Celeste’s POV

*****

Bloodoak Academy Grand Library, 5:12 PM

The academy still felt... grim. Quiet. As if its breath was still held after my outburst earlier today.

Every supernatural felt that outburst. Professors glanced my way when I walked from class to class, some with fear and others with nothing but pure curiosity.

I tried my best to ignore them all—which was easier said than done.

Mom had left some hours ago, but said she was still close by. Somewhere in Asheville city. She had a lot to discuss with the Dean.

As for me, at the end of my final class for the day—Aura Stabilisation theory for hybrids—I made my way to the library. The boys were waiting there already, sitting around a desk.

"There she is," Luther was the first to turn his head to me, a relieved smile stretching his lips. He got up, walking to me and surprising me with a hug. "How are you feeling? Any signs of those accursed sigils?"

He searched my arms as if he could do anything if indeed he found those dark sigils. I smiled at the effort regardless, hugging him back and burying my face in his shoulder.

"I’m fine... I’m just still a little shaken."

The others watched patiently as Luther guided me to sit between them. The face that surprised me most was Azrael.

I could’ve sworn I sensed some kind of tension between him and the others since we returned from our vacation. Now it felt like nothing had happened at all.

"Well?" Atlas tapped the table once, sending out a field of magic that made the hair on my skin stand on end. "Privacy field." He explained. "Silences any voices or sounds from this table. So now..."

He leaned closer from across the round table, his golden eyes flashing with curiosity. "What did you and your mother talk about? Did you—"

"Tell her everything the Dean has been hiding?" I nodded once. "Yes. She plans to confront him tonight."

Luther harrumphed. "It’s about goddamn time. Thorne might no longer be our prime suspect but there’s no telling if he’s working with the actual mastermind."

Azrael intoned. "There’s still the possibility of him being manipulated. Perhaps blackmailed."

"Which begs the question," Atlas kept his eyes on me. "Who could be powerful or influential enough to coerce the Dean himself? To mess with the afterlife and play us all like chess pieces?"

"And," Silas added. "If such a person isn’t just a distraction sent by the Dean... how are they capable of any of this? We haven’t tracked magic from them, right?"

There was something about seeing them work together that made my chest swell with warmth. But I buried that feeling, keeping my expression serious.

"Mom made a new discovery," I revealed, making them all whip their heads to me. I didn’t keep them waiting. "This woman, whomever she is... is touched by the Vein."

From the corner of my eye, I noticed the way Azrael shifted in his seat. I brought my face to him just a bit, gaze locking on those sunglasses.

Of course, his face was unreadable.

But each time we discussed the Vein he seemed oddly... troubled.

"Touched by the Vein?" Atlas echoed. "You mean... this person could be tapping directly from the Vein’s energy somehow?"

"I mean..." Luther shrugged. "I barely know shit about the Vein or any of this celestial chaos crap. But it makes sense. The Vein’s energy is far different from normal magic, right?"

"Right," I confirmed. "Not to mention chaotic and unpredictable. It’s no wonder she’s been able to hide her tracks so perfectly."

Azrael leaned back slightly in his chair, fingers steepled beneath his chin.

"If she is truly touched by the Vein," he said slowly, "then we must assume she understands chaos magic better than any of us."

"Great," Luther muttered. "So we’re hunting a Vein witch who’s smarter than everyone in this room. That’s reassuring."

Silas ignored him, his gaze fixed on the table.

"No," he said quietly. "It’s not as bad as it sounds."

Atlas frowned. "Explain."

Silas tapped the wooden surface once.

"Think about it. Whomever this woman is, she’s been operating in secrecy for weeks now. Murder, psychological manipulation, testing Celeste’s power." His eyes flicked briefly toward me. "If she’s still doing all that, it means she’s waiting for something."

Azrael nodded faintly. "An outcome."

"Exactly," Silas continued. "Which means if we change the board... she’ll react."

Luther’s brows lifted. "You’re suggesting bait."

"Not suggesting," Silas said. "Confirming."

The word hung between us.

My stomach twisted slightly.

Atlas leaned forward again, interest sparking in his eyes. "What kind of bait?"

Silas tilted his head toward me.

Every single pair of eyes turned in my direction.

"Me?" I blinked.

"Not exactly," Silas said calmly. "But close enough."

Luther immediately shook his head. "Nope. Absolutely not. I’m not throwing Celeste into some trap just to see who jumps out."

"It wouldn’t be a trap for her," Silas countered. "It would be a trap for the killer."

Azrael’s lips curved faintly. "I believe I see where this is going."

Atlas’s eyes lit up.

"Wait..."

He snapped his fingers.

"The Vein."

Silas nodded in approval. "If the culprit is studying Celeste’s connection to the Vein, then we give them what they want."

A slow realisation dawned over me. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

"You mean... we make it look like I’m losing control again."

"Exactly," Silas said.

Luther dragged a hand down his face. "Gods, I hate that this actually makes some sense."

Azrael spoke again, voice quiet but thoughtful:

"She will come."

Atlas glanced at him. "You sound very certain."

"If she is indeed orchestrating these events," Azrael replied, "then Celeste is the centrepiece of her entire design. A new Vein outburst would be impossible for her to ignore."

Silas looked back at me. "So we stage one."

My heart beat a little faster. "That’s... insane."

"Probably," Luther admitted. "But so far insanity seems to be working in this academy."

Atlas drummed his fingers against the table, mind clearly racing through possibilities.

"We could do it in the training grounds. Controlled environment. I’ll set containment wards."

"And I’ll watch the shadows," Azrael added.

Luther cracked his knuckles. "And if this psycho shows up, we grab her before she realises what’s happening."

For a moment no one spoke.

Then I slowly exhaled. "...Alright."

Four heads turned toward me.

"If this woman has been using me as an experiment," I continued, "then she’s going to regret it."

A faint grin spread across Luther’s face. "That’s my chaos princess."

The tension around the table eased slightly.

But as everyone started discussing details, Luther suddenly straightened beside me.

"Actually," he said. His tone had changed. Quieter. More serious. "Celeste... there’s something I need to tell you."

I turned to him.

"What is it?"

He hesitated, glancing briefly at the others.

"Not here," he said.

Then he met my eyes again.

"I need to talk to you. Privately."