Chapter 128: A new Astrid

Dove POV

I’d scoured every corner of this gods-forsaken academy. The dorms, the courtyard, the damn kitchens—everywhere Astrid might’ve slipped off to clear her head. Nothing. Not even a whisper of her presence.

Killian had been gone for hours too, pacing the grounds like a wolf on the edge of snapping, but even he returned empty-handed. And Jason… Jason had gone quiet, his silence heavier than any shout. That silence scared me more than anything.

I hugged my arms tight against my chest as I paced outside the library. My heart hammered in a way it never had before. Astrid wasn’t just late, she was gone.

That’s when Professor Sera swept by, arms full of scrolls, her expression calm as ever. “Dove,” she said, her voice clipped but not unkind. “Tell Astrid to meet me in my office in the next few minutes.”

My throat locked. I froze. The look on my face must’ve said everything, because Sera stopped mid-stride and turned fully toward me. Her sharp eyes narrowed. “What?”

I swallowed, hard. My voice came out hoarse, shaky. “She’s… she’s not here, Professor. We haven’t seen her. Not since last night.”

Jason appeared from behind me, his jaw clenched, his eyes darker than storms. “She’s gone.”

Sera’s scrolls slipped from her hands and thudded against the stone floor. For the first time since I’d known her, her composure cracked. “What do you mean—gone?”

“I’ve checked the dorms, the training grounds, the forest edge, even the wards,” Killian said as he strode up, sweat plastering his hair to his forehead. His voice was rough with exhaustion and fury. “There’s no trace of her.”

Silence hit like thunder.

Then Sera straightened, her face pale but stern. “Sound the alarm.”

Within minutes, bells rang across the academy grounds, sharp and merciless. Doors flew open, students rushed out, voices collided in panic and confusion. Headmaster Odin’s voice boomed through the wards, ordering a search of every corridor, every hall, every boundary of the school.

I stood frozen in the chaos, my hands trembling, my eyes burning. Students swarmed past me, shouting Astrid’s name into the wind.

But I couldn’t move. All I could think was—where could she have gone? Who could have taken her?

My stomach twisted painfully. My knees felt weak.

She was more than my roommate, more than my friend. She was… Astrid. Bright, stubborn, impossible Astrid. And now she was just—gone.

A terrible fear bloomed in my chest, one I couldn’t shake. Not even when Jason’s hand gripped my shoulder, steady but tight. Not even when Killian snarled under his breath like a cornered wolf.

No. This wasn’t like her at all. Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong.

And for the first time, I was truly scared we might not get her back.

Astrid POV

The dining hall was a cavern of shadows, lit only by the faint glow of torches that bled gold against stone walls. A long table stretched between us, heavy with untouched food, but my stomach twisted too much to eat. He sat at the other end—my father. Cloaked in fire and shadow, but now with a face revealed: sharp, ageless, handsome in a cruel way that made my skin crawl. His smile was warm, his voice velvet, his eyes endless pits.

I forced myself to sit straighter, picking at the plate before me, feigning calm. Fake it, Astrid. Fake it until you find a way out.

He leaned back in his chair, swirling wine that burned black instead of red. “Do you see it now? How well we fit? You and I—together, we are more than destiny. We are inevitability.”

I rolled my eyes, masking the storm inside me. “You’ve been going on and on about that for hours. What now, huh? I’m here, aren’t I?”

He clicked his tongue, amused, as if I were a child throwing a tantrum. “Children,” he said with a soft chuckle, “so full of drama. Always so certain they know best. But before you can truly be mine, Astrid…”

His hand lifted lazily, two fingers snapping. The air split open with a hiss.

From the shadows slithered something not of this world. A creature, tall and grotesque, with limbs too long and a body that shimmered like smoke caught in firelight. Its face was a void, featureless, but when it breathed, the air reeked of ash and rot. My blood went cold.

Father smiled, pride glinting in his eyes. “This one,” he said, his tone almost affectionate, “will make sure you are mine and mine alone.”

My throat dried. “What are you talking about?”

He leaned forward, voice low and absolute. “Every memory of that academy… every face, every laugh, every bond you forged. Gone. Wiped clean. You will remember only me.”

Tears welled unbidden in my eyes, burning hot as they streaked down my cheeks. My hands curled into fists under the table. “Haven’t you done enough?” I whispered, voice breaking. “You’ve taken everything. Isn’t it enough?”

His gaze hardened. His silence was the answer.

Snap.

Invisible chains clamped around me, gluing my hands to the chair. My head wrenched back, my throat exposed. The creature leaned close, its breath hot and rancid against my skin. I trembled as its shadowy claws pressed against my temples.

I could feel it—digging into my mind, pulling at threads of memory, clawing for the people I loved.

“No,” I gasped, squeezing my eyes shut. “No, please—”

And then, through the agony, I forced my thoughts outward, reaching for the golden thread of bond I shared with Jason, the quiet strength of Killian. You promised to find me, I whispered desperately into the void of our bnd. Please do. Please… bring me back.

The creature exhaled. Cold, suffocating air poured into me, dragging light from my soul. My body convulsed, my eyes rolled back, everything went black—

And then silence.

When I opened my eyes again, the weight of grief was gone. The ache in my chest—gone. Their names? Faded. Their faces? Blurred. I blinked slowly, my lips curving into a smile as if nothing had ever been missing.

A mirror appeared beside me, summoned by his hand. I tilted my head, gazing at my reflection. My once bright eyes were now rimmed with darkness, swirling with a power I didn’t recognize.

Father rose, his smile triumphant. “My daughter.”

A laugh, light and foreign, slipped from me. I pushed up from the chair, walking toward him with a sway of ease, the memories already falling into ash. Leaning against his shoulder, I giggled, the sound haunting.

“Yes, Dad.”

~~

And just like that, Astrid—the girl who had once fought tooth and nail for freedom—was gone. What remained was his.