Chapter 72 Chapter 72
The One stood in front of Harper, his tall frame blocking most of the faint moonlight that filtered through the canopy. The forest around them felt alive — branches creaking softly, leaves rustling as if whispering secrets only the trees could understand.
“So you follow every voice calling you?” The One scoffed, his tone laced with both amusement and disapproval. “That’s a quick way to end up dead in these woods.”
Harper shifted her weight, still catching her breath from the strange pull that had drawn her deeper into the trees.
“I thought it was you,” she admitted, her voice quieter than she intended.
The One’s expression hardened slightly.
“Well, it wasn’t. And besides, this place is a graveyard of war — the war between demons and every other creature that wanted us gone. The ground still remembers the taste of blood and wants more.”
Harper’s eyes widened a fraction.
“So what could have been calling me?”
The One shrugged, his black-rimmed eyes scanning the darkness around them as if expecting something to emerge.
“Maybe one of my greater ancestors. They love preying on young people who are still figuring out what their abilities are — easy targets, full of untapped power.”
Harper looked at him, searching his face for any sign of jest, but found none.
“Why are you here?” she asked. “You said you weren’t coming for the camp.”
The One met her gaze, his smirk faint but present.
“Figured people will die here, and for some reason I don’t want you to be a part of it.”
Harper’s eyes widened further.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Nothing serious,” he replied, his tone turning dismissive. “Just don’t go touching seals you have no idea about, okay?”
He turned to leave, stepping deeper into the shadows between the trees.
“Where are you going?” Harper called after him.
“To the boys’ site. Well, I shouldn’t be here, I guess.”
He paused for a second, then added without turning around, “Go back to the camp.”
“But I wanted to go see Kai,” she protested.
“He is fine. Now go back.”
With those final words, The One disappeared — his form dissolving into the darkness as if the forest had swallowed him whole.
Harper stood alone for a moment, the wind rustling the leaves around her. She exhaled slowly, then turned and headed back toward the main camp clearing, her footsteps quicker than before.
When she emerged from the tree line, Sarah and Catherine were already finished setting up their tents — and, to her surprise, they had set up hers as well. The three small canvas shelters stood neatly in a row, sleeping bags inside and a small lantern glowing softly between them.
“You’re back, Harper!” Catherine called out, waving her over. “Where did you go?”
Sarah tilted her head curiously. “Yeah, we thought you got lost or something.”
Harper forced a small smile, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
“Uhm, I needed some fresh air,” she said, keeping her voice light. She still hadn’t told anyone that Kai and Koda were her stepbrothers — or that The One was currently wearing Koda’s body. It felt too complicated, too dangerous to explain right now.
Catherine accepted the answer with a nod.
“Well, good timing. The head counselor just came by and said everyone should come eat. They’re serving dinner by the bonfire pit. Big day tomorrow, apparently.”
Sarah grinned, slinging an arm around Harper’s shoulders.
“Come on, let’s get some food before the good stuff is gone. I heard they have grilled meat and some witch-made desserts that are supposed to taste like magic.”
Harper let herself be pulled along, the warmth of her friends’ company easing the lingering unease from the forest. As they walked toward the central fire, the smell of roasted food and woodsmoke filled the air, and the sounds of laughter and conversation grew louder.
But even as she smiled and chatted with Catherine and Sarah, Harper couldn’t shake the feeling that the woods were watching.
And that The One was somewhere out there, doing something she wasn’t supposed to know about.
—
The One moved quietly through the trees until he reached the boys’ camping site. The area was a wide clearing with rows of sturdy canvas tents pitched neatly under the towering pines. A few lanterns hung from poles, casting warm pools of light on the ground where groups of boys sat talking or organizing their gear. The air smelled of fresh pine and woodsmoke from a small central fire pit where some were roasting snacks.
Kai was sitting on a log near the edge of the clearing, staring at the ground with a distant expression. When he turned his head and saw The One standing just a few feet away, his eyes widened in shock.
Without hesitation, Kai stood and pulled him into a tight hug, clapping him on the back.
The One stiffened for a split second, then awkwardly returned the gesture with a single pat.
Ryan, sitting nearby with a few of his friends, narrowed his eyes.
“I didn’t see Koda’s name on the register list,” Ryan said loudly, his voice cutting through the murmurs. “He wasn’t supposed to be here. Anybody who didn’t register couldn’t come.”
A teacher nearby overheard and walked over, pulling out a clipboard.
“Let me check.”
She scanned the list, then frowned.
“Koda Blackthorn is on here,” she said, holding it up. “Right near the top.”
Ryan snatched the paper, staring at it in disbelief.
“How is that possible? It wasn’t there earlier!”
The One pulled away from Kai’s hug and scoffed.
“Things change,” he said coldly.
Before Ryan could argue further, one of the head counselors — a tall, stern wolf named Elder Garrick — raised his voice.
“Listen up, boys. We’re all heading to the main bonfire in a few minutes to join the girls for story time. Grab your jackets and move out. No stragglers.”
The boys began to stand and gather their things, the energy shifting from relaxed chatter to excited movement.
The students shifted, boys and girls mixing as they moved toward the larger central bonfire pit. Some carried their marshmallows on sticks, the sweet scent mixing with the smoke. Molly sat pressed against Ryan, her eyes flicking toward Harper with clear dislike as the groups converged.
Harper sat with Catherine and Sarah near the fire, the warmth brushing her face. She glanced across the growing crowd and finally spotted The One standing on the edge, arms crossed, staring into the flames. His eyes were turning black again — the brown completely swallowed by darkness.
Elder Elowen raised her hands, and the fire flared brighter, casting dramatic shadows across the trees.
“Tonight,” she began, her voice rich and melodic, “we tell the old stories. The ones that remind us why we train, why we learn to work together. This is the tale of how the demons were driven to extinction.”
The students leaned in, the crackle of the fire the only other sound.
“Long ago,” Elder Elowen continued, “demons walked openly among us. They were beings of pure chaos and raw power — stronger than wolves, more cunning than witches, more relentless than vampires. They terrorized every realm, feeding on souls, twisting magic, and leaving nothing but ruin in their wake. Packs fell. Covens were shattered. Entire bloodlines were erased.”
She paused, letting the weight of her words sink in.
“The wolves fought bravely, but their claws could not kill what had no true body to wound. The vampires tried to drain them, but demons had no blood to give. It was the witches who found the way. Through forbidden rituals and ancient blood pacts, they created the Great Seal — a prison woven from the very fabric of the earth. One by one, the demons were trapped and sealed away. The last of them were hunted down until none remained in the open world.”
Her voice dropped to a near whisper.
“Or so we thought. Some say a few survived… hidden. Waiting. And that the seals are weakening.”
Harper’s eyes drifted to The One again.
He stood motionless, staring into the flames, his eyes now completely black.
Suddenly, a loud growl echoed from the forest.
Deep. Menacing. Unnatural.
The students jumped, some screaming, others clutching each other.
Elder Elowen’s face went pale.
“Everyone inside! Abandon the tents — get into the main lodge immediately!”
Chaos erupted.
Students scrambled to their feet, running toward the large wooden lodge at the edge of the clearing.
Harper stood quickly, heart racing.
She pushed through the crowd until she reached The One.
He was still standing there, staring into the dark trees, his eyes completely black now.
She grabbed his arm.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
He didn’t answer.
Only the growl came again — closer this time.