The clinking of cutlery and the distant hum of chatter filled the cafeteria, creating a steady rhythm that blended with the rich aroma of fresh coffee, sweet pastries, and sizzling eggs. Sunlight poured through the large windows, casting a golden hue over the polished wooden tables.
I sat across from Afa, casually eating while stealing glances at her as she was sothing else.
The way she carried herself—bold, confident, and effortlessly beautiful—was enough to make heads turn. Dressed in that black-laced dress, her bare shoulders gleaming in the morning light, she looked like a woman who owned every space she walked into. And the best part? She knew it. The slight smirk playing on her lips told she enjoyed the attention.
Afa caught staring.
"Like what you see?" she teased, twirling her fork between her fingers.
I scoffed, shaking my head. "I was just wondering how soone like you manages to wake up looking this good."
She giggled, cutting a small piece of her toast. "Flattery so early in the morning? You must really want sothing from ."
I leaned back in my chair. "Maybe. Maybe not."
She raised an eyebrow, amused. "Keep playing mysterious, Austin. I'll figure you out eventually."
I smirked. "Oh? You think you've figured out already?"
Her lips curled into a knowing smile. "I saw you long before we officially t, you know?"
I frowned slightly, my interest piqued. "What do you an?"
She took a slow sip of her drink, then placed the cup down gently, her eyes never leaving mine.
"Since the carnival tree incident," she said, her voice carrying a hint of nostalgia. "I saw everything. You vanished from the ground, and then the hero of darkness ca… fought like a ghost in the night. Instantly, I recognized that it was you."
My grip on my fork tightened slightly.
That day—no one was supposed to know what happened. Sighhhh.
For the longest ti, I believed my secret was safe. That no one had managed to connect the dots between and the Zero that moved through the darkness. But Afa… she had known all along?
I stared at her, utterly astonished.
"You're one of few people to know that," I admitted, my voice quieter than before.
She leaned in slightly, resting her chin on her palm. "Really?"
I shook my head. "Yep."
A smug look crossed her face. "Hah. Guess that makes special then, huh?"
I exhaled sharply, then reached across the table, cupping her cheeks with both hands.
"Ow, hey—!" she protested, but I ignored her, pulling her cheeks hard.
"Don't tell anyone," I warned, stretching her face.
"Heh—thiff iff abuffff!" she mumbled through squished cheeks.
I smirked, finally letting go. She pouted, rubbing her face. "You're so an!"
I chuckled. "Maybe. But I can't have my secrets getting out, now can I?"
Afa rolled her eyes. "Relax, hero. I have no reason to spill your secrets. Besides, it's kinda sexy knowing sothing no one else does."
I shook my head at her antics as we continued eating, exchanging playful remarks in between.
At so point, as I glanced around the cafeteria, I noticed sothing—or rather, soone missing.
John's not here today.
That was strange. Yesterday, he had appeared out of nowhere when I was with Lyra.
I tapped my fingers against the table, thinking. Was it a coincidence, or sothing else?
Afa noticed my change in expression and smirked. "Thinking about sothing? Or maybe… soone?"
I raised an eyebrow at her. "What are you getting at?"
She leaned forward slightly, a teasing glint in her eyes. "Oh, I just know exactly how popular you are with girls."
I exhaled, shaking my head. "Here we go…"
"Don't 'here we go' !" she grinned. "Everywhere I look, you've got so new pretty thing hanging off your arm. It's like you're collecting them or sothing."
I took a bite of my food, pretending not to hear her.
She gasped dramatically. "Ohh? Are you ignoring now? Guilt is written all over your face!"
I swallowed my bite and shrugged. "You're imagining things."
She squinted at . "Am I? Because I rember seeing you with that pink-haired girl a lot. What's her na again?" She tapped her chin, pretending to think. "Oh, right. Lily."
My chewing slowed. Damn it.
Afa grinned. "Caught you off guard, didn't I?"
I cleared my throat. "Not really."
