The bell rang for the second lesson, but Rohgah Perez remained seated.
The classroom had already emptied.
Students rushed through the corridors, laughing and shouting as they moved from one lesson to another, but Rohgah didn't seem interested in joining them.
He sat alone at the back of the classroom, staring at the window.
Something was bothering him.
He didn't know what it was.
Actually, he did.
It was the girl.
Sofia.
He had seen her before.
Not properly.
Not close enough to know her.
But there was something about her face that refused to leave his mind.
He leaned back in his chair.
"Why do I feel like I know you?"
The door suddenly opened.
Rohgah looked up.
A boy stood there.
"Head prefect?"
"What?"
"The principal wants you."
Rohgah sighed.
"Tell him I'll come later."
The boy looked nervous.
"He said immediately."
Rohgah stared at him.
The boy quickly disappeared.
Rohgah stood.
He picked up his books and walked out.
The moment he entered the corridor, he saw her again.
Sofia.
She stood near the staircase, holding several books against her chest.
Their eyes met.
Rohgah stopped.
Sofia immediately looked away.
He walked toward her.
"Hey."
She continued walking.
Rohgah frowned.
"I said hey."
She stopped.
Slowly, she turned around.
"What do you want?"
Her voice was colder than he expected.
Rohgah smiled.
"I don't know."
"Then leave me alone."
She turned.
He caught up with her.
"What's your name?"
She stopped again.
"Sofia."
"Sofia what?"
She looked at him.
"Sofia is enough."
Rohgah laughed.
"You're strange."
"So are you."
He raised an eyebrow.
Nobody spoke to him like that.
Not at Ravenshade.
Not anywhere.
"Do you know who I am?"
"Yes."
"Then you should know better."
Sofia's eyes hardened.
"I know exactly who you are."
Something about the way she said it made him uncomfortable.
Rohgah stepped closer.
"And who am I?"
She stared directly into his eyes.
"Someone I should stay away from."
Then she walked away.
Rohgah remained where he was.
For the first time in years, he didn't have a response.
Meanwhile, Nicole, Ashbel, and Bella were sitting together beneath an enormous tree behind the school cafeteria.
Nicole opened her lunch.
"I still don't like him."
Bella laughed.
"You've known him for one day."
"That's enough."
Ashbel shook her head.
"You said that because he told you to watch where you were going."
"He was rude."
"You were rude too."
Nicole pointed at her.
"Whose side are you on?"
Ashbel smiled.
"Yours."
Bella opened her drink.
"Both of you are ridiculous."
Nicole leaned closer.
"Did you notice him staring at Sofia?"
Ashbel became quiet.
Bella looked at her.
"You noticed too?"
"Yes."
Nicole frowned.
"Who is Sofia?"
"I don't know."
Bella looked toward the school building.
"Let's find out."
Nicole smiled.
"Finally. Something interesting."
Ashbel sighed.
"This is how trouble begins."
"It always begins with you saying that," Bella replied.
They laughed.
None of them noticed that someone was listening from behind the tree.
A girl slowly stepped out.
She had dark brown hair and a beautiful face.
Her expression was confident.
"Looking for Sofia?"
The three girls turned.
Nicole narrowed her eyes.
"Who are you?"
"Elena."
Bella studied her.
"And how do you know Sofia?"
Elena smiled.
"Everyone knows Sofia."
Nicole folded her arms.
"Not us."
Elena looked at each of them.
"You should probably keep it that way."
Ashbel frowned.
"Why?"
Elena leaned closer.
"Because Sofia isn't like the rest of us."
Bella immediately became interested.
"What do you mean?"
Elena smiled mysteriously.
"Ask her."
She walked away.
Nicole watched her disappear.
"I don't like her."
Bella laughed.
"You don't like anyone."
"I liked you."
Bella smiled.
"That was your first mistake."
Ashbel laughed.
For a few seconds, everything felt normal.
Three friends.
One school.
A new year.
But beneath their laughter, something was already changing.
By afternoon, the school grounds had become unusually noisy.
Students gathered around the main courtyard.
A fight had broken out.
Rohgah stood in the middle of the crowd.
Two boys were arguing.
"You cheated!"
"I didn't!"
"You used magic!"
"So what?"
Rohgah stepped between them.
"Enough."
One of the boys laughed.
"Move, Perez."
Rohgah looked at him.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me."
The boy raised his hand.
Before he could attack, Rohgah lifted one finger.
The boy suddenly flew backward.
He crashed against the wall.
The entire courtyard became silent.
Nicole, Ashbel, and Bella had just arrived.
They stared.
Bella's eyes widened.
"Did he just…"
"Yes," Ashbel whispered.
Nicole watched Rohgah carefully.
That wasn't ordinary magic.
It was too fast.
Too effortless.
Rohgah walked toward the fallen boy.
"Next time, think before you challenge someone."
The boy struggled to stand.
