Chapter 74 CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR | ORDERS

Chapter 74 CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR | ORDERS
CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR | ORDERS

RONAN

I reached the school compound just before dawn, the sky still dark and heavy. Noise hit me first. There was shouting, crying, and feet running everywhere.

The lights were on and doors were opened. People were moving like ants with no direction. I did not bother to stop to ask why. All I wanted was Aspen.

“Hey, what happened here?” someone shouted behind me. Another voice answered, “I heard someone died.” “Is it true?” “They say blood was everywhere.” The words brushed past me and fell away. I kept moving.

I ran toward the dormitory hall, and a guard stepped into my path. “You can’t go in,” he said, grabbing my arm. “It’s not safe.”

“Move,” I said, pulling free. “Someone is inside.”

He tried again, harder this time. “Orders are orders. We’re locking it down.”

I leaned in close, my voice low. “If you stop me, I will break your hand.” I didn’t wait to see if he believed me. I pushed past him and sprinted.

People stood in clusters, whispering, pointing. “What happened?” “Who did it?” “Where is the body?”

I climbed the stairs two at a time, my chest tight and my breath sharp. Every step felt like it might be too late.

I reached my door and paused, fear hitting me hard. I pushed it open.

Aspen sat on the bed, still as stone, her hands in her lap, her eyes fixed on the wall. For a second, I couldn’t breathe. Then relief rushed through me so fast that my knees almost gave out.

“Aspen,” I whispered.

I crossed the room and pulled her into my arms, and I held her tight, pressing my face into her hair and breathing her in, but she didn’t respond. There was no hug, no tears, not even a sound.

“Aspen,” I said again, softer. Nothing.

I pulled back and looked at her face. Her eyes were open, but empty, like she wasn’t really there. My heart started to race again.

I shook her shoulders gently at first. “Hey. Look at me.”

She swayed slightly, then focused, just a little. Her lips moved.

“I just killed a man,” she said.

The room went quiet. My ears rang. I felt cold spread through my body, slow and deep. I searched her face for fear, for lies, for anything, but there was nothing. Just truth sitting heavy between us.

Ronan was shocked, and I coughed, not believing what I just heard. “You did what?” I asked, needing to hear it again. Aspen looked at me, calm and broken.

“I killed a man,” she said. My legs felt weak. My mind rushed back to the voices outside. “A man died. Where is the body?” “Oh my goodness,” I muttered.

She said it again. “I killed a man.”

I stepped closer and covered her mouth with my hand.

“Don’t say that again,” I whispered.

“Please.” She pulled my hand away slowly. “He was wearing a face mask,” she said. “A mask that looked like Adrian. So I killed him.”

I stared at her. My throat went dry. I swallowed hard and forced my voice steady.

“Aspen, breathe,” I said. “Whatever went wrong, I will fix it. Just calm down.” She watched me like she didn’t trust the world anymore.

I stepped out of the room and into the noise. Yellow tape cut the space like a wound. Guards stood stiff, pushing people back. Someone cried near the stairs.

Another shouted that they saw blood. In the middle of it all lay a body, covered halfway, still and wrong.

I tried to get closer. “Sir, stop,” a guard said, blocking me. I leaned and caught a glimpse.

The face was ruined, stabbed again and again. My stomach turned. I stepped back, shaking, and hurried away before anyone could read my face.

The walk back felt longer. Every step echoed. When I reached the door, it was open.

Aspen stood inside, her hands tight around a knife. The blade pointed at me, trembling. Her eyes were wide now, awake and sharp. “Is Adrian alive?” she asked.

My heart slammed. I raised my hands slowly. “No,” I said, though I wasn’t sure.

“He is not alive.”

Her breath shook. “Then why did he wear his face?” she whispered.

I took a step closer.

“Put the knife down,” I said softly. “You’re safe. I’m here.” She didn’t move.

The knife stayed between us. Outside, sirens grew louder, but inside, time held its breath.

I kept my eyes on the blade, my voice low. “Look at me,” I said.

“Stay with me.”

Her fingers shook harder. I could see cuts on her knuckles. Blood had dried there.

The room smelled like metal and fear. I thought of how close I came to losing her. I thought of the body outside of the mask. My chest burned.

“You were scared,” I said.

“Anyone would be.”

She swallowed.

“He came for me,” she said. “I didn’t plan it.”

I nodded. “I know,” I said. “We’ll get through this.”

I reached out, slow and careful.

She watched my hand until I touched the knife. She let go. The blade fell to the floor. I pulled her into me. She broke then, crying hard and loud.

I held her, feeling the weight of everything. I could hear footsteps rushing past outside.

I closed my eyes and made a vow. No one would take her from me again. I would carry this for her. I would lie if I had to.

I would burn the truth if it kept her safe.

The sun finally rose, pale and cold. Morning came, but nothing felt new. We stood there, holding each other, waiting for what would come next.

Silence pressed in. I breathed slow and steady. “Trust me,” I whispered. She nodded, tired.

Somewhere a bell rang and the day began, heavy and cruel. I stayed, unmoving, ready. For her, always. I would face it all, whatever it cost. We were not alone, not anymore.

Together we would survive this, somehow, no matter the scars. But first of all, I needed to find a way to get rid of the evidence that could point to her.