Bryce's voice broke through Aiva's thoughts.
"Hey," he said lightly, nudging her shoulder. "We should probably enjoy the party before it's over."
Aiva blinked.
She had been staring toward the edge of the courtyard where Adam had stood only moments earlier.
But now…
He wasn't there.
Bryce stretched his arms behind his back with a relaxed grin.
"We worked too hard setting this up to just sit around watching everyone else have fun."
Aiva looked at him.
The lantern lights painted warm amber across his face. His blond hair caught the glow softly, and the damp white shirt clinging to his torso made it obvious that the day's work had taken its toll on him too.
But he still looked energized.
Still looked happy.
Still looked like Bryce.
Aiva smiled.
"Alright," she said. "You've convinced me."
Bryce held out a hand.
"Come on."
Music pulsed across the courtyard now, louder than before. Someone had switched the playlist to something faster, heavier on drums and bass. The rhythm echoed between the castle walls as groups of students gathered near the center of the square to dance beneath the hanging lights.
The student council had really outdone themselves.
Colored lanterns swayed gently above the courtyard, casting shifting patterns across the stone ground. Strings of small lights draped from balcony to balcony like glowing vines, flickering softly whenever the wind brushed through them.
Pumpkins lined the edges of the dance space, their carved faces glowing with candlelight. Some smiled. Some snarled. Others had crooked, uneven grins that looked like they had been carved by students half distracted by conversation.
Laughter filled the air.
Music pulsed.
The entire courtyard buzzed with energy.
Bryce pulled Aiva toward the crowd.
For a few minutes she allowed herself to sink into the rhythm of the festival.
The music.
The laughter.
The warmth of Bryce's hand around hers.
They moved with the crowd, swaying and laughing as the night settled deeper over the castle grounds.
But even as she danced, part of her attention lingered elsewhere.
Adam.
She couldn't shake the image of him staring off into the distance earlier.
The way his focus had been locked on something.
Someone.
Aiva rested her hands lightly on Bryce's shoulders as they moved together with the beat. From here she could scan the courtyard more easily without drawing attention.
She kept her expression relaxed.
Casual.
Just another student enjoying the night.
But her eyes quietly searched.
What were you looking at…
It took a minute.
Maybe two.
Then she found it. Or rather…
She found her.
Across the courtyard near one of the far pillars stood a girl leaning casually against the stone.
Luna.
Even from a distance, it was impossible not to notice her.
Her outfit stood out immediately against the more playful costumes scattered through the crowd. While most students wore exaggerated Halloween disguises, Luna's style felt… deliberate.
Dark.
Sharp.
Gothic in a way that looked less like a costume and more like a statement.
She wore a tight black crop top beneath a short open jacket trimmed with faint red stitching. The jacket hung loose over her shoulders, its sleeves pushed slightly back as if she never bothered adjusting them properly.
Her shorts were black as well, fitted close with small belts and metal rings along the sides that caught the lantern light when she shifted.
Dark stockings climbed up her legs beneath the shorts, disappearing into heavy black boots that reached just below her knees.
The entire look carried an unmistakable edge.
Rebellious.
Confident.
Her long snow white hair fell freely down her back, streaked with faint hints of pale gray that caught the lantern light like strands of silver. Dark makeup framed her eyes sharply, emphasizing her silver irises.
Even the way she stood felt different from everyone else.
Relaxed.
Detached.
Like she was watching the party instead of being part of it.
Aiva tilted her head slightly.
Is that… a costume?
Or…
Is that just her?
It almost felt like Halloween had simply given Luna permission to show up exactly as she wanted without anyone questioning it.
In a strange way…
Aiva respected that.
Luna lifted the drink in her hand and finished it with one final tilt of the glass before carelessly tossing it away.
Then she pushed herself off the pillar.
Without hesitation, she turned and began walking toward the castle entrance.
Just like that.
No fanfare.
No announcement.
She simply slipped away from the party.
Aiva's gaze shifted quickly.
Adam.
He stood near the edge of the courtyard exactly where she had last seen him.
And he was watching Luna leave.
The moment she disappeared through the castle doorway…
Adam moved too.
Not immediately.
Not obviously.
But after a short pause he turned and followed the same direction.
He didn't look back.
He didn't acknowledge anyone.
He simply walked toward the entrance and vanished inside.
Aiva stared after him.
Her brows slowly knit together.
…okay.
That was… interesting.
Bryce spun her gently with the rhythm of the music, pulling her attention back to the dance.
"You're distracted," he said.
Aiva blinked.
"Am not."
Bryce raised an eyebrow.
"You absolutely are."
She forced a small laugh.
"Just thinking."
Bryce shrugged and pulled her closer again as the music shifted to a faster beat.
But Aiva's mind lingered on what she had just seen.
Adam following Luna.
The image lingered for a moment.
Then another thought crept in.
Oh.
