There had been something soulless in Maya's gaze, as though the girl had lost everything, and in that moment, nothing mattered but vengeance.
What if that girl truly became a threat to the Academy?
Amy thought with a grimace.
She didn't want to imagine the damage Maya could cause if pushed too far.
Shaking the thoughts from her mind, she straightened up and pushed herself off the wall.
There was nothing more she could do here. It was time to leave.
As she made her way down the dimly lit corridors, Amy's thoughts churned.
There was so much at play, so many questions unanswered.
And above all, the looming shadow of whoever—or whatever—was responsible for the attack.
After some time, she found herself outside the doctor's office.
Pausing for a moment, Amy knocked lightly on the door.
"Come in," a calm, composed voice called from within.
Amy opened the door and stepped inside, the familiar scent of herbs and antiseptic filling her senses.
The doctor, a tall man with sharp features and an air of quiet authority, sat behind his desk.
His white coat was immaculately clean, and his hair, streaked with silver at the temples, was neatly combed.
He held the poise of someone accustomed to the formalities of royalty, yet there was an air of warmth to him—a rare trait among the upper echelons of the Academy.
"Did you do as I asked?"
Amy asked, not bothering with pleasantries as she closed the door behind her.
The doctor nodded, his steely gaze softening ever so slightly.
"As you requested, Miss Bluerose," he said in his deep, steady voice.
"I've gone over Noah's medical records and his current condition following the incident."
He reached for a folder on his desk and slid it toward her, though he didn't seem to expect her to read it.
"I must say, it's quite peculiar.
The boy was brought to me bleeding, and yet, after my examination, there were no external injuries to speak of.
Not a single wound remained.
His body, by all accounts, should've been gravely injured, but what I found was... strange."
Amy's brow furrowed as she listened.
"Strange how?"
The doctor leaned back in his chair, folding his hands in front of him.
"Thank you," she said quietly, her voice betraying her frustration as she stood up and made for the door.
The doctor inclined his head in acknowledgment.
"If you need anything further, Miss Bluerose, don't hesitate to reach out."
She nodded absently and left the office, her thoughts swirling with confusion.
As the door clicked shut behind her, she let out a heavy sigh, her mind spinning.
What am I missing?
The image of the tattoo was burned into her memory, but now... Now she was second-guessing herself.
Had it been a hallucination brought on by exhaustion? Stress?
But there were bigger problems at hand.
As student council president, she had responsibilities, and the threat of an unknown assailant still lurked within the Academy walls.
There's a killer out there, she reminded herself.
Whether it was an individual or a group, someone was hunting down students, and she needed to be vigilant.
For now, things were calm, but Amy knew it was only a matter of time before another attack happened.
Until then, she had to keep the peace.
She had to prevent a panic from spreading through the Academy.
The students were already on edge, and any sign of an internal threat could cause an uproar that would be impossible to control.
For now, she thought as she walked away, her resolve hardening.
I'll keep this quiet.
But the truth will come out soon enough.
***
Ariana stood on the balcony of her luxurious room in Silvercrest Hall, her blonde hair catching in the cold night breeze.
Her gaze was distant, lost in the sprawling view of the academy grounds below.
Beside her, a green sparrow spirit bird hovered, its tiny wings flapping rhythmically in the stillness of the evening.
The bird chirped softly, its voice a delicate whisper only she could hear.
Its message was clear, but Ariana remained silent, her fingers resting lightly on the balcony railing.
She listened patiently, her expression unreadable as the sparrow's words filled the quiet air.
After what felt like an eternity, Ariana's lips parted, her voice barely above a whisper.
"What... Noah was attacked?"
The sparrow continued flapping, its message delivered, but Ariana's heart had already skipped a beat.