Darkened Crown

Chapter 8: A Game of Masks

The day at Kingsley Academy began with the usual hum of chatter, but today there was an unfamiliar edge to it. Seraphina sensed it the moment she stepped into the hall—the sideways glances, the sly smiles that faded when she met their eyes. She could almost hear the whispers that chased her like a faint, unsettling echo. The atmosphere was charged, more electric than usual, and she felt an undercurrent of something she hadn't encountered in a while: anticipation mixed with a touch of... doubt?

Fiona caught up with her, her expression carefully neutral. "Sera," she murmured, her tone carrying an urgency she rarely used. "You need to see this."

Elena handed her phone over wordlessly, the screen already glowing with the latest post from Kingsley Confidential:

"Breaking News: Ava Hart strikes again! This time, it's Jamie, the notorious ex of Seraphina Blackthorn. What's the story here, folks? Has our queen bee lost her sting, or is Ava just getting started? Let's not forget, Jamie was Seraphina's arm candy not too long ago... Are we witnessing the fall of a queen, or just another game of power?"

Seraphina's eyes narrowed, her nails digging into the soft flesh of her palm as she forced herself to keep a neutral expression. Jamie. Of all the pathetic, meaningless choices, Ava had picked him. She could feel the eyes on her, the sudden silence as everyone seemed to be waiting for her to crack, to see how the Queen Bee would react to such an audacious move.

"She's probably furious..."

"Did Ava really steal Jamie from her?"

"Maybe Sera isn't as untouchable as we thought..."

The whispers scratched at her composure like sandpaper. Fiona leaned in, voice hushed. "It's just noise, Sera. They're trying to get under your skin."

Seraphina's jaw tightened. "And they're doing a damn good job of it." Her voice was a low hiss, her words laced with venom. It wasn't Jamie himself—he was nothing more than a discarded pawn in her game. It was the insinuation, the nerve, that Ava Hart could somehow elevate herself to Seraphina's level by flaunting him around like some trophy. To the public eye, it was a signal: Ava was gunning for her throne.

By lunchtime, Seraphina was done playing nice. With Fiona and Elena at her side, she strode into the courtyard, her posture rigid, her expression a mask of cold fury. Heads turned, whispers grew louder, but she ignored them. She spotted Jamie immediately, lounging against a column with an annoyingly smug grin plastered on his face.

Seraphina approached him, her smile sweet but her eyes dangerous. "Jamie," she cooed, her voice dripping with mock affection. "You're looking... different. Less polished. Ava's influence, I assume?"

Jamie chuckled, seemingly unfazed. "Always with the charm, Sera. Maybe Ava's just... refreshing."

"Refreshing?" Seraphina repeated, letting out a soft laugh. "That's a generous word for 'desperate.'"

Jamie's grin widened. "Not everything revolves around you, you know."

Seraphina's smile vanished. "Don't flatter yourself, Jamie. You think parading around with Ava makes you more relevant? It just makes you... sad."

He leaned in closer, his voice a mock whisper, "Maybe I'm just looking for someone a bit more... exciting."

Fiona rolled her eyes beside her. "Exciting or just plain bored?"

Jamie's smirk faltered for a moment, but he quickly regained it. Before he could come up with another pathetic retort, Seraphina cut him off. "Let me guess, Jamie. You actually believe she sees you as more than a disposable piece in her little game?"

His smile flickered, and Seraphina's satisfaction grew. She wasn't going to let Ava's attempt at a power play go unanswered. But just then, a familiar presence caught her eye—a figure leaning against a tree, arms crossed, watching the scene unfold with amused interest.

Adrian Knight.

He was smirking, dark eyes flicking between her and Jamie like he was watching some form of entertainment. Seraphina's irritation peaked. She hadn't even noticed him before. Without a second thought, she turned on her heel and marched over to him, her heels clicking sharply on the cobblestone.

"What?" she snapped, stopping a breath away. "Enjoying yourself?"

Adrian's smirk grew wider. "Very much so," he replied smoothly. "You do have a way of turning every situation into a spectacle, don't you?"

She shot him a sharp look. "And you have a way of lurking where you're not wanted."

He shrugged with an infuriating calmness. "Maybe I'm just fascinated by the fall of the mighty."

Her temper flared hot. "You think I'm falling?" she hissed, grabbing his collar without a second thought, pulling him down to her level. "You have no idea who you're dealing with, Knight."

Adrian's eyes darkened, his hand snaking around her waist in a grip that was firm, possessive. "Careful, Seraphina," he murmured, his voice a low, seductive growl. "Don't provoke me unless you're prepared to handle the consequences."

She glared up at him, feeling the pull, the magnetic tension between them. "You think I'm afraid of you?"

He leaned in closer, his lips barely brushing her ear. "No, I think you're afraid of what you might feel... when you lose control."

The words sent a shiver down her spine, and for a split second, her mask cracked. She pushed him back hard, eyes blazing. "You don't know anything about me."

Adrian chuckled softly, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "I know enough, Seraphina. Enough to see the cracks beneath your perfect surface... and I'm just getting started."

Her breath caught, but she quickly covered it with a scoff, stepping back. "Stay out of my way, Adrian."

His eyes followed her as she retreated, his smirk never wavering. "Not a chance," he whispered to himself, his gaze intense and unyielding as she disappeared into the crowd.

"Kingsley Confidential: Today's Drama—Seraphina Blackthorn was seen exchanging some very heated words with our mysterious new arrival, Adrian Knight. Trouble in paradise? Or is our queen simply testing new waters? Meanwhile, whispers suggest Jamie's newfound alliance with Ava Hart might just be the power shift we never expected. Is Ava positioning herself for a real takeover? Stay tuned, Kingsley, because this game has only just begun."

The gossip column's update spread like wildfire, feeding the school's insatiable hunger for drama. Seraphina kept her expression cold, aloof, refusing to let them see how much it burned beneath her skin. She had a reputation to protect, a throne to guard.

And she wasn't about to let anyone take it from her.

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