Chapter 89: The Price of Going After Her
{IRIS}
"Landlady!"
A moment later, the familiar translucent figure burst out of the side room in a panic, clutching a broom as though it were a weapon. Dust flew everywhere as she flailed.
"What—what—where’s the fire?" the ghost cried. "I heard fire! Is there fire? Why is there fire?"
"Landlady," I snapped, grabbing her attention before she could spiral further.
She froze mid-panic. Slowly, she adjusted her crooked spectacles, squinting at me as if I were an unfinished memory.
"Oh." Her voice softened. "Oh, is that you, Iris? Wait—are you calling me? And why on earth are you standing outside in nothing but your nightgown?"
"That’s not important right now." I seized her broom hand before she could start lecturing. "Do you know where the vampires are holding their freshman welcoming party?"
Her brows knitted together. "Huh? Do I look like a vampire to you? Of course I don’t know."
I pressed my lips into a thin line. The seconds were bleeding away. Without another word, I turned and ran back out.
"Oi! Wait!" she shouted after me. "It’s already curfew! Ah—wait... there are no classes. No curfew bell either... but still—!"
Her voice faded behind me.
I didn’t slow.
My feet carried me straight to the library.
The great doors stood open, as they always did, but the inside was swallowed in darkness. No students. No murmurs. Only the scent of dust and old parchment lingering like a held breath.
"Zephyros!" I called. "Zephyros!"
Within seconds, a tall, lethargic shape materialized between the shelves, pale light gathering around him like reluctant attention. He yawned, rubbing at his eyes as if I had dragged him from a pleasant dream.
"What is it?" he muttered. "Stop yelling."
Then his eyes opened fully.
They were bright—an unnatural yellow-green that seemed to glow against the darkness. When they locked onto me, my breath caught despite myself.
"Iris..." His gaze sharpened, studying me with unnerving intensity. "There’s something different about you. Is it the Arcane Tonic?"
"Zephyros," I said quickly, ignoring the way my pulse spiked under his scrutiny. "Do you know where the vampire party is?"
"Huh?"
"I have to go there." My words came out rushed, brittle. "Caroline might be in trouble."
The image being devoured by vampires flashed in my mind. I should have spoken to her last night. I should have warned her. I should have insisted she didn’t go.
I had truly believed she wouldn’t go.
Caroline was clever. She knew the risks. She knew what vampires were like.
So why... why had she still gone?
Zephyros scoffed. "You’re still worried about that human?" he asked, disdain curling his lips. "After what she did to you?"
I fell silent.
His expression shifted, losing its laziness. "I know what she did," he said flatly. "After you saved her, she betrayed you. Ran to the vampires for protection and left you behind. And you still want to go where she is?"
I turned my face away.
Caroline had not had a choice—or so I told myself. But hearing it spoken aloud reopened the wound, raw and aching.
"Listen here, Iris," Zephyros continued, his tone sharpening. "If you were a vampire, then fine. But you’re a werewolf—and it’s the blood moon tonight. That’s like offering yourself on a silver platter."
He paused, eyes narrowing.
"And as for that human bitch—she’s probably being ravaged by now. Mutilated. Dead. Or worse. Rape."
The words slammed into me.
My fingers clenched so tightly my nails bit into my palms. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t speak.
"That’s how vampire parties usually go," he added coldly.
Something in me snapped.
"Then all the more reason I have to go there and save Caroline."
"Save?" He sighed, rubbing his temple. "What could an unshifted werewolf like you possibly do? You can’t even use your arcane properly. Remember?"
I closed my eyes.
When I opened them again, I was already walking past him.
"If you’re not going to help me," I said, voice shaking but firm, "then I’ll go by myself."
I barely made it out of the library before he appeared in front of me, blocking my path.
"Hold up," he said. "Just because you want to go doesn’t mean you can."
"What do you mean?"
"The party isn’t here," he explained slowly. "Or anywhere inside the Covens of Midnight. That kind of thing is forbidden. So naturally, they’d host it outside—in the mortal world. Where they can do whatever they want. So don’t waste your time in searching here."
My breath hitched.
"Then..." My voice broke. "Then is it really hopeless?"
The thought struck me with unbearable weight.
Was Caroline still alive?
I had been angry at her. Jealous. Bitter.
But I didn’t want her to die.
Zephyros sighed—for what felt like the hundredth time. "For the love of—stop looking like that."
"Huh?"
"Are you really so worried you’d shed tears for her?" His tone softened. He reached out, brushing his finger beneath my eye where I hadn’t even realized tears had gathered.
He lifted his finger, studying the moisture before pressing it briefly to his lips.
His eyes flared brighter than before while my heated up.
"Fine," he said, voice suddenly serious. "I’ll bring you to Evernight Mansion. That’s where they’re hosting it. But I can’t leave this place—so once you’re there, you’re on your own."
"T-then..."
"Come inside."
He turned back toward the library.
I hesitated only a second before following. He was my only hope right now.
The air inside the library shifted as we walked. Shelves stretched and rearranged themselves, pathways opening where none had existed before.
The deeper we went, the heavier the atmosphere became—charged, expectant.
Then, suddenly, we stood at the center of a circular clearing between shelves.
A pentagram was etched into the floor.
"This will transport you to the mansion," Zephyros said. "Once you find that bitch—"
"Caroline," I corrected automatically.
He rolled his eyes. "Find the human. Rip this parchment, and you’ll both be teleported back here."
He pressed a small piece of parchment into my hand, a glowing sigil drawn upon it.
"And remember," he added sharply, his gaze dropping to my chest, "never remove that necklace. Ever."
