Moonviel Academy

Selene's POV

The wind howls as the iron gates of Moonveil Academy creak open, revealing a towering gothic structure that looms against the darkened sky. A sharp chill runs down my spine, but it has nothing to do with the cold.

Something about this place feels... familiar.

Which doesn't make sense.

I pull my jacket tighter around me, stepping cautiously through the entrance as my boots crunch against the gravel path. Students in long cloaks and dark uniforms move through the courtyard, their voices blending into a low hum of chatter and laughter. Some glance at me with mild curiosity. Others don't bother to look at all.

I shouldn't be here.

At least, that's what the gnawing feeling in my gut tells me. But where else would I go? The headmistress had sent for me. An invitation-more like a summons-arrived at my foster home two weeks ago, stating that I had been accepted into Moonveil Academy on a full scholarship.

A place for the gifted. The supernatural.

Which is another thing that doesn't make sense.

I don't remember having powers. I don't remember being special in any way. Hell, I don't even remember most of my past beyond waking up in a hospital bed a year ago, my mind a complete blank.

And yet, Moonveil Academy claims I belong here.

I tighten my grip on the worn leather strap of my bag and keep walking, feeling the weight of unseen eyes on me. The academy is breathtaking-ancient stone towers, glowing lanterns, ivy-covered archways-but there's an eerie energy thrumming beneath it all, something I can't quite place.

The sound of hurried footsteps pulls me from my thoughts. A girl with fiery red curls and sharp green eyes nearly barrels into me, grabbing my wrist before I can step aside.

"New girl, huh?" she says, eyeing me up and down. "You look lost."

She's not wrong.

"Yeah, you could say that."

The girl grins, tossing her curls over her shoulder. "Name's Ivy. Ivy Thornfield. Let me guess-late admission?"

"Something like that." I hesitate before adding, "I'm Selene."

Ivy hums, tilting her head as if studying me. "Selene..." she repeats, testing the name on her tongue. Then, as if deciding something, she nods. "Alright. I like you. Which means I'll help you survive your first week."

"That bad?" I half-joke.

Ivy leans in conspiratorially. "Depends. If you piss off the wrong people? It's worse."

Before I can press her for details, a sudden hush falls over the courtyard. A ripple of tension spreads through the crowd, and I notice students stepping aside, parting like the Red Sea.

And then I see him.

A tall, broad-shouldered figure moves through the courtyard with slow, deliberate strides. He's dressed in the same academy uniform as everyone else, but somehow, he makes it look lethal-a dark jacket unbuttoned just enough to hint at toned muscles, sleeves rolled up to reveal veins and scars, and a sharpness in his storm-gray eyes that could cut through steel.

Power clings to him like a second skin.

I don't know who he is, but the way everyone reacts to him tells me enough. He's important. Dangerous. Untouchable.

Ivy mutters under her breath. "Ronan Blackwood."

The name sends a shiver down my spine.

Ronan.

It feels familiar, but I don't know why.

And then, as if sensing my stare, his gaze snaps toward me.

Our eyes meet.

And just like that-my entire world tilts.

A shockwave of something ancient and electric slams through me, stealing the breath from my lungs. My heartbeat stutters, then races, heat crawling over my skin like fire. It's like I know him-not just in passing, but in a way that's buried deep in my bones, in the very core of my being.

But that's impossible.

I don't know him.

And yet, Ronan Blackwood is looking at me like he knows exactly who I am.

And worse-like he wishes he didn't.

The Headmistress

Ronan Blackwood holds my gaze for a long, unbearable second. His storm-gray eyes darken, sharp and assessing, as if he's trying to place me-like I'm a puzzle piece that doesn't quite fit.

I feel it too.

This strange, electric pull, like a forgotten memory just out of reach.

Then, as quickly as it came, something shifts in his expression. The intensity in his gaze hardens into something colder, unreadable. His jaw clenches, and without another word, he looks away-walking past me like I don't exist.

The air I didn't realize I was holding rushes back into my lungs.

What the hell was that?

Ivy lets out a low whistle beside me, nudging me with her elbow. "Wow. I've never seen him look at anyone like that before."

I force my face into something neutral. "Like what?"

"Like he's trying to figure out if he should fight you or kiss you."

I choke on absolutely nothing. "That's not-"

Ivy just smirks. "Relax, new girl. I'm just saying, Ronan doesn't usually acknowledge people. He barely speaks unless he has to. And the way he just looked at you? That was definitely something."

I shake my head, trying to shrug off the lingering heat in my skin. Whatever just happened, I don't have time to analyze it.

I have bigger problems-like surviving my first day.

After weaving through the maze-like hallways of the academy, Ivy leads me to the Headmistress's office-a massive, circular room lined with towering bookshelves, glowing runes etched into the walls.

At the center of it all, behind an imposing mahogany desk, sits Headmistress Evelyn Voss.

Her piercing blue eyes lock onto me the moment I step inside. "Selene Nightshade." She says my name like it means something. Like she knows me.

I don't move. "You sent for me."

She studies me for a moment, then gestures to the chair in front of her desk. "Sit."

I do.

Ivy lingers near the door, arms crossed, but doesn't speak.

Headmistress Voss leans forward, steepling her fingers. "You're probably wondering why you were admitted to Moonveil."

Understatement of the year. "The thought crossed my mind."

Her lips twitch, almost like she's amused. But it's gone in an instant. "Moonveil Academy is not just a school-it is a sanctuary, a place where supernatural beings learn to control their abilities and understand their place in this world."

I hesitate. "And you think I belong here?"

"We don't think, Miss Nightshade. We know."

Something about the way she says it sends a shiver down my spine.

Headmistress Voss stands, walking toward the massive window that overlooks the academy grounds. "You are here because you are special. Because there is something inside you-something powerful."

A lump forms in my throat. I don't have powers. I don't remember anything.

But then why does this place feel so familiar?

She turns back to me, eyes glinting. "Tell me, Selene. Have you been experiencing... dreams?"

The breath stills in my chest.

I haven't told anyone. Not about the visions, the whispers, the way my body feels like it's remembering things my mind can't.

I force myself to stay still. "Why do you ask?"

Headmistress Voss studies me for a long moment before sliding a thick, leather-bound book across the desk.

I glance down at it. The cover is old, worn with time-but one thing stands out: a golden insignia, glowing faintly against the dark leather.

It's the same symbol I've seen in my dreams.

My pulse pounds.

What the hell is going on?