Chapter 4 The Chamber's Verdict

Selene stood frozen in the center of the council chamber.

Silence swallowed the room, as every pair of eyes remained fixed on her.

Lady Seraphine Draven slowly rose from her seat at the head of the table. Her silver eyes never left Selene's face.

"Who are you?" she asked again, her calm voice carrying effortlessly through the chamber.

Selene swallowed hard. "I..." Her voice caught in her throat. "My name is Selene Vale." She lowered her head, unable to meet Seraphine's piercing gaze.

A scoff echoed across the chamber. "She's lying," one of the elders snapped. "She's no ordinary human."

"Perhaps she's a demon." Another added.

"No," another elder argued. "A witch, or an outcast vampire hiding among humans."

The chamber erupted into heated voices. "She should be executed immediately." "Whatever she is, she's dangerous."

"She cannot be allowed to exist."

"Enough.” Lady Seraphine's voice cut through the chaos like a blade.

Silence returned immediately.

She slowly looked around the chamber. "I refuse to believe she is any of those things."

The elders exchanged uneasy glances.

One elderly vampire rose from his seat. "My Lady, whatever she may be, her existence threatens the balance of our world. We should eliminate her before this spreads beyond Ravenwood."

Several elders nodded in agreement.

Selene's legs gave out beneath her, as she dropped to her knees.

"Please..." she begged, tears spilling onto the polished floor. "Please don't kill me."

Her voice trembled violently. "I don't know what happened. I don't know where those powers came from."

She pressed both hands together. "I'll leave the academy. I'll sign anything you want. I'll never tell anyone about this place. Please... I'm just a human."

"Enough."

Selene flinched, as lady Seraphine stepped closer. "I'm not executing you."

Hope flickered briefly across Selene's face.

"Not until I discover exactly who you are." "I want every detail of her existence investigated, her family, her birth, her blood, everything."

She turned toward the council. "No one is to harm her without my direct permission."

The chamber erupted into murmurs once more. Some elders reluctantly agreed, others looked openly dissatisfied.

Lady Seraphine's eyes swept across them.

"Understood?"

One after another, the elders lowered their heads. "Yes, Lady Seraphine."

She nodded once, as her eyes shifted back to Selene. "Release her from the prison, and take her back to the dormitory.”

“Yes lady Seraphine.” The guards immediately stepped forward.

Selene slowly rose to trembling feet, as the guards escorted her toward the doors, she felt someone's eyes following her.

Lucien. He hadn't spoken a single word, yet his silver-gray eyes never left her until the doors closed behind her.

The walk back to the dormitory felt strangely quiet, neither of the guards spoke.

When they finally stopped outside her room, they stared at her for a moment, before both turned and disappeared down the hallway.

Selene remained standing there for several seconds, and heaved a sign of relief. “Free.” The thought almost made her laugh.

Was she really free? Or simply being watched somewhere else?

She slowly pushed the door open and paused, as she saw a girl with shoulder-length chestnut hair sitting comfortably on the opposite bed, completely lost in a novel.

She looked up immediately and smiled. "Oh!" She closed the book. "You must be my roommate."

Selene blinked. "Erm... yes."

The girl stood up and walked over immediately as she extended her hand. "I'm Lila Mercer, a new scholarship student.”

“I’m Selene, Selene Vale,” she replied automatically, her hand shaking slightly as she gripped Lila’s.

“But… I had a roommate before, I think her name was…” Selene rubbed her head trying to force her chaotic mind to recall the supervisor’s words from days ago. “Jane. Yes…Jane George.”

“Oh, I didn’t meet anyone else here,” Lila said smiling.

“Really?” Selene asked, surprised. “You mean you didn’t see anyone when you came into this room?” Selene pressed, her voice dropping.

“No, not a soul. This side of the room was completely empty,” Lila said, her tone shifting into a sharp, gossipy whisper. “But when I was exploring yesterday, some of the other students told me my roommate had been dragged off and locked away in the school prison. Is that true?”

A knot tightened in Selene's stomach. “So the rumors had already spread through the academy?”

“Yeah! Selene, your name is on literally everyone’s lips,” Lila said, her eyes wide with fascination. “I’ve only been here for twenty-four hours and I already feel like I know your whole life story.”

“What did they say about me?” Selene asked, looking at her curiously.

"They said you overpowered someone no one could ever defeat." Lila frowned, searching her memory. "Lucien... Lucien Draven. I think that was his name.”

