Got Scared?

Apparently, Kael had to leave—something about their detention being decided later. I watched him go, feeling a weird pinch in my chest I couldn't quite name. Maybe it was worry. Maybe it was guilt. Or maybe it was just… unease.

Still, I turned to Miro. "Is it really okay for him to go alone?" I asked, my voice quieter than I intended. "I mean, you guys have that whole buddy system rule, and—yeah, I think I get it now." Especially with the 'missing sister' case around.

Miro just shrugged like it was nothing.

"Hmm? Ah yeah, he'll be fine. Plus, it's already morning, so we're pretty much done with classes and school," Miro says like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

I blink at his answer, a little thrown. "You guys sleep in the morning?"

He tilts his head, voice lilting with amusement. "Who says we sleep?"

Even behind the mask, I can practically feel the smirk aimed at me. Okay, he's really getting on my nerves now. 

So I kicked him.

Not by accident. Not a reflex. A deliberate, annoyed jab to the shin.

He laughed, effortlessly dodging. "Okay, okay! Woah, new man," he wheezed between cackles. "You really do cause bodily harm wherever you go. Your phone, your bag, and now even your feet!"

I narrowed my eyes. "You want me to add elbows to the list?"

"Oho, violent and creative," he chuckled, raising his hands in surrender. "I like you."

Ugh. He's definitely one of those people who gets more entertained the more annoyed you are.

And unfortunately… I think I'm stuck with him.

Someone grunted.

I turned instinctively and found Miro clutching his head like someone had just hit him with a brick. His expression was twisted in pain, a deep crease between his brows.

"Hey, are you okay?" I reached out without thinking, eyes scanning around us. "I didn't—did I do that?"

Panic stirred in my chest. Did I somehow kick something that ricocheted off a wall and smacked him in the skull? A domino effect of disaster I didn't notice?

But there was nothing. Nothing nearby that could've fallen, flown, or flung.

Miro waved a hand, dismissing my concern. "No, not you," he muttered, though his voice was tight. Not teasing. Not light.

That's when I noticed it—his eyes had sharpened, glinting with something that wasn't pain. Focus. Wariness. A tension I hadn't seen before.

I followed his gaze.

And saw Percy.

He was across the hall, standing far enough away that I could only make out his expression by the way the morning light caught it.

He was smiling.

Waving.

But something in the curve of his lips, the stillness of his hand—it didn't look welcoming. It didn't feel like a hello.

I felt my skin prickle.

And Miro? He was still staring, jaw clenched, like he was bracing for something I couldn't see.

"Well, aren't you early?" Miro tried to keep the tone light, but there was a sharpness in his voice that didn't match his usual playful demeanor. He winced again, clutching his head like he'd been hit with something hard. My gaze flicked back and forth between him and Percy, who was now walking past us, and I couldn't help but feel the creeping unease settling in my chest.

What is happening?

"You should be in the cafeteria by now," Percy's voice rang out—smooth, casual, but with an undercurrent that sent an involuntary shiver down my spine. There was something off, something different in the way he spoke, but I couldn't quite place it.

I watched as he turned a corner, his steps slow and deliberate, like he wasn't in any rush. "Hurry up, we can't be late for the morning feast."

I frowned, the words unsettling me more than they should. A feast? The casualness with which he said it made it sound like something more than just a meal. I glanced at Miro, hoping for some kind of explanation.

Miro, still rubbing his temples, shot me a sideways glance. Though his mask obscured most of his expression, the shift in his tone was obvious. The usual teasing edge was gone—or at least dulled—like he was genuinely trying to gauge my reaction.

"Well, damn, who's the one who woke up on the wrong side of the bed? And here I just told you—we don't sleep," Miro muttered, attempting to ease the tension. But even as the words left his mouth, his eyes held a flicker of something cautious. When he looked down at me again, the eye smile was there—but it wasn't playful anymore. It was quieter. Careful.

"Got scared, new man?"

My heart skipped a beat.

I opened my mouth to respond, but something in his expression, the seriousness hiding just beneath his words, made me hesitate. It wasn't just teasing. Miro was concerned.

What was going on here?

I frowned, trying to make sense of everything. "What was that?" I asked, more to myself than to Miro. I'd been doing my best to ignore the strange things happening around me, but everything just seemed... off. It wasn't just one thing—it was everything. 

Miro, as usual, didn't seem too bothered by it. He just gave me a shrug and nudged me towards the corner where Percy had disappeared. "We need to go to the feast," he said casually.

I rolled my eyes. "I know that," I replied, more irritated with myself than with him. What I didn't know was why everything felt so weird. The fact that I was even following Miro, after everything that had happened, felt strange in itself.

Miro just chuckle again, unfazed. "Like I said, we're hungry. And hungry people need to eat."

I blinked, caught off guard. Yeah, I was hungry too—more than I cared to admit. My stomach had been a constant reminder since I got here, especially after that crazy encounter with the crow last night. Last night. It felt like a lifetime ago already.

But even with the rumbling in my stomach, I couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right.

We reached the elevator, and Miro pressed the button marked "LND."

"What's that stand for?" I asked absentmindedly as the doors slid shut.

"Lunar Dining," he answered, with that same, carefree tone. "Where the magic happens."

I gave him a look, but didn't question him further.

The elevator descended smoothly, and when the doors opened, the sight that greeted me was both overwhelming and awe-inspiring.