CHAPTER 99: THE MOON’S WHISPER BLOG

{Elira}

~**^**~

Dinner at the cafeteria was buzzing even before we stepped in.

The scent of roasted garlic and spiced chicken drifted through the air, warm and inviting. I had barely picked up a tray when Nari groaned beside me.

"No wine tonight?" she sighed dramatically, scanning the drink section as if expecting it to materialize.

Juniper raised a brow. "You want wine every night now?"

"It’s not my fault, ESA gave us a taste of the high life and then snatched it back," Nari replied, pouting. "How are we supposed to go back to boring juice after that?"

Cambria laughed softly as she scooped some quinoa salad onto her plate. "You will survive."

I didn’t say anything because I was actually fine with anything. I just quietly added some grilled potatoes and chicken to my tray, then followed the others to our usual table near the window.

We had only just started eating when a sudden sound blared through the overhead speakers—clear, sharp, and commanding.

"Attention, ESA students," came the calm voice of a woman, no doubt one of the event coordinators.

The hum of conversation dropped slightly as people paused to listen. "This Saturday, the school will host two special activities. First, a speed race in your wolf form. Second, combat matches for third-year students who have signed up. All students are expected to gather at the arena by nine in the morning. Further instructions will follow."

The moment the announcement ended, the noise returned—but this time, louder. The cafeteria lit up with excitement. Students leaned over their tables, exchanging wide-eyed grins and wild guesses. The energy was electric.

I looked around, taking it all in.

There was so much joy on everyone’s faces—so much anticipation. And when I turned back to my own table, my chest squeezed a little tighter.

Juniper was grinning ear to ear. "A wolf run!" she said, nearly bouncing in her seat. "It’s been forever since I ran at full speed without restrictions."

Cambria was smiling too, her eyes gleaming with interest. "The combat matches will be interesting. There’s a third-year student I know from a volunteer group who’s amazing with energy blades. I hope she signed up."

Tamryn nodded in agreement, but as she opened her mouth to speak, all our smartwatches lit up and chimed at once.

We instinctively looked down at our wrists. The same information from the announcement appeared in elegant, animated text across the screens. Another reminder.

"Guess that makes it official," Cambria said.

Nari clapped her hands together once. "I can’t wait. Finally, something fun!"

The table hummed with excitement. Everyone began talking over each other, swapping memories of past runs and speculating who would dominate the combat matches. Laughter floated up and blended with the cafeteria’s vibrant noise.

And I—I just sat there smiling, nodding when someone looked at me.

But inside?

I was spiralling.

My fingers tightened slightly around my fork. I tried to keep my breathing steady, but the air felt too warm, too heavy.

A race... in wolf form.

Combat... in a shifted state.

The dread that crept up my spine was cold and sharp because I still couldn’t sense her—my wolf.

Even now.

Even after everything.

I hadn’t heard her voice, hadn’t felt her presence. It was as if a part of me had been sealed away, locked behind a barrier I didn’t understand and couldn’t break.

And now, I would be expected to shift and run before the entire school?

The memory of the Power Channelling practical returned like a slap. The whispering students, the embarrassed silence, the humiliation.

Would I go through that again?

Would they all see me stand frozen again while everyone else sprinted ahead?

My stomach churned, and suddenly, the roasted potatoes on my plate didn’t seem so appetizing.

Still, I looked up and smiled faintly as Nari turned to me, eyes bright with mischief. "Elira, what do you think? Think Nari will outrun me?"

I chuckled softly. "I think Nari should instead try not to get left behind."

Everyone chuckled loudly except Nari, who was glaring at me. "This is what betrayal looks like," she said.

But it was the best I could give.

Because I didn’t want to steal this joy from them, I didn’t want their concern. I didn’t want to be the dark cloud over a bright evening.

Whatever happened Saturday... I would deal with it on my own.

Right now, I just wanted to laugh with my roommates even if I was falling apart inside.

---

We stepped out of the cafeteria into the cool evening air right after dinner.

The walk back to our dorm building was usually filled with light chatter or quiet humming from Juniper, but tonight, Nari was the first to speak, and she sounded like she’d been holding it in all dinner.

"My blog goes live tomorrow," she announced with a grin that nearly split her face.

The declaration brought an instant cheer from the rest of us. I found myself smiling even before I could process the words fully.

Juniper didn’t waste a second — she high-fived Nari with a sharp clap and said, "Let’s make your blog overtake that gossip blog — The Moon’s Whisper!"

I blinked and nearly tripped on my own step. "Wait, the Moon’s what?" Then I looked between them, confused. "There’s a gossip blog at ESA?"

Cambria let out a small laugh. "Used to be. You probably haven’t heard of it because the page got taken down by top-tier hackers before you arrived. The Moon’s Whisper — it was this anonymous student-run blog that aired a lot of dirty laundry. No one knew who was behind it."

Tamryn, walking just ahead of us, slowed down a bit. "It was probably the Student Council. I mean, let’s be honest, the blog basically existed to drag them through the mud."

"And rightfully so," Juniper added. "Those six are a menace, and everyone knows it. But no one ever dares say it out loud — except for that blog."

I was still reeling from the fact that something like that existed... and had been silenced.

The name alone — The Moon’s Whisper — felt eerie, conspiratorial, like something that could haunt a school like ESA from the shadows.