Selene’s chest tightened. She stepped closer and gripped Lila’s hands, her voice dropping into a hushed tone. “Lila, listen to me, did you sign a contract before they admitted you here?”

Lila blinked, caught off guard by the sudden intensity in Selene’s grip. “Yeah, of course I did, everyone does, right?”

“What did it say? What was it about?”

“It’s just a standard medical and blood donation clause,” Lila said, waving her hand dismissively. “They said it’s for a specialized health screening program the academy runs. I didn’t think it was a big deal….”

“Wait,” Selene cut her off, her fingers tightening around Lila’s wrists. “Have you been assigned yet?”

Lila’s brow furrowed in utter confusion. “Assigned? What does that even mean? Assigned to what?”

“You need to go back home,” Selene whispered frantically, her eyes darting toward the closed door. “Pack your things right now and run, don't look back, just leave.”

Lila let out a nervous laugh, gently trying to free her hands. “Why? It can’t be that bad, Selene, I literally just got into my dream school, I’m on a full ride, "I've dreamed about getting this scholarship for years. I can't just walk away."

“Lila, you don't understand, this school is a…”

Knock. Knock.

Both girls froze, turning their heads toward the door.

Lila pulled away from Selene, smoothing down her skirt as she walked over and swung the door open.

A female supervisor stood outside, smiling politely."Lila Mercer."

"Yes?"

"It's time."

Lila frowned. "Time for what?"

"Your assignment." The woman’s smile widened, but it didn't reach her eyes. It stretched too far, which sent a violent shiver straight down Lila’s spine.

Lila stepped into the hallway, pausing to look back at Selene. Selene stood in the center of the room, frantically shaking her head, her eyes pleading with Lila to stay.

Lila looked at the supervisor again, fighting back the unease creeping into her chest, as she offered a small wave. “I’ll be right back, Selene,” she said softly, convincing herself everything was fine.

Several minutes later…They arrived before an elegant corridor marked by a polished silver plaque. “VAMPIRE WING”

Lila's smile disappeared, as she looked around.

The supervisor continued walking without looking back.

They stopped outside an expensive apartment. The woman knocked once, and the door clicked and swung open.

Lila stepped into the room, the supervisor ushering her in from behind. Inside, a young boy who looked no older than eighteen sat lounging in a plush velvet armchair.

Lila's eyes wandered across the apartment. It looked nothing like the student dormitories. Rich silk curtains framed towering windows, polished mahogany furniture gleamed beneath crystal lights, and expensive artwork covered the walls.

Without offering a single word of explanation, the supervisor bowed respectfully. “Your assigned thrall has arrived.” then immediately turned to leave.

“Wait, ma’am!” Lila called out, panic finally breaking through her. “I thought… I thought this was supposed to be where they take my blood? Like a clinic or a hospital?”

The supervisor paused at the threshold. She looked at Lila, her eyes completely devoid of human warmth. She didn't answer. Instead, she looked past her toward the boy.

“Your blood will definitely be taken. Just wait,” the woman said coldly, stepping out and slamming the heavy door shut.

Panic tightened around Lila's chest, she hurried after her.

"Wait!" She grabbed the handle. But it was already locked.

She pulled harder, still nothing. A strange silence settled over the room.

Slowly...She turned around, and saw the boy's eyes fixed on hers.

Then...His pupils narrowed. His irises deepened into an unnatural crimson..His expression became frighteningly still.

The air inside the room suddenly grew cold. Lila stumbled backward. "Wh…What..."

The corners of his lips lifted into a slow, unsettling smile. Every instinct screamed at her to run. She spun toward the door, desperately pulling at the handle again, It wouldn't move.

Behind her...A calm voice broke the silence. "You should stop trying."

Lila froze, as she turned around slowly. The boy was no longer standing where she had last seen him, he was just a few steps away from her.

His skin began to pale before her eyes, the color draining from his face until it looked unnaturally white. Dark veins slowly surfaced beneath his skin, spreading across his neck and jaw. His body tensed, and a low, animalistic growl escaped his throat. Then came a sharp crack. Lila gasped as two long fangs slid from his gums, glinting under the light. He lifted his head, and the crimson glow in his eyes burned brighter than before. There was nothing human left in the boy standing before her.

“Please! No! Please!” Lila begged, her voice cracking in pure terror. “Help me! Someone help me! Let me out!”

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