City of Shadows -Book 1-

Prologue

The incessant beeping of her alarm clock dragged Ariya from the depths of slumber, her amber eyes fluttering open to the harsh reality of another school day. She groaned, fumbling for the snooze button, her fingers tangling in the mess of dark curls splayed across her pillow. As consciousness slowly seeped in, fragments of her dream clung to the edges of her mind like wisps of smoke.

Silver masks. Strange creatures. And power—raw, electric energy coursing through her veins.

Ariya shook her head, trying to dislodge the unsettling images. These dreams had been plaguing her for weeks now, each one more vivid and disturbing than the last.

She swung her legs over the side of the bed, her bare feet recoiling from the cold hardwood floor.

"Ariya! You're gonna be late!" Her mother's voice carried up the stairs, tinged with exasperation.

"Coming, Mom!" she called back, suppressing a sigh.

Ariya moved through her morning routine on autopilot, her mind still half-stuck in the dreamworld.

As she tugged a brush through her unruly curls, she caught sight of herself in the mirror. Dark circles ringed her eyes, a testament to nights filled with restless sleep. She looked... haunted.

"Get it together, Frazier," she muttered to her reflection. "It's just stress. Or too much caffeine. Or... something."

•   •   •

The bustle of Elderwood High's hallways washed over Ariya as she shouldered her way through the crowd.

Lockers slammed, sneakers squeaked against linoleum, and the air hummed with a hundred conversations. She caught snippets as she passed—talk of upcoming tests, weekend plans, and the latest episode of whatever show was trending.

Normal stuff. Painfully, achingly normal.

"Earth to Ariya!" A hand waved in front of her face, snapping her out of her daze. "Jeez, where'd you go this time?"

Zoe Chen, Ariya's best friend since elementary school, stood before her with raised eyebrows. Where Ariya was all sharp angles and perpetual scowl, Zoe was soft curves and easy smiles. Today, her glossy black hair was pulled back in a neat ponytail, and she wore a sunny yellow sweater that made Ariya's eyes hurt.

"Sorry, Zo," Ariya mumbled, fishing books out of her locker. "Didn't sleep great."

Zoe's expression softened. "Another one of those dreams?"

Ariya nodded, slamming her locker shut with perhaps a bit more force than necessary.

"They're getting worse. Last night, I dreamt I was being chased through a forest by... something. It definitely didn't seem to be human. And when I turned to face it, I had this... power. Like electricity, but not. I don't know how to explain it."

Zoe chewed her lower lip, concern etched across her features. "Maybe you should talk to someone about this, Ari. It's been going on for weeks now."

"And say what?" Ariya snorted. "'Hey, I'm having recurring dreams about magic powers and monsters in masks. Totally normal teen stuff, right?' They'd ship me off to the loony bin."

"I'm serious," Zoe persisted as they wove through the crowded hallway. "What about Ms. Reeves? The school counselor? She's pretty cool, and it's literally her job to listen to our problems."

Ariya opened her mouth to protest, but the first warning bell cut her off.

"Just think about it, okay?" Zoe squeezed her arm. "I gotta run—AP Chem waits for no one. Text me later!"