"Liar." She leaned on one elbow, smirking. "So, what's the deal with her?"
"There's no 'deal.'"
"Mhmm. So if I were to walk up to her and ask, she'd say the sa thing?"
I groaned, rubbing my temples. "You're irritating, you know that?"
"And yet, you enjoying talking to ."
I rolled my eyes, but there was no real annoyance behind it.
By the ti we were nearing the end of our breakfast, the playful banter had left the air feeling light and easy. Afa pushed her empty plate aside and stretched.
"So," I said, finishing my last bite. "What's the plan? You had sothing in mind for today, didn't you?"
For a mont, she didn't answer. Instead, her expression changed.
Her eyes darkened, her lips curling into sothing both sultry and challenging. She tilted her head slightly, watching with an intensity that made my stomach tighten.
"Oh, that?" she murmured.
Then, with slow, deliberate movents, she stood up, grabbing both of our plates in her hands. She leaned down just enough for her breath to brush against each other.
"Co with ," she whispered.
And just like that, she walked away, hips swaying ever so slightly.
I watched her for a second before letting out a slow exhale. This girl was going to be the death of . With a shake of my head, I got up and followed.
Whatever she had planned… I had a feeling I was about to find out just how wild my day was about to get.
The streets were alive with the usual morning bustle—vendors calling out their wares, travelers weaving through the roads, and common folk going about their day. The island had a pulse, an unspoken rhythm that kept everything moving. But beneath that rhythm, sothing felt… off.
As Afa and I stepped outside the cafeteria and onto the busy streets, I noticed them.
Guards. Knights. Everywhere.
Dressed in shining armor and dark uniforms, they stood in small groups, questioning civilians, their expressions sharp and calculated. They weren't here for routine patrols. No, they were searching for sothing. Or soone.
I kept my hands tucked into my pockets, walking casually beside Afa, but my eyes scanned the scene with careful attention.
"Looks like they're investigating," I muttered under my breath.
Afa, walking just half a step ahead, glanced sideways at . "No one saw you last night, right?" she asked, her voice low.
I smirked. "Nope. Whoever did…" I paused, watching as one of the guards showed a rough sketch to a rchant. "…died in the blast."
Afa let out a small, approving hum. "Good."
As we walked, I paid close attention to the guards' expressions. They weren't just looking for a suspect. There was sothing more. Sothing hidden beneath their forced calmness.
What are they hiding?
The thought lingered as we crossed the road, stepping onto the stone pavent leading toward a massive building.
The structure lood ahead, its stone walls covered in intricate carvings and towering arches. It stood apart from the other buildings in the district.
Afa didn't hesitate. She walked straight up to the large wooden doors, gripping the iron handle.
She turned to , her lips curling into a knowing smile.
"You're going to love this ride," she said.
I raised an eyebrow. "That so?"
She only smirked in response before pushing the heavy door open.
Inside, the space opened up into a massive auditorium.
The ceiling stretched high above, adorned with elegant chandeliers that bathed the room in a soft golden glow. Rows upon rows of tiered seating circled around a grand stage at the center. The walls were lined with banners—deep crimson and black, embroidered with symbols I didn't recognize.
But the strangest part?
Despite the size of the room, it was empty. No crowd. No murmurs of an audience. Just silence.
I stepped in beside her, scanning the vast space.
"What is this place?" I asked.
Afa shut the door behind us and leaned against it, arms crossed. "A hidden little gem where my Dad asked to not visit."
I turned to her, intrigued. "And why exactly did you bring here?"
She grinned, pushing off the door and sauntering toward . "Because, my dear Austin…" She stopped just inches away, looking up at with playful mischief dancing in her eyes. "You're about to experience sothing you've never seen before."
I exhaled, tilting my head slightly. "Damn, I like to experience it then."
She giggled, grabbing my hand suddenly and pulling forward.
"Co on," she said, leading toward the narrow path on the side of the grand room.
Whatever she had planned… sothing told this was going to be far from ordinary.
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