The morning fog clung to the Academy grounds like a cloak of secrets. Rose pulled her cloak tighter and moved through the Hollow—the winding path between ancient trees said to whisper truths and lies alike.
Nimbus hovered close, flickering nervously. "I don't like this place."
"Neither do the shadows," Rose muttered, eyes scanning the mist.
She had been summoned—not by a note or a summons, but by a voice. A whisper curling through the leaves, curling around her like smoke.
"Find me before they do."
Her heart skipped. She knew that voice.
Belladoma.
The Hollow was a place few dared tread. It was said the trees could see your soul and tell your secrets to the wind. Rose felt the eyes of the forest watching her every step.
Then, ahead, a figure emerged from the fog—tall, regal, and cloaked in midnight. Belladoma.
Her eyes softened, but held that same fierce spark. "You came."
"I did," Rose said, voice steady despite the thrum in her chest.
Belladoma stepped closer. "The shared dream was no accident. Our magic… it's intertwined."
Rose swallowed. "What does that mean?"
"It means they're coming. Those who hunt power like ours—blood hunters, relic seekers. They want to claim what we share."
Rose's mind raced. "So what do we do?"
Belladoma's hand found hers—cold, sure, grounding.
"We fight. Together."
A breeze stirred, and the shadows around them deepened. But for the first time, Rose didn't feel alone.
She met Belladoma's gaze, and beneath the danger, beneath the power, something fragile bloomed—trust. And maybe, something more.