Chapter 1 THE SHADOW ON THE BALCONY

RILEY’S POV

“If they find out about us… they’ll ruin us both.”

The words hit me before I even stepped all the way through the balcony door.

I froze, hand still curled around the cold metal handle, my dying phone slipping in my other palm.

I’d only come out here for air—away from the thundering bass, the glitter, the way everyone acted like this night was the start of something perfect.

Jade had practically dragged me here, begging me to stop hiding behind my laptop for one evening.

But now… now I couldn’t make myself turn around and leave.

Selena Voss stood pressed to the railing, her gold silk dress glowing even in the dim light, her back to me.

The girl everyone called campus queen, who had everything anyone could ever want… she sounded like she was about to break apart.

“Ruin us?” The man’s voice was rough, low, edged with a kind of fury that didn’t feel like it was aimed at her.

“They’ll have to get through me first.”

“Please—don’t say that. You don’t know how far they’ll go.”

“Then tell me how far.” He shifted just enough that I saw it.

His black dress shirt was tugged low at the back, slipping off one broad shoulder.

And there, inked deep into his sun-warmed skin, was the dragon—scales swirling dark and sharp, coiled tight around a jagged dagger, its tail wrapping all the way around his ribs like a chain.

Selena reached for him, her fingers brushing his arm, and he flinched—not away from her, but like touching her hurt.

“I can’t. Not here. Not now. If anyone sees us—if anyone finds out what I found—”

“What did you find, Selena?” His voice dropped, sharp and urgent.

“Tell me. Now.”

She hesitated, breath hitching. “Just meet me. Tomorrow night. The old observatory. Midnight. It’s the only place they won’t watch.”

He was quiet for a long time.

Then he reached up and pulled his jacket closed, hiding the tattoo completely, like he’d suddenly remembered anyone might be watching.

“I’ll be there. But if you’re not there by 12:15… I’m coming looking for you. And I won’t care who sees me.”

“Okay. Okay, I promise.” She grabbed his hand, squeezing so tight her knuckles went white.

“Just… don’t let them win.”

“Never,” he said, so quiet I almost missed it. “Never.”

And then he was gone.

He slipped through the rusted fire exit door without another sound—no name, no goodbye, just boots hitting metal stairs soft and fast, vanishing into the dark before I could even catch a glimpse of his face.

Selena stayed there for a minute longer, staring at the empty doorway like she was waiting for him to come back.

Then she lifted a hand to her face, swiped at her eyes fast, and smoothed down her dress.

When she turned back toward the ballroom, her head was high, her smile was bright, and she looked exactly like the girl everyone adored—like nothing had happened at all.

I stayed pressed to the wall until the door clicked shut behind her, my heart hammering so hard it hurt.

I didn’t know who he was. I’d never seen him before. I had no name, no face—only that tattoo burned into my mind, and the sound of two people terrified of what might get exposed.

“Riles?”

Jade’s voice made me jump.

She pushed open the door, holding two cups of punch, her eyebrows knitting together when she saw my face.

“Whoa, hey. You look like you just saw a ghost. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I said too fast. “Just… fresh air, that’s all.”

“Bullshit.” She set the cups down on the railing and stepped closer, her voice dropping.

“I saw Selena come back in. She looked like she’d seen a ghost too. Were you talking to her?”

“No. I just… heard her talking to someone.”

“Someone? Who?”

“I don’t know. He was in the shadows. I never saw his face.”

Jade’s eyes narrowed. “What did he look like? Tall? Short? Anyone we know?”

“Tall. Broad shoulders. Deep voice. That’s all I got.” I hesitated, then added quieter, “He had a tattoo. On his back. A dragon wrapped around a dagger.”

Jade frowned, shaking her head. “Never heard of anyone around here with something like that. Must be someone from off-campus.”

“Maybe.” But something in my gut said that wasn’t right.

The way he knew the observatory.

The way he spoke like he belonged here, even if no one ever saw him.

“Okay, listen.” Jade grabbed my shoulders, firm but gentle.

“Whatever that was… it’s not our mess. We go back inside, we dance, we eat way too much cake, and we forget we ever stepped out here. Got it?”

“Riles?”

“Yeah,” I lied. “Yeah. Got it.”

I let her lead me back toward the music, but my feet felt heavy.

I kept glancing over my shoulder at the empty balcony, at the dark stairs where the stranger had vanished.

Jade pulled me toward the dance floor, laughing as she took my hand, but I barely heard her.

I kept turning over every word I’d heard, every detail I’d seen—trying to find something, anything, that would tell me who he was.

I was just about to force a smile when the music cut out.

For a heartbeat, there was only silence.

And then—

A scream tore through the night.

Sharp, raw, and coming fr

om directly below where I’d been standing only minutes before.