The Human Among Wolves (Aurora) novel Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Aurora

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I went straight to my dorm after talking to Zayn, shutting the door behind me a little harder than I meant to. For some reason I thought walking away from him would make me feel lighter, calmer. It didn’t. If anything, the knot in my chest just got tighter.

The girls were already there when I walked in, and of course they immediately bombarded me with questions. They always do. And, like always, I caved. I told them everything–about that strange woman, the child, the basement, and Zayn. Too many details that made no sense, too many questions I couldn’t even begin to answer. The more I said, the worse I felt, like I was digging myself into a hole instead

of climbing out of one.

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Eventually I just collapsed onto my bed, staring at the ceiling while they went quiet around me. My head felt heavy, my body restless. I

wanted answers so badly, but all I had were pieces that didn’t fit together.

My eyes drifted to my desk. The book sat there, waiting, dark and heavy, like it knew exactly how much space it was taking up in my

thoughts. Zayn said he’d translate it tomorrow. Fine. Tomorrow. For now, it was just… there. Sitting. Watching.

And then there was the other problem–the locked room. We still had to figure out how to get inside, and the more I thought about it, the more impossible it felt. Two mysteries piled on top of each other, neither of them giving me anything.

I rolled onto my side, pulling the blanket over my head. Answers had to be out there. They had to. But tonight, all I felt was tired and

tangled up.

Eventually, I fell asleep.

At first, there was only silence and the sound of my own breath echoing back at me. Then–footsteps. Soft, deliberate, drawing closer on

stone.

I was standing in a long corridor I didn’t recognize. The walls pulsed faintly with light, as if veins of gold ran through the stone. My fingertips brushed against it, warm–alive.

At the far end of the hall stood a door. Heavy. Ancient. I knew it without knowing how: if I opened

But I couldn’t move.

A voice floated down the corridor, low and urgent. “Aurenya.”

swers. Maybe all of them.

The sound rooted me to the floor, my chest tightening. A woman’s voice–soft, melodic, but lined with fear. I tried to speak back, but no

sound left my lips.

Then came a second voice. A child’s. “Hurry, they’re coming.”

Shadows stretched along the corridor walls, long arms reaching, twisting, dragging themselves closer. My pulse thundered. I tried to run

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Chapter 35

toward the door, but my legs felt heavy, as if the floc

The woman’s voice again, louder now: “Remember-

The shadows reached me. Cold fingers brushed my shoulder

I woke with a gasp, heart racing.

The room was still dim and quiet except for Mira’s soft breathing. She mumbled something in her sleep and turned over, while Lira had practically buried herself under her blanket, just a tangle of hair sticking out. Selene had fallen asleep with a book balanced on her chest, the page crumpled where it pressed into her. Riven wasn’t in the room, which was weird, but I brushed it off, thinking she probably had

earlier classes than the rest of us.

I dragged myself out of bed, every movement slow and mechanical. Dressing was easier than thinking–uniform, boots, hair pulled back. When I glanced at the mirror above my desk, I almost wished I hadn’t. I looked like I hadn’t slept at all. Pale skin, shadowed eyes.

Haunted, maybe.

And then there was the book. Sitting exactly where I’d left it, like it was watching me. A reminder of everything waiting for me–and of Zayn’s promise to translate it. Today after classes. That felt both too close and not soon enough.

I slung my bag over my shoulder and hesitated, just for a heartbeat, looking at the three of them curled up and breathing easy. They had no idea what was crawling around in my head. Lucky them.

Comments

R Visitor

Shouldn’t she hide the book?

7 days ago

12

бо