𝘚𝘪𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘔𝘰𝘰𝘯 𝘈𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘺.

Eighteen.

Amara sat cross-legged on the floor of her dimly lit dorm room, the flickering candlelight casting dancing shadows on the walls. The air was thick with the scent of herbs and incense, and the scattered spell books and crystals created a cozy yet charged atmosphere. Nara paced nearby, her expression anxious as she watched Amara flip through the pages of her spellbook.

"Okay, Nara, this is it. We're going to make her fall in love with me," Amara declared, her eyes shining with determination. "Just imagine how perfect it will be—she'll never want to leave our side!"

Nara bit her lip, uncertainty creeping into her voice. "I don't know, Amara. Are you sure this is the right thing to do? Manipulating her feelings like this... it doesn't feel right."

"It's not manipulation if it's for her own good!" Amara shot back, brushing off Nara's concerns. "She needs to trust me again. If she's focused on me, she won't dig deeper into the Academy's secrets."

Nara let out a sigh, crossing her arms. "But what if she finds out? What if she hates you for it? And what about your feelings? Are you sure this is what you want?"

Amara waved her hand dismissively. "I'll figure it out later. Right now, we need to focus. Get the ingredients ready." She gestured toward the items laid out on the floor, her resolve firm.

Nara hesitated before picking up a crystal, still feeling uneasy. "Fine, but I still think we should tell her the truth."

Meanwhile, Akira stood in the hallway, grappling with her living situation. Memories of her time in the old dorm with Nara and Amara flooded her mind, and she shuddered at the thought. Looking down the hall, she spotted Renetta and Rowan chatting, their laughter cutting through her anxiety.

"Hey, Renetta! Rowan! Can I crash with you guys? I don't want to stay in my old dorm anymore," Akira called out, approaching them.

"Of course, Akira! We'd love to have you," Renetta replied, her smile warm and inviting. "It'll be nice to have you around."

"Yeah, it'll be fun! We can help each other out with studies and everything," Rowan added enthusiastically.

"Thanks. I just need a fresh start," Akira said, her smile genuine but tinged with apprehension.

"Good idea. It's important to feel safe where you live," Renetta encouraged.

Meanwhile, in another part of the Academy, Kael was setting up his dorm with Lucian, a tall figure with an enigmatic presence. They were unpacking, the atmosphere light yet charged with an undercurrent of tension.

"So, it's been a while since we last met. How have you been?" Kael asked, glancing at Lucian.

"Oh, you know, keeping busy. Things are a little... chaotic at the Academy lately," Lucian replied casually, a hint of intrigue in his tone.

"Yeah, I've noticed. I'm just glad Akira is back. She needs all the support she can get," Kael said, his concern for Akira evident.

"She's a strong one. I can see why everyone is drawn to her. I was once drawn to her too when she was at the academy..I asked her to the formal but..." Lucian sighed, his eyes lowered with embarrassment.

"She rejected you."

"People I knew in the past manipulated her into thinking I was the bad guy so she wouldn't end up dating me."

Kael pats Lucian's shoulder. "Well if she knew the truth maybe she'd like you..she's just going through a lot right now. It's overwhelming for her not knowing who to trust and having her entire life and identity kept secret from her it's hard. She's just finding everything out. We're really trying to be there for Akira."

Lucian nodded. "I really care for her too. I hope I can be anything she needs me to be."

"You're a fallen angel aren't you?" Kael asked laughing.

"How do you know?" Lucian asked.

"Well whenever you're feeling deep emotions
I'm guessing your wings..they just..appear on your back even when you haven't actually transformed. I'm guessing you're in love with Akira." Kael smiles.

"Don't look!" He quickly hid away his wings and had this stern look on his face as if he hated being messed with.

"Relax..I'm not being serious. You must be really in love with Akira."

He did not respond but judging from his reactions he did really care about her.

Back in Amara's dorm, she focused intently on the spell preparations. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and concentrated on Akira's image, her determination clear.

"Okay, with this spell, Akira will see only me. She'll be enchanted and drawn to me, and nothing will pull her away," Amara murmured, her voice steady.

Nara's voice trembled as she spoke. "Are you sure we should do this?"

"We have to, Nara. Just help me, and everything will fall into place," Amara insisted, her determination unwavering.

As Amara began the incantation, the energy in the room shifted, a mixture of hope and foreboding hanging in the air. Nara watched, torn between her loyalty to Amara and her concern for Akira.

Akira, Renetta, and Rowan settled into their new dorm, the space filled with laughter and excitement as they shared their plans and dreams. Unbeknownst to them, Amara's spell was about to alter the dynamics between them all, intertwining their fates in ways they could never anticipate.

Suddenly Akira started to feel really weird. "Guys I think I'm going to be sick!" She quickly ran to the dorm bathroom and hovered over her sink. She vomited everywhere.

Akira decided to take a shower to feel a bit better. Her friends checked on her to make sure she was okay. "What happened back there are you okay?" Rowan asked.

"I felt really sick for some odd reason and I can't tell you why. I don't really get that way."

Rowan looked at Renetta. They were both worried that her vampire side had been coming back slowly..and it all started with her being sick.

When in reality they did not know the magic Amara had been working on Akira.