Page 81 of Gothikana

Corvina

‘Dude, did youhear they’re dragging the lake?’ Jade sat down with her tray at lunch, her green eyes wide.

Erica nodded from her side. ‘I know. I saw a team of people drive up during my free period.’

Corvina took a bite of her salad, chewing slowly as she listened to the conversation, hoping for some update.

‘Why do you think they’re doing it now?’ Ethan wondered, munching on a carrot stick. ‘Something must have happened to make them. I don’t think anyone’s even gone to thatlake before.’

Jax turned to her suddenly. ‘Hey, didn’t you find the lake in the woods at the beginning of the semester?’

Corvina nodded with her mouth full of food. ‘Yeah, but I never went there again.’

‘Weird,’ Jade muttered. ‘You think it’s because of the Black Ball?’

‘What do you mean?’ Erica asked. ‘The Ball is next month.’

Jade looked out the window at the surprisingly clear day. ‘I mean, maybe they don’t want anyone disappearing this year and that triggered something? Who knows?’

‘You guys want to go see what’s happening there?’ Ethan suggested. ‘I heard a bunch of guys from my tower have gone already.’

‘Yeah, let’s go.’ Jax nodded enthusiastically.

As they mulled over different theories, Corvina ate her lunch, wanting to go to the lake herself, just to see what was going on. Once they were done, Corvina grabbed a banana and they all filed out and toward the woods, her heart aching at the gaping hole in their group that was Troy, remembering the last time they’d gone into the woods with him.

‘I miss Troy, man,’ Ethan echoed her thoughts, gripping the back of his neck. ‘Asshole would’ve loved this.’

‘Yeah,’ Jade agreed, moving ahead of the group toward the woods.

‘Did you know he went into the woods alone one time?’ Ethan huffed a laugh. ‘Got a few paces in and ran back out, then pretended it was because he was late for class.’

Corvina smiled, surprisingly able to visualise that with the boy.

‘Where is this lake?’ Erica asked Corvina directly as they went down the incline. The sunlight played hide and seek with the dark clouds, still making it a brighter day than it had been in weeks.

‘Just a little up ahead, if I remember correctly,’ Corvina replied, knowing the exact location but pretending not to. As they got closer to the opening in the area, the more she could hear the sounds from people echoing in the forest. Emerging a few minutes later into the clearing, Corvina stood still, taking in the scene.

The water of the lake reflected the light, its dark depths still unknown. Two boats stood in the middle with two divers each. A few people stood on the bank and the bridge in the distance, overseeing or watching the activity, she couldn’t tell.

Corvina headed to her rock and left the banana there for the birds, turning to see her group edging toward the bridge. The bridge itself, now that she could see it in the daylight, was beautiful. It was small, made of grey stone and covered in green moss, tunnelling over a narrow part of the lake that connected this part of the mountain to the other side.

She joined them as they went there, stumbling over the first step up. Jax caught her, steadied her, and Corvina thanked him, looking up to see silver eyes flash for a moment before he clenched his jaw, looking at the rest of their group.

‘What are you all doing here?’ Vad asked the group at large, deliberately keeping his eyes off Corvina as she went by the railing to peer down, spotting a familiar face.

‘We just wanted to see what’s happening, Mr Deverell,’ Erica said in an overly sweet tone that made her teeth gnash. Corvina ignored them, coming to stand beside Ajax.

‘Good to see you, Mr Hunter,’ she greeted him as he turned to look, his face creasing in a genuine smile.

‘Ah, the purple-eyed girl. Please call me Ajax, Corvina.’ He looked forward again. Corvina watched the divers in the lake put on their goggles, giving Ajax a thumbs-up, and jumped down.

‘You got them here?’ she asked him, looking around at all the strange, serious people in the area.

He nodded. ‘Your boyfriend gave me a call this morning. Thankfully, I was still in town. I was able to get the team in time.’

Her heart fluttered at the ‘boyfriend’ but she tamped it down. ‘Please don’t say that out loud.’

He gave her a look. ‘Of course. I take it he told you the truth?’

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