Page 61 of Shadowed Fate

As they continue arguing, their voices fade into white noise. A thousand thoughts race through my mind, and I try to piece together the fragments of information I've gathered. The Morrigan. A vessel. Blood. Shadow magic. The Raven King. Salvation or devastation.

What does it all mean?

I feel a soft touch on my arm and turn to find Eira beside me. Her owl-like eyes are wide with concern, and she gives a slight nod towards the door, the path to it clear now that Lochan is distracted.

I hesitate for a moment, torn between the need for answers and the desire to escape this clusterfuck. But as Lochan's voice rises again, anger evident in every syllable, I make my decision. I still have the scroll and the book I ‘liberated’ from the library.

With one last glance at the journal in Lochan's white-knuckled grip, I slip away, Eira close behind. We move silently through the corridors, the weight of unspoken questions hanging heavy between us.

Back in my dorm room after Eira and I part ways, and I replay the events of the day in my mind

I pause at the window, staring out over the estate. The light is fading already; the days getting shorter and shorter. The forest beyond the academy’s walls seems to glow with an ominous energy matching the turmoil in my gut.

"The Morrigan's prophecy," I whisper, tasting the words on my tongue. They feel heavy, laden with a significance I can't yet grasp. I shudder as I remember the way Lochan looked at me in the archive.

My fingers twitch, itching for a paintbrush or a pencil. I need to get these images out of my head before they consume me. But as I reach for my sketchbook, a soft rustling at the door catches my attention first.

I stop. Is it Lochan, coming to finish what he started in the archive? Or maybe Marius, with more vague warnings about my supposed destiny?

I approach the door slowly. As I get closer, I notice a slip of paper on the floor, partially visible beneath the door. I grab the handle and yank the door open, but the corridor is empty.

I bend down to pick up the note. The paper is nondescript, not the fancy parchment that Grimstone uses for messages. and the writing scrawled across it in black ink sends ice through my veins:

'Trust no one'

I stare at the words.

Great.

I shut the door.

Sinking onto my bed, the note trembles in my hand as the weight of everything crashes down on me. Prophecies, shadow magic, murder—and now this ominous warning.

I close my eyes, trying to steady my breathing. When I open them again, my gaze falls on the bird outside my window. A raven perches on a nearby branch, its dark eyes fixed on me with an unsettling awareness.

"What am I supposed to do?" I ask him, knowing I won't get an answer but desperate for any kind of guidance.

The raven remains silent.

Who can I trust? Eira’s friendship seems genuine, but I thought that once before about someone. Lochan obviously hates me. And Marius... his offer of help feels too loaded. Rory and Tiernan have been nothing but nice to me. But how well do I really know them, despite this bond thing they mentioned? And then there’s Callen… I don’t even know how to describe how I feel about him.

Once again, I’m reminded of how acutely alone I am.

Chapter 28

Brigid

The pencil moves across the page, capturing the curve of Callen's smirk, Tiernan's serious expression, Rory's wide grin, Lochan's hostile stare marring his perfect features. And then there’s Marius—his eyes enigmatic and taunting. I toss the sketchbook aside and flop back on my bed.

At least the visions have stopped.

No more nightmares or headaches and near blackouts. Just the constant churning anxiety in my gut and a feeling that I’m just as tormented without them as I was with them. I’ve been avoiding everyone, even Eira, but I’m fairly certain I won’t be able to get away with skipping class tomorrow, considering how close we are to the Harrowing.

My stomach growls, reminding me it's been hours since I last ate. I’ve been sneaking down to grab food and bring it back to my room early in the morning. It's pathetic, scurrying around like a rat, but it's better than running into anyone.

Tiernan and Rory had come looking for me like I’d expected, but I’d ignored them.

"Brigid? You in there?" Rory's lilting accent had drifted through the wood. “Just wanted to check if you're alright."

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