Chapter 131 131- Do Not Go To The Library After Dark
LEXI
Professor Cage and I finally reach the exit of the building, and I slow slightly, my legs protesting, my head still spinning just enough to make everything feel
unstable. The doors loom in front of us, and for a second I just stand there, trying to steady myself, trying to think through the fog pressing in on my
thoughts.
“I think you should head to the dorms,” he says, his tone clipped but focused.
“Your dorm room is the only place the Academy can fully adapt to you. It can change things there, more than it can everywhere else. It should hide you,
protect you, give you what you need. Find your phone. Call Blake.” He clarifies. I nod, even though it takes a second for the words to really sink in. The plan
is simple. Straightforward. Safe. Or… as safe as anything can be right now.
“Academy, can you get me to the dorms without being seen, like you did when you took me to Ellorie’s room?” I say quickly, glancing around as unease
prickles under my skin. The door shifts slightly, closing just a fraction with a soft, dull thud. No. It’s not even a sound, not really, but I know what it means.
My stomach sinks.
“Damn it,” Cage mutters under his breath, jaw tightening as he looks out through the glass, clearly recalculating.
“When you have a chance, you run. As fast as you can. Straight to the dorms. Do not stop. Do not hesitate. And do not trust anyone you run into, unless it’s Blake.” he says, turning back to me, his voice sharper now. I frown, something about the way he’s saying it setting off alarm bells.
“Why are you talking like you’re about to ditch me?” I ask, unease creeping into my voice.
“Because I am,” he answers immediately. The bluntness of it hits harder than I expect.
“There are too many hunters out there,” he continues, already scanning the courtyard beyond the doors.
“I might not be much of a fighter, but I am fast. And I’m a hell of a lot harder to catch in my fox form than you are like this.” His eyes flick over me, taking in my unsteady stance, the blood, the way I’m barely holding it together.
“Get ready,” he prompts. My chest tightens.
“Wait-” I start, but before I can say anything else, the Academy moves. The door opens. Professor Cage steps outside immediately, not even glancing back. He takes a few steps away from the entrance, just enough distance to be seen, then he yells.
“I found her!” he shouts, his voice carrying loudly across the courtyard.
“The unicorn, she’s this way!” He continues. For half a second, panic slams into me, sharp and overwhelming, before my brain catches up. He’s lying.
Distracting them for me. He turns and runs toward the library without hesitation, his pace fast and deliberate. Almost instantly, movement erupts across the
courtyard. Shadows break away from walls and corners, figures emerging from hiding. At least half a dozen of them. They sprint after him without question My heart hammers in my chest as I watch them go, adrenaline surging hard enough to cut through the dizziness. Once they’ve passed me, once the path is clear, I run. Or… I try to. It’s messy. Uncoordinated. My legs feel heavy and unreliable, my balance off just enough that every step feels like I might trip. My head throbs with every movement, the world tilting slightly around me. But I keep going. I’m out of breath and my chest is burning. Adrenaline, willpower That’s all I have, and right now it’s enough. Barely. The dorms come into view, closer with every uneven step, and a fragile sense of relief starts to build in my chest. Then a shout echoes behind me. Loud. Angry. They’ve realised. I can’t help it, I glance back over my shoulder for just a second Just long enough to see him. Professor Cage, already in his fox form, darting across the courtyard, fast and agile, weaving between obstacles like it’s nothing. The hunters are turning, shouting, trying to redirect, but he’s already pulling away, creating chaos, buying me time. I let out a shaky breath of tehet. He’ll be fine, He’s too fast for them. He’ll lose them. But that thought barely settles before another one crashes in to replace it. That means they’ll be looking for me again. I snap my gaze forward and force my legs to keep moving, pushing through the dizziness, the pain, the exhaustion I’m so close. I just need to make it a little
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Chapter 131 131- Do Not Go To The Library After Dark
further. Just a little more.
The doors to the dorms fly open just as I reach them, and I stumble inside, barely catching myself as I slam a hand against the wall to stay upright. The
impact sends a sharp spike of pain through my skull, and I immediately regret it, squeezing my eyes shut as nausea rolls through me. Yeah… I’m definitely
going to throw up. I swallow hard, forcing it back down, but the dizziness is worse now that I’ve stopped running, the world tilting slightly in a way that
makes it hard to stay balanced. My head is pounding, heavy and relentless, and it’s getting harder to think clearly. Concussion. Definitely a concussion.
Which means trying to heal myself would be a terrible idea. The thought flickers through my mind, tempting, but I shove it away just as quickly. I can barely
focus right now, if I tried to use magic, I’d probably mess it up and make things worse. No. Bad idea. Using the wall to prop myself up, I force my legs to
keep moving, dragging myself forward down the hall. I’m just reaching the corridor that leads to my room when I hear it, footsteps. Loud. Fast. Too close.
My heart lurches and I push myself faster, ignoring the way my body protests, ignoring the way my vision blurs at the edges. The hallway feels too long,
stretching out in front of me like it’s actively working against me, but I keep going, one step at a time, until finally, my door. It flies open before I can even
reach for it, and I practically fall inside. The moment I cross the threshold, it slams shut behind me and locks. Once, twice, three times… no, more than that.
A rapid series of clicks echoes through the room, over and over until it sounds like every possible lock has been engaged. I blink, swaying as I turn to look.
The door looks… different. Reinforced. Stronger. Like the Academy didn’t just lock it, it fortified it.
“Thanks,” I mumble weakly, leaning back against the wall as my whole body starts to shake now that I’ve stopped moving. My heart is still racing, my breathing uneven, my head pounding so hard it’s difficult to think straight. I’m safe. I’m inside. They can’t get in here… right? The thought barely settles before the door rattles violently. I flinch as the handle jerks and the wood shudders under the force of someone trying to break through. Shit. My stomach
drops, but the door holds. For now.
“I kind of wish I had gone to Blake’s room,” I mutter out loud, my voice shaky.
“I’m a sitting duck in here. Not that I wouldn’t be in there too, but I’m literally in a room with my name on the door.” I add. Another heavy thud slams into it, harder this time, and my eyes dart around the room, searching for anything that might help. Then my bathroom door creaks open. I stare at it, confused.
“My bathroom? I’m not sure that’s much better,” I mumble, but the door keeps moving, swinging wider and then back again like it’s insisting, like it’s trying to tell me something. Another loud bang hits the main door, the frame shaking, and that’s enough to make the decision for me.
“Okay, okay. I’m going,” I mutter, pushing myself off the wall and stumbling toward the bathroom, my legs unsteady and my head spinning as I move.
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R Visitor
I literally can’t wait for the next chapter. you are an amazing author!
4 days ago
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