Secrets in the Shadows

The following morning, Celeste awoke to the sound of her alarm and Nora groaning from the bunk below.

“Why does school have to start so early?” Nora muttered, burying her face in her pillow.

Celeste chuckled as she climbed down. “I guess they want us to suffer.”

After a quick shower and a bite of toast from the dorm kitchen, Celeste headed out, her thoughts already racing. Today was her chance to start piecing together the puzzle of the Crown of Aetheris.

Her first lead? The Academy’s library.

St. Orion’s library was more like a cathedral than a study space. High vaulted ceilings and stained-glass windows cast colorful patterns on the rows of ancient bookshelves. Celeste wandered through the aisles, her fingers brushing against leather-bound tomes, until she found the section on magical history.

She pulled out a book titled Legends of the Forgotten Kingdoms and settled into a corner table. As she flipped through the pages, her pulse quickened.

There it was—the same crown symbol from her mother’s journal. The accompanying text read:

"The Crown of Aetheris, forged in the fires of the Astral Forge, is said to grant its bearer unparalleled power. Hidden for centuries, its location remains a mystery, though whispers suggest it lies within the Forest of Umbra."

Celeste frowned. The Forest of Umbra was the dense woodland behind the academy. Could it really be that close?

“Interesting choice of reading material.”

Celeste jumped, nearly knocking the book off the table. Adrian Blackwood stood behind her, his signature smirk firmly in place.

“What do you want?” she snapped, slamming the book shut.

Adrian raised an eyebrow. “Relax, scholarship girl. Just curious about your sudden interest in fairy tales.”

“It’s for a class project,” she lied, slipping the book into her bag.

“Uh-huh,” he said, clearly unconvinced. “Well, don’t let me stop you. Have fun chasing your imaginary crown.”

As he walked away, Celeste let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. Adrian was too observant for his own good.

But there was no time to worry about him now. If the Crown of Aetheris was in the Forest of Umbra, she had to act fast.

That evening, Celeste found herself standing at the edge of the forest, the trees looming like silent sentinels. She clutched a flashlight in one hand and her mother’s journal in the other.

“This is crazy,” she muttered to herself. “But what choice do I have?”

Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the shadows.

The forest was eerily quiet, the only sounds the crunch of leaves underfoot and the occasional hoot of an owl. Celeste followed the map she had sketched from her mother’s notes, her flashlight beam cutting through the darkness.

After what felt like hours, she reached a clearing. At the center stood an ancient stone pedestal, covered in moss and engraved with the same crown symbol.

Celeste’s heart raced as she approached. This had to be it.

But before she could investigate further, a voice cut through the silence.

“Well, well. Looks like I’m not the only one who knows about this place.”

Celeste whirled around to see Adrian stepping into the clearing, his hands in his pockets and a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“What are you doing here?” she demanded, clutching the journal to her chest.

“I could ask you the same thing,” he said, his gaze flicking to the pedestal. “But I think I already know.”

“How—”

Adrian smirked. “You’re not the only one with secrets, Celeste.”

Before she could respond, the ground beneath them trembled. The pedestal began to glow, symbols lighting up one by one.

Adrian’s smirk faded. “What did you do?”

“I didn’t—” Celeste started, but her words were drowned out as a burst of light engulfed the clearing.

When the light faded, they were no longer alone.