Chapter 15: First clue

"Celsy, what exactly did you see earlier?" Khierra Sky asked, her voice calm but firm.

Celsy took a deep breath, steadying herself before speaking. As she recounted what she had witnessed, the room fell into stunned silence. A few gasps echoed through the air, faces turning pale with shock and horror.

"So… the murderer can't be identified?" Aella asked hesitantly.

Celsy gave a slow nod.

A tense silence settled over them until Ella spoke, her tone laced with unease.

"I think this is connected to us."

The others exchanged wary glances.

"The flowers that were sent to Velia… those flowers only grow in our garden," Ella continued. "And no one outside of Alpha House has access to it."

Khierra's eyes widened slightly. "You mean the dark red flower from last night in the basket?"

Aella nodded. "That flower is called the Blood Rose. Even in my kingdom, we don't have it. As far as I know, it only exists here… specifically in the Alphas' private garden."

She took a deep breath before continuing, her voice carrying the weight of an old tale.

"There's a story behind that flower. My ancestor, the Princess of Terragaia, was an Alpha student too. She tried to create the most powerful and beautiful flower through magic. But the moment she cast the spell… she was murdered. Her blood soaked the soil, and from that spot, the first Blood Rose bloomed."

A heavy silence followed.

"Such a tragic story," Jeremy muttered.

Winter, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke. "So what you're saying is… the killer might be one of us?"

Ella hesitated, then gave a small nod. "Maybe. But I'm not sure yet."

Jeremy crossed his arms. "Then we need to find the truth. And if one of the Alphas really is the killer… we have to stop them."

The others nodded in agreement, determination settling in their expressions.

Keisha leaned forward, her voice sharp. "Our first clue, then, is Velia."

They were about to continue discussing the incident when the sound of the door opening made them pause. The conversation immediately stopped as they turned to see the other boys returning to the house.

Ruscell glanced at them curiously. "What are you all doing over there?"

Aella offered a casual smile. "Just chatting with each other."

The others nodded in agreement, but Theodore's gaze lingered on Keisha. His eyes narrowed slightly as he asked, "About what?"

Keisha met his gaze smoothly, forcing a small smile. "Nothing important… just old tales from our kingdoms."

Theodore studied her for a moment before nodding. Then, as if remembering something, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small object. He stepped closer to Keisha and held it out to her a delicate hair ornament, its design intricate and elegant.

"We passed by the school market earlier," he said, looking slightly embarrassed. "I saw this and thought… it would look nice on you."

Keisha blinked in surprise before carefully taking the ornament from his hand. A small smile played on her lips.

"Thank you. It's beautiful."

Theodore only gave a small nod before stepping back. The moment he did, the room erupted into playful teasing from the others.

"Ooooh, Theodore, that was smooth!" Aella tease

"Keisha, is your heart racing yet?" Khierra added

"Did we just witness a confession?" Ella said

Keisha rolled her eyes, but there was a faint blush dusting her cheeks.

While the others laughed and teased, Celsy remained silent, her expression unreadable.

As time passed, the others gradually left to tend to their own business. The once-lively common room grew quieter, the tension from earlier slowly fading into the background.

Winter was heading to her room when she noticed Micko standing in the hall.

"You never answered my question earlier," he said, his voice calm but persistent. "What kind of environment did you grow up in?"

Winter sighed, pausing before finally answering. "I grew up in Terragaia, okay?"

Micko nodded, as if piecing something together. Then, without another word, he reached for her hand.

Winter stiffened slightly as he placed something in her palm—a necklace with a blue crystal pendant. The gemstone glowed faintly under the dim hallway light, the color eerily similar to her eyes.

"I saw this at the market," Micko said, his voice quieter now. "It reminded me of you."

Winter stared at the necklace, confusion flickering across her face. "Why… why would you give me this?"

Micko simply shrugged. "I just wanted to."

Then, without waiting for a response, he turned and disappeared into his room, leaving Winter standing in the hallway—still in awe.

Her fingers tightened around the pendant as her heart pounded in her chest.

Just what is happening?