals week? Man was staring like she was a sunrise."
Kira rolled her eyes, but her cheeks turned pink. "He was just tired. Everyone was tired."
Keal laughed. "Tired? That boy blinked like he forgot how to function. I thought he was gonna walk into a wall."
Thorne, who had been quiet, suddenly got targeted.
Jex smirked. "And you, Thorne. Don't think we didn't see you freeze when Thalmyra handed you that scroll."
Thorne groaned. "She caught me off guard."
Keal raised an eyebrow. "Caught you off guard? You dropped your pen and said 'thank you' twice."
They all burst into laughter.
Then Keal got his turn.
Kira leaned in. "And Keal's been floating around Glacielle like a moth near a lantern. You're gonna get burned."
Keal shrugged, smiling. "Worth it."
Lior tried to stay quiet, but Jex wasn't letting her off the hook.
"Now, our dear Lior," he said, turning with a grin. "Still pretending Yrion's voice doesn't make her soul leave her body?"
Lior's face went red. "It's not like that."
Thorne chuckled. "It's exactly like that. You go silent every time he says 'good morning or he is near.'"
Kira nudged her gently. "One-sided or not, it's sweet. You light up when he's around."
Lior smiled, but the shadow in her chest stirred again. She didn't know what waited at Hollow, but for now, the teasing made her feel lighter.
As the sun began to set, they found a clearing to camp in. The forest was quiet, the fire crackled, and the stars blinked above them like distant memories.
They were halfway through roasting dried meat when the rustling began.
A low growl followed.
Then—a bear.
It stepped into the clearing, massive and wild-eyed, its fur glowing in the firelight. The group didn't freeze this time. They stood slowly, eyes locked on the creature.
Jex cracked his knuckles. "Looks like training came to us."
Thorne smirked, grabbing a nearby branch and tossing it aside. "No weapons. Just hands."
Keal nodded, stepping forward. "Let's see what we've learned."
Kira pulled Lior gently behind her. "Stay back until you're ready."
But Lior stepped beside her, fists clenched. "I'm ready."
The bear growled again, stepping closer. It wasn't just wild—it was strong, fast, and angry. But so were they.
Jex moved first, dodging a swipe and landing a punch to its side. The bear staggered, surprised.
Thorne came from the left, grabbing its arm and twisting, using his weight to pull it down. The bear roared, shaking him off.
Keal jumped onto its back, locking his arms around its neck. "Now!"
Kira slid under its legs, sweeping its feet with a low kick. The bear dropped to one knee.
Lior ran in, her palm striking its chest with force. The bear stumbled, growled louder, and swung wildly.
Jex took a hit to the shoulder but stayed standing. "That all you got?"
Thorne grabbed its paw mid-swipe, twisting again. Keal held tight, Kira struck low, and Lior aimed high.
The bear roared one last time, then backed away—confused, bruised, and beaten. It turned and ran into the trees, crashing through the bushes.
Silence followed.
They stood there, breathing hard, bruised but proud.
Jex wiped his forehead. "That was better than sparring mats."
Keal laughed. "We should thank it for the lesson."
Kira checked Lior's arm. "You okay?"
Lior nodded, smiling. "I feel… lighter."
They didn't sleep much that night, but not because of fear. They stayed up talking, laughing, replaying every move. The fire burned low, and the stars above seemed to shine a little brighter.
Fear had come close—closer than any of them expected. But they faced it together. Not with perfect plans, but with instinct and trust. And sometimes, that's enough.
Morning came soft and golden. They found a river nearby and went to wash up. The water was cold, but it felt good against their tired skin.
Jex splashed Keal. Keal yelped and chased him through the shallows.
Thorne dunked his head under and came up laughing. Kira sat on a smooth rock, brushing her wet hair back, watching the sunlight dance on the surface.
Lior stood ankle-deep, letting the water run over her hands. The bad feeling hadn't left—but here, with the river singing and her friends laughing, it felt quieter. Like maybe, whatever waited at Hollow, she wouldn't face it alone.
And though the shadow still lingered, Lior knew now: she had people beside her. And that made all the difference.