chapter 7:Adrian's turmoil

Adrian slipped out of the bustling cafeteria with his usual confident stride, but inside, a storm was brewing. As he walked across campus, every step felt weighted by the brief moment he'd shared with Allie.

That split-second exchange—a flicker in his golden red eyes meeting hers—had stirred something he couldn't ignore. He replayed the moment in his mind as he navigated the corridors of Kenyatta University, a sense of urgency building. The cool mask of arrogance was now laced with uncertainty.

Who is she? he wondered silently. Adrian knew that the spark of recognition wasn't random. Somewhere beneath the surface lay memories—half-remembered whispers of a past life, a connection that defied explanation. His pulse quickened with every step, and he resolved to dig deeper. Tonight, he'd find a quiet corner, away from prying eyes, to reflect on the strange pull that had jolted him awake.

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Allie couldn't shake the sensation that had overwhelmed her in the cafeteria. Later that afternoon, while sitting alone on a sunlit bench near the campus library, she replayed the moment over and over.

The subtle, almost imperceptible look from the red-eyed guy had left an imprint—a whisper of something long forgotten, yet achingly familiar. Allie's mind drifted to half-formed memories, fragments of dreams that hinted at a deeper truth. Although she tried to dismiss it as mere chance, the pull persisted, nagging at her as she scribbled notes in her journal.

Lexi's earlier teasing echoed in her thoughts, but this wasn't a joke. There was a gravity in that fleeting moment—a call that beckoned her to uncover a secret she wasn't even aware she held. As the campus buzz continued around her, Allie's heart beat with a quiet intensity, setting the stage for revelations yet to come.

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Miles away from the lively university scene, Aunt Jennie paced inside her shop, the lingering hum of magic in the air as potent as ever. The encounter with Adrian had left her both alarmed and resolute. His cryptic words, coupled with the ominous warnings she'd given him, now loomed larger in her thoughts.

She double-checked the wards along the walls, the symbols pulsing softly under her fingertips. Every vibration of magic felt like a countdown—time was running short. The mention of "her" in Adrian's parting query stung; it was a reminder that Allie's connection to the hidden world was deeper than anyone realized.

Determined to protect her kin, Jennie reached for an old, weathered grimoire and a faded photograph that had once belonged to a family member long lost to time. Tonight, she would summon an old supernatural ally, one whose wisdom might help her decipher the tangled threads of fate. With a final, resolute exhale, she set her plan in motion—knowing that the stakes were rising with every heartbeat.

Jennie took a steady breath, centering herself as she placed her hands over the worn grimoire. The candles' flames flickered unnaturally, shadows stretching across the walls as the air thickened with energy.

Her voice was steady, but the weight of the words resonated beyond the physical world.

"Vita et umbra, sanguis et sidus,

Aperi portas inter mundos,

Exaudi vocem meam et appare."

(Life and shadow, blood and star,

Open the gates between worlds,

Hear my voice and appear.)

A gust of unseen wind swept through the room, rattling the glass jars on the shelves. The water in the bowl darkened, its surface rippling like something beneath was stirring. Jennie held her ground, eyes locked onto the shifting shadows forming at the center of the summoning circle.

Something—someone—was coming.