…maybe they're just hooking up.
The idea made a surprising amount of sense.
Adam was attractive.
Luna clearly wasn't the shy type.
And it was Halloween.
Stranger things had happened.
Aiva exhaled slowly.
Yeah.
That's probably it.
She pushed the thought away.
Tonight wasn't the night to overthink things.
The music surged again.
Lights danced across the courtyard.
Students cheered as someone set off a small handheld sparkler near the edge of the crowd.
Aiva smiled and leaned fully into the moment, allowing Bryce to pull her deeper into the rhythm of the celebration.
Around them the festival roared to life.
The decorations glowed.
The lanterns swayed.
And for a brief moment…
Everything felt perfect.
Far beyond the island's shoreline, the sea stretched dark and silent beneath the rising moon.
Four boats drifted quietly across the water.
Engines idling low.
Lights dimmed.
Their dark silhouettes barely visible against the rolling waves.
On the deck of one vessel, Cassius Vane lowered the binoculars from his eyes.
The island of Moonstone Academy rested in the distance, its towering castle rising from the south center like a crown of stone.
Even from five kilometers away the structure was impossible to miss.
Its walls reflected the moonlight faintly, pale against the surrounding forest that covered most of the island's surface.
Cassius studied it carefully.
Every tower.
Every section of shoreline.
Every visible clearing.
His mind quietly assembled the pieces.
He had spent the last hour circling the island.
Watching.
Learning.
The shoreline curved gently around most of the island, thick forests pressing nearly to the water's edge in several areas. Only a few clearings offered potential landing points.
He had already eliminated most of them.
Too rocky.
Too exposed.
Too shallow.
Only one area stood out clearly.
The southern port.
Closest to the castle.
Wide enough to land multiple boats.
Open terrain.
Direct access inland.
Cassius lowered the binoculars slightly.
His eyes drifted toward the eastern side of the island.
A long beach stretched there, pale under the moonlight.
Not ideal.
But usable.
Plan B.
A quiet splash echoed beside the boat as a small wave slapped against the hull.
Cassius slipped the binoculars down against his chest.
"Walkie."
One of the men beside him immediately handed it over.
Cassius pressed the transmit button.
"Boat two," he said calmly.
A moment of static.
Then a voice crackled back.
"Yeah?"
"Give me an aerial view."
"Copy that."
On the neighboring boat, a man knelt beside a metal briefcase.
He flipped it open.
Inside rested a large drone folded neatly within padded compartments.
The man lifted it out carefully before extending the rotors with practiced efficiency.
Moments later the drone lifted into the air.
Its small lights blinked once as it climbed higher.
And higher.
Until the island filled its camera frame.
Back on Cassius' boat, another man approached carrying a tablet.
"Feed's live boss."
Cassius took it.
The screen flickered before stabilizing into a clear aerial image.
King Lycaon's old castle.
The castle walls formed a perfect ring around the central courtyard.
Bright lights illuminated the interior space.
Even from this height the movement was obvious.
Students.
Dozens of them.
Music lights flashed across the courtyard while groups of figures danced and moved through the festival below.
Cassius studied the screen silently.
"So," he murmured.
His voice carried that smooth, thoughtful calm that made the men around him instinctively quiet.
"They're all gathered in one place."
He zoomed the feed slightly.
The courtyard filled the screen.
Students packed together beneath strings of lanterns.
Laughing.
Drinking.
Dancing.
Oblivious.
Cassius leaned against the boat's railing.
A faint smirk touched the corner of his mouth.
"If someone dropped a bomb on that courtyard right now…"
He let the thought hang.
"…you'd wipe out the entire student body in one move."
One of the men nearby chuckled nervously.
Cassius shook his head slightly.
"No."
His voice remained calm.
Measured.
"That would be rash."
His eyes returned to the drone feed.
A predator studying its prey.
"There's still too much we don't know yet."
The tablet screen shifted as the drone slowly circled above the castle.
Cassius watched every angle carefully.
The walls.
The towers.
The surrounding forest.
Every possible entry point.
Every possible weakness.
He handed the walkie back to his mouth.
"Bring the drone lower," he ordered.
"Let's take a better look."
"Copy."
The drone began descending slowly.
Cassius rested both hands on the railing.
The cold sea wind brushed against his jacket.
The full moon had risen completely now.
Its pale light spread across the ocean like a silver path stretching toward the island.
Cassius watched the castle quietly.
His mind turning.
Planning.
Calculating.
Behind him, the men waited in silence.
Because when Cassius Vane was thinking…
No one interrupted.
After a moment he spoke again, almost to himself.
"The night is still young."
His eyes never left the glowing island in the distance.
And somewhere beyond the castle walls…
The full moon continued rising.
Higher.
Brighter.
As if the sky itself knew something was about to happen.
Something violent.
Something unforgettable.
And before the night was over…
Everyone would feel it.