The Story

Kieran's Dangerous Attention

The encounters with Kieran didn't end in class. He always seemed to appear when she least expected it—whether in the hallways, in the eerie library, or even during meals in the grand dining hall. Every time, his words cut deeper, his presence both magnetic and terrifying.

One afternoon, after an exhausting Potions class, Faye was leaving the castle's greenhouse when Kieran appeared again, as if summoned by her frustration. His silver hair glinted in the dying light of the setting sun, his sharp features as unreadable as ever. His lips curved into a slight smile, the kind that made her blood freeze.

"Still trying to find your place, Faye?" His voice was smooth, his eyes gleaming with that same dangerous amusement. "It's painful to watch you struggle."

Faye's chest tightened. She wanted to ignore him, to walk past without a word, but she couldn't. His presence was like a weight pressing down on her, compelling her to respond.

"Why do you care?" she shot back, her voice unsteady but defiant. "You're always there, watching, criticizing. If I'm so beneath you, why waste your time on me?"

For a moment, something flickered in Kieran's expression—surprise, maybe, or curiosity. But then his smile widened, sharper now, like the edge of a blade.

"Because you're a mystery," he said, his voice low, almost dangerous. "And mysteries are meant to be unraveled. You don't belong here, yet the academy let you in. Why?" He stepped closer, his eyes darkening. "What's hiding behind those pretty eyes of yours, Faye?"

Faye's heart raced. She took a step back, the cool stone of the greenhouse wall pressing against her spine. Kieran's gaze was unrelenting, piercing through her as if he could see something buried inside her that even she didn't understand.

But before she could respond, he turned away, his dark coat billowing behind him as he disappeared into the shadows.