Chapter 4 He Found Me

“He found me.”

Skylar’s words echoed inside my head long after she disappeared. The shadows dissolved from the arena, leaving behind shattered stone, terrified students, and complete chaos.

For a moment, nobody moved, nobody breathed. Then reality crashed back all at once. Guards flooded the arena, professors shouted orders, and students screamed over one another while healers rushed toward the injured. 

But all I could think about was Skylar. My sister was alive. A sharp grip closed around my arm. “Sharon.” Jaden’s voice snapped me back instantly. His golden eyes searched my face carefully.

“You know them.” Not a question. I pulled away too fast. “I don’t.” I lied.

Even Rowan looked unconvinced. “Uh,” he said awkwardly, “the creepy shadow girl literally said your name.”

My chest tightened painfully. I didn’t know what to say. Because how could I explain this without exposing everything? Without exposing myself?

Coach Mira approached us with several academy guards behind her. Her expression was unreadable. “That wasn’t random,” she said sharply. “Tell me what’s going on.” I swallowed hard. “I don’t know.” 

“Enough.” The force in her voice made me flinch. The surrounding guards immediately stiffened.

Jaden stepped slightly closer to me. He was being protective. “We should question her somewhere private,” he said calmly.

Coach Mira studied him carefully. “You’re defending her awfully fast.”

“She’s scared.” “And dangerous,” one of the guards muttered. I froze.

The curse beneath my skin pulsed angrily. Dangerous, monster, and freak. The words always sounded the same eventually.

Coach Mira noticed the shadows twitch around my hands. “So it’s true,” she said quietly.

Fear sliced through me. No. Please no. Jaden noticed my panic instantly. “She’s not a threat,” he said firmly.

“You can’t know that,” the guard snapped.

The tension in the arena shifted dangerously. Students nearby were openly staring now, whispering and watching me, I might explode. Maybe I would. Because my pulse was spiraling too fast.

The curse reacted to fear. And right now? I was terrified.

Coach Mira exhaled sharply. “Take her to the headmaster.” My stomach dropped. That sounded very bad.

Two guards immediately stepped toward me. Instinct took over, and the shadows around my feet exploded outward violently. Everyone stumbled backward, including the guards.

A collective gasp spread through the arena. I stared down at the darkness twisting uncontrollably around my body. No no no, not again.

“Sharon,” Jaden said carefully. His voice cut through the panic flooding my head. “Look at me.” I couldn’t. If I looked at him, he’d see how scared I was and how broken I was.

The shadows climbed higher up my arms. Students backed away even faster now. One girl started crying.

“I said look at me.” The command in Jaden’s voice made my head snap up. Golden eyes locked onto mine instantly.

And somehow, the curse hesitated. His expression softened slightly. “Breathe.” I hated that it actually helped.

Slowly, the darkness stopped spreading. The arena fell silent.

Even Coach Mira looked shocked. Because somehow… Jaden had calmed the curse. Impossible. The same realization flashed across his face too.

“What are you?” he whispered. The question hurt more than it should have. I looked away first.

Coach Mira recovered quickly. “Enough. Bring her now.” This time I didn’t resist. Mostly because I was too exhausted to fight.

The academy halls felt colder as we walked through them. Guards surrounded us while students moved aside nervously wherever we passed, whispers followed me everywhere.

“Was that corruption magic?” “She attacked the guards.” “The intruders wanted her.” 

I kept my eyes on the floor. Rowan walked beside me despite everything. "Are you doing okay?” he asked quietly. “No.” “At least you’re honest.” A weak laugh almost escaped me. 

Jaden walked ahead with Coach Mira, arguing in low voices. I caught pieces of it. “She’s unstable” “She needs protection” “You don’t know what she is—” Neither did I anymore.

We finally stopped outside massive iron doors carved with glowing runes. Headmaster Orion Valecrest’s office. 

One of the guards pushed the doors open. The room inside looked ancient. Towering bookshelves lined the circular walls while enchanted artifacts floated beneath the ceiling. Large windows overlooked the entire academy.

And Headmaster Valecrest was standing beside the fireplace. He was tall, silver-haired, and sharp-eyed. Power radiated from him so heavily that it made my skin ache. He turned slowly as we entered. He looked at me immediately.

And something strange flickered across his expression. Which was recognition. My stomach twisted, he knows.

Coach Mira crossed her arms. “The attackers came for her.” The headmaster stayed silent for several seconds. He was studying me.

Then finally, “What is your full name?” The question caught me off guard. “Sharon Wilson.”

The room went still. Even the fire seemed quieter somehow. The headmaster’s expression darkened slightly. “Wilson,” he repeated softly. Fear crept into my chest. He knew that name.

Everyone important in Valerith knew what happened to my mother. The woman who was executed for forbidden magic. The monster. 

Headmaster Valecrest walked closer slowly. “Your mother,” he said carefully, “was Elena Wilson.” Not a question. I nodded once. The room felt suffocating now.

Coach Mira looked genuinely shocked. Jaden’s eyes widened slightly. Apparently, this was news to him too.

The headmaster exhaled heavily. “I was afraid of this.” Ice slid down my spine. Afraid of what? Before I could ask, the office doors burst open violently.

A guard stumbled inside, pale-faced and breathless. “Headmaster” 

“What happened?” Coach Mira demanded. The guard swallowed hard. “The eastern tower vault…” His voice shook. “It’s been opened.”

The headmaster’s expression was drained of color. “That’s impossible.” “There’s more,” the guard whispered. Everyone went silent. 

The guard looked directly at me. “They left a message.” Fear twisted violently inside my chest. “What message?” Jaden asked.

The guard hesitated. Then quietly said, “The Shadow Heir has returned.”