Chapter 4: The Secrets He Keeps

Elena barely slept that night.

She lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, replaying the encounter with Damien Nightshade over and over in her head.

The way he had appeared out of nowhere.

The way he had warned her, his voice steady, yet strangely urgent.

And the way he had vanished—so fast, so silently—it was almost inhuman.

She wanted to believe she had imagined it, that the dim streetlights and exhaustion were playing tricks on her.

But deep down, she knew better.

Something about Damien was not normal.

And she needed to know what it was.

The Next Day – Blackwood Academy

Elena walked into Blackwood Academy with a mission.

She was going to figure out exactly who Damien Nightshade was and what he was hiding.

Natalie met her by the lockers, already bubbling with excitement.

"Elena, did you hear?!" she gasped, gripping Elena's arm. "Damien Nightshade got into a fight this morning!"

Elena's eyes widened. "What?"

"I swear! Jason Carter and his guys were messing with him in the parking lot, and Damien just… snapped."

Elena frowned. Jason Carter was the school's biggest jerk—a rich, entitled football player who thought the world revolved around him.

But Damien didn't seem like the type to pick fights.

"What happened?" she asked.

Natalie lowered her voice, glancing around before continuing. "Jason shoved him first, but Damien—" She shivered. "It was weird. He barely moved, but Jason went flying. Like, literally flying. As if Damien barely touched him."

Elena's stomach twisted.

That wasn't normal.

Before she could ask more, the morning bell rang.

"Come on," Natalie said, pulling her toward first period. "You're stuck sitting next to him again, right? Maybe you can ask him what's up."

Elena doubted Damien would just tell her anything.

But she needed answers.

And she had a feeling she wasn't going to like them.

Literature Class

Damien was already at his desk when Elena walked in.

He was staring out the window, his silver eyes distant, his expression unreadable.

For a moment, she hesitated.

Then, taking a deep breath, she slid into the seat beside him.

Nothing.

He didn't acknowledge her. Didn't even glance her way.

Frustration bubbled up inside her.

Elena had never been the type to be easily ignored.

"So," she said casually, tapping her fingers against her notebook, "I heard you got into a fight."

Damien's gaze flickered toward her.

Brief. Calculating.

Then, just as quickly, he looked away.

"I wouldn't call it a fight." His voice was smooth, controlled.

"Jason Carter would disagree," she muttered. "People said you barely touched him."

Damien didn't reply.

Elena narrowed her eyes. "You're not going to deny it?"

Still, silence.

Annoyance flared inside her. "You're really bad at acting normal, you know that?"

That made him pause.

Slowly, Damien turned his head toward her, his silver eyes locking onto hers.

"Elena," he said quietly, "why do you care?"

The way he said her name sent a strange shiver down her spine.

She swallowed. "Because something about you doesn't make sense."

Damien exhaled slowly, as if debating something. Then, almost too softly, he murmured—

"There are things in this world you don't understand."

Elena's heart skipped a beat.

"What kind of things?" she asked.

But before he could answer—

The classroom lights flickered.

For a split second, the air grew heavy, thick with something unseen.

Elena's breath caught in her throat.

And then—

Damien leaned in slightly, his voice barely above a whisper.

"If you're smart, Elena…" His silver eyes darkened. "You'll stop asking questions."

Her pulse thundered in her ears.

Because in that moment, she realized something chilling.

Damien Nightshade wasn't just hiding a secret.

He was warning her to stay away.

And the scariest part?

Somewhere deep inside…

She wasn't sure she wanted to.