Chapter 17 Just After Sally's Tragedy
Sally was dead. The school felt colder than ever, no one could tell if it was grief that hung in the air or the shadow of something darker, or… fear. Gravenmoor seemed to mourn her in silence, its halls unnaturally still, its students whispering only when they thought no one could hear. Kaitlyn hadn’t left the Student Council Hall since the night of her sister’s death. The tall doors, once busy with chatter and footsteps, now remained tightly shut.
She didn’t show up for the morning assembly either, where the principal delivered a long, lifeless speech about the “bright, kind, and talented” Sally. His voice carried through the air, hollow and rehearsed. He spoke of Sally’s achievements and her “devotion” to the school, but the students around me barely listened. To them, Sally’s death was just another tragedy wrapped in gossip. Some whispered it was family pressure, others said academic stress but I knew those were lies. Sally never cared about grades or lectures. She had the kind of power and influence that made rules optional.
The truth was obvious, they weren’t mourning her. They were protecting the school’s reputation.
Even stranger, the news never reported anything about Sally’s suicide. Not a single article, not a mention. A student dying inside Gravenmoor Art Academy had simply been erased, covered neatly with silence. That said everything.
I was on my way to the library, flipping through one of the Latin translation books Oliver had recommended. The letters twisted and tangled like a riddle I couldn’t untangle. Latin was far more complicated than it looked. I was planning to meet Oliver anyway, maybe he could explain a few things.
Then—
Someone’s shoulder slammed into mine, hard enough to knock the book from my hands. It hit the marble floor with a sharp slap. The person didn’t even stop. I turned, annoyed, and saw Naomi walking away.
“Excuse me?” I called after her.
She stopped but didn’t turn. Of course, it was deliberate. “Even if we don’t talk,” I said evenly, “a simple apology would be nice.”
Finally, she turned, her cold gaze meeting mine. Her expression dripped with disdain. “Must you beg for everything?” she said, her tone low and cutting.
“Begging? I wasn’t begging you,” I replied.
“Of course you were,” she sneered. “You’re begging for my attention right now.”
I frowned, taken aback. “What are you talking about?”
“You bumped into me. And now you’re standing here, hoping I’ll acknowledge you. Pathetic,” she said, her lips curling. “Just like how you’re forcing yourself on Adrian. I’m warning you, stay away from him. Or else…”
She suddenly stopped mid-sentence, her eyes shifting past me. I glanced over my shoulder, but there was nothing there. “Or else what?” I asked.
“You’ll regret it,” she said quietly, then added, “You want to be expelled? Keep trying me.”
I smirked. “Over a boy? Seriously?”
“Try me,” she said again, her voice flat and dangerous, before turning sharply and walking away. Her hair swayed with each step, like she’d just won something.
I stood there for a moment, watching her disappear down the corridor. Maybe she wasn’t okay. Or maybe that’s just how rich kids behave, like the world owed them an apology.
“And that’s on period.”
I turned toward the voice I knew all too well. Julian stood by the heavy velvet curtains, half-hidden in shadow, sunlight poured through the windows, but he stayed safely cloaked from it.
I rolled my eyes, slipping my book into my bag. “You’re a stalker.”
He smirked. “Stalker? Me? Stalk you? That’s the last thing I’d waste my time on.”
“Then why are you everywhere?” I asked, crossing my arms.
He gave a lazy shrug. “Just making sure our little secret stays… secret. And about our deal… yes, our deal… I think this is the perfect time to execute it.”
I raised a brow. “How?”
“Sally’s dead, right? There’s an empty seat in the Student Council.”
The words sent a cold sting through me. Since Sally’s mysterious death, I hadn’t even wanted to think about the Student Council. Pretending not to understand, I said, “So?”
He sighed dramatically. “Must I spell it out for your dumb head? Join the Student Council. Take that post. Then you can get inside the Council Hall and bring me the daylight ring.”
I glared at him. “Our deal was to get into the Student Council Hall and find the ring, not become one of them.”
Julian pressed his fingers to his temples, clearly frustrated. “Oh, bloody hell.” His hand fell to his waist as he met my gaze. “How can someone be this forgetful without having their memories wiped? That was the deal. Now tell me, how do you plan to get into the Student Council Hall without being a member?”
“I—”
He cut me off, gripping my shoulders tightly. “You can’t, Lexie. Not when that place is crawling with those cruel, privileged brats. You just met one of them.”
I shoved his hands away. “That’s exactly why I won’t become one of them. I’ll find another way to get the ring without joining.”
He smirked, straightening his suit. “Fine. Be delusional. Get into the Council Hall without being a member, and bring me the daylight ring.”
“Whatever.” I turned on my heel, refusing to look back.
“But not under my watch, Lexie Lambert,” he murmured behind me.