Page 56 of Gothikana

Finally finding one, she turned to the mirror in her bedroom, flinching at her reflection.

‘What’s wrong?’ Jade asked, catching her wince.

‘Nothing,’ Corvina reassured her. ‘Just spooked myself.’ Yeah, there was no way she was going to tell Jade about the incident.

‘This whole castle is fucking spooky,’ Jade spat out. ‘It’s like once you’re here, it changes you.’

‘What are you talking about?’ Corvina asked her, watching her roommate in the mirror as she quickly dressed.

‘I don’t even know,’ her friend said, something passing over her face. ‘Troy was one of the good ones, you know? It’s so unfair.’

Jaw tight, Corvina went to her friend, giving her a tight hug. ‘I’m so sorry about him, Jade.’

‘Me, too.’ Jade pulled away, and Corvina understood her need for space. She stepped back.

‘Did he have any family?’ she asked, wondering about what his voice had told her.

Jade nodded. ‘Yeah. An older brother. The medic lady told me he’ll come to take the body. Good thing, too. He’s an investigator. He’ll find out what happened.’

‘Tell my brother,’ Troy’s voice had said. A brother who was an investigator? She hadn’t even known about his brother. And what was she supposed to tell him? From what she’d gleaned, these suspicious incidents at Verenmore had never really been truly investigated for whatever reason. If someone with the resources and personal vestedinterest could uncover even an iota of secrets hidden in these walls, it could give so many answers to so many people.

Corvina took a healing balm out from one of her drawers, putting it over the minor cuts on her palm.

‘You look different.’ Jade blinked at Corvina, seeing her head to toe. ‘Less boho witch and more chic bitch.’

Corvina tugged at her sleeves, slightly conscious. ‘I need to do laundry.’

Jade gave her a slight smile. ‘It’s so weird how the mundane things never stop, even when it seems like life does.’

‘I think they’ll cancel the classes today,’ Corvina mused.

Jade huffed. ‘Yeah, they did it for Alissa, too. For the whole day. Just, go out and do whatever. I want to be alone today.’

‘Are you sure? I don’t mind staying with you.’

‘No.’ Jade waved her with her hand. ‘I really want to be alone right now.’

Corvina nodded, understanding what she meant, and picked up the bag and books that she needed, pausing on the threshold of the room. ‘You think the tower is haunted, Jade?’

Jade turned her neck to look at her, her eyes sharpening. ‘Why do you ask?’

‘Just something I heard the other day.’

‘First Alissa, now Troy.’ Her friend shuddered. ‘I’m scared one day Verenmore will have more ghosts than people. I just hope we don’t end up as one of them.’

CHAPTER 16

Corvina

The air aroundVerenmore was gloomier that day. The weather was morose, a fine sheet of rain consistently falling from the sky, the clouds overhead grey and rumbling like starved beasts waiting for a scent of prey, the wind cutting like knives on the skin. The energy of the people was depressed, the second similar suicide in months pushing spirits low and suspicions high. The rumour mill was working overtime, from whispers of ghosts and monsters to theories of black magic and mental breakdowns.

Corvina spent the day lingering on the edges of such conversation unintentionally, not knowing what to believe anymore, especially with her own bathroom incident. The spectacled guy inadmin pretty much restated everything that Roy had, telling her that they indeed had a landline but that she needed a special permission slip from one of the Board members or faculty to make her call.

She needed to call Dr Detta as a matter of priority but she didn’t know whom to approach except Vad. And she didn’t want to ask him, especially knowing that he would try to have the conversation she was dreading. Since classes had been cancelled and the library was closed, most students were either hanging out in their rooms or the Main Hall.

And Corvina needed some quiet.

The woods were out of the question — both because of the weather and because of the mirror incident. She had no shame in admitting how spooked she was, that any slight shadows were making her heartbeat triple, that the thought of an unknown voice invading her consciousness again and bringing terrible scents with them terrified her. She flinched at every mirrored reflection on the windows passing them. And she didn’t know where to go for some peace of mind.

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