Rohgah turned away.
His eyes suddenly met Nicole's.
She didn't look impressed.
"You shouldn't use that much power at school."
Rohgah stopped.
"And who are you to tell me what to do?"
Nicole stepped forward.
"Someone who doesn't enjoy watching bullies show off."
The crowd gasped.
Rohgah smiled.
"You think I'm a bully?"
"I know you are."
Bella stepped between them.
"Nicole."
Nicole ignored her.
Rohgah walked closer.
"You don't know anything about me."
"Neither do you about me."
The tension between them grew.
Ashbel suddenly felt the water inside her bottle moving again.
She grabbed it quickly.
Rohgah's eyes moved toward her hand.
He noticed.
For one second, his expression changed.
Then Sofia appeared.
"Rohgah."
Everyone turned.
She stood at the edge of the crowd.
Her face was pale.
Rohgah immediately forgot about Nicole.
He walked toward Sofia.
"Are you okay?"
Sofia nodded.
"Yes."
"You look frightened."
"I'm not."
Rohgah lowered his voice.
"Then why are you shaking?"
Sofia looked around.
Too many people were watching.
"Come with me."
Rohgah followed her.
Nicole stared after them.
Something about that bothered her.
She didn't understand why.
She had no reason to care.
She barely knew Rohgah.
Yet seeing him leave with Sofia made something unpleasant twist inside her chest.
Bella noticed.
"You okay?"
Nicole looked at her.
"Perfectly."
Ashbel looked at Nicole.
She knew that wasn't true.
Sofia led Rohgah behind an abandoned classroom.
"Why did you follow me?"
Rohgah frowned.
"You called me."
"I shouldn't have."
"Then why did you?"
Sofia looked down.
"I needed to tell you something."
"What?"
She took a deep breath.
"You need to stay away from me."
Rohgah laughed.
"Again?"
"I'm serious."
"So am I."
"You don't understand."
"Then explain."
Sofia looked into his eyes.
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Because if I tell you, everything changes."
Rohgah stepped closer.
"Maybe everything needs to change."
Sofia shook her head.
"No."
Her voice broke.
"You don't know what you're saying."
Rohgah reached for her hand.
She immediately pulled away.
"Don't touch me."
He froze.
"Why?"
Sofia's eyes filled with fear.
"Because I don't want to hurt you."
Rohgah stared at her.
"You?"
"Yes."
He smiled slightly.
"I'm not afraid of you."
"You should be."
She turned and walked away.
Rohgah watched her disappear.
He had never been this confused in his life.
Why was she afraid of him?
Why did she keep pushing him away?
And why did every part of him want to follow her?
He didn't know that Sofia was fighting a battle inside herself.
She knew something Rohgah didn't.
Something that had been hidden from him since birth.
Something that, if revealed too soon, could destroy his family.
And perhaps the entire supernatural world.
That evening, Nicole, Ashbel, and Bella returned to their dormitory.
Nicole threw herself onto her bed.
"There's something wrong with Sofia."
Bella removed her shoes.
"Agreed."
Ashbel sat quietly.
Nicole looked at her.
"What?"
Ashbel shook her head.
"Nothing."
"You're lying."
Ashbel sighed.
"I don't know how to explain it."
"Try."
Ashbel looked toward the window.
"When I saw Sofia standing beside Rohgah, I felt something."
Bella frowned.
"What kind of something?"
"Like… danger."
Nicole sat up.
"From Sofia?"
Ashbel nodded slowly.
"Maybe."
Bella looked thoughtful.
"Then we find out who she is."
Nicole smiled.
"Together?"
"Always."
Ashbel hesitated.
Then she smiled.
"Always."
They placed their hands together.
Three friends.
Three royals.
One promise.
They would protect each other.
No matter what.
But none of them realized that their promise would soon be tested by the one thing they could never fight with swords, magic, or royal authority.
Love.
And before this story ended, one of them would have to choose between friendship and the man they all secretly desired.
Outside the dormitory, a wolf howled in the distance.
Sofia stood alone beneath the moonlight.
Her hands trembled.
She looked toward the dark forest.
"I shouldn't have come here."
A voice answered from behind her.
"But you did."
Sofia turned.
Her face drained of color.
"Machir."
The most dangerous wizard in the supernatural world stepped out of the shadows.
His eyes were cold.
"You spoke to my son."
Sofia swallowed.
"I didn't know what else to do."
"You were warned."
"I tried to stay away."
Machir moved closer.
"Try harder."
Sofia looked down.
"And if I can't?"
Machir's expression hardened.
"Then Rohgah will learn the truth."
Sofia's heart stopped.
"No."
"Exactly."
Machir turned away.
"Keep your distance from him."
He disappeared into the darkness.
Sofia stood frozen beneath the moon.
A tear rolled down her cheek.
Because she knew the truth.
And she knew that sooner or later…
Rohgah would discover it.