Ava lay wide awake in her bed, watching the shadows shift across the walls of her dorm room. The day had left her restless. Her fallout with Ethan and Lila weighed on her, the harshness of their words echoing in her mind. Despite her determination to understand the mysteries of Veil High, she couldn’t shake the sense of isolation pressing in on her. Alone in her room, the eerie quiet only amplified her thoughts, and she almost welcomed the distraction when her phone buzzed with a message.
It was from Kael: "Meet me by the old staircase at midnight."
Her pulse quickened. She glanced at the clock—11:45 p.m. Despite her exhaustion, she knew she couldn’t resist Kael’s invitation. She dressed quietly, slipping into her shoes and throwing a jacket over her shoulders before heading out. The hallways were empty, the familiar silence of the late hour thick with an unspoken tension. It felt as though the very walls were holding their breath, waiting.
When she reached the old staircase, Kael was already there, leaning casually against the railing. His eyes met hers with a glint of anticipation.
“Come on,” he whispered, beckoning her to follow.
They moved silently through the shadows, Kael leading her down corridors she hadn’t seen before. Veil High was a labyrinth of hidden spaces, each turn more unfamiliar than the last. The deeper they ventured, the more Ava felt the weight of the school’s secrets pressing down on her. Finally, Kael led her to a door concealed behind an old tapestry, the fabric depicting a faded image of a figure with eyes that seemed to follow her.
Kael pushed the door open, revealing a winding stone staircase leading down. A flickering light at the bottom cast elongated shadows along the walls, illuminating the space in a dim, unsettling glow.
“Where are we going?” Ava whispered, the nervousness evident in her voice.
“You’ll see,” he replied, his voice soft but steady. “It’s time for you to meet others who share your experience, your… visions.”
The descent felt endless, the air growing colder with each step. Finally, they reached a small, underground room that looked like it hadn’t seen daylight in years. The stone walls were etched with strange symbols, most of them similar to the mark she’d seen on the founders’ journal. Around the room stood a small group of students, each wearing an expression that was equal parts awe and trepidation. Their faces were familiar, yet distant—classmates she’d seen in passing, but never truly noticed.
As they turned toward her, Ava saw the mark of the founders etched into their wrists, each symbol faintly glowing in the candlelight.
Kael stepped forward, his voice steady but filled with a reverence Ava hadn’t heard before. “Welcome to the Circle of Shadows.”
Ava’s heart raced as she looked at the faces around her. She felt an immediate connection with them, as if some invisible thread bound them together. They watched her in silence, each gaze heavy with expectation.
A tall girl with dark hair and a serious expression stepped forward, offering her hand. “I’m Mara,” she introduced herself. “And this… this isn’t just a meeting. It’s a gathering of those who’ve been chosen.”
“Chosen?” Ava echoed, glancing uncertainly at Kael.
He nodded, his expression solemn. “Each of us has experienced… something. Visions, feelings, an inexplicable pull toward this place. It’s why we bear the mark of the founders. We’re connected to the history of Veil High in ways no one else understands.”
Another boy, quieter and almost ethereal in his presence, stepped forward. “We call it *The Awakening.* It’s a calling, an invitation to reclaim the school’s true destiny.”
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Secrets of Veil High: The Awakening (BOOK 2)
Fantasía"Those who seek the truth must be willing to face the darkness."
