SERAPHINA
The academy gates loomed ahead, their iron bars silhouetted against the soft hues of approaching dawn. Every step I took felt heavier than the last. Not sure of exhaustion, but from the weight of Ronan’s unwavering gaze burning into my back.
I had honestly thought that if I told him to stop staring, he’d be ashamed, maybe even offended. Instead, it seemed to have the opposite effect. Ever since then, his gaze had become bolder, more deliberate.
I clenched my fists at my sides. If he kept this up, I was going to get exposed. Worse, his sudden silence was unsettling. It wasn’t the absence of sound; it was the presence of scrutiny. Quiet, calculated observation.
My mind kept replaying the night’s events. The rogue’s attack. The ruins. That goddamn moment in the tree, the way his
