CHAPTER 449: LONG DAYS OF EXAMS

Evaline:

The first thing that hit me when I turned and saw Kieran standing there wasn’t shock... it was mortification.

Every word I had just said to Mary echoed back in my head with perfect clarity, especially the part where I had told her how Draven tasted.

Oh Moon above...

My body went still, the air suddenly feeling too heavy to breathe. Kieran’s eyes were locked on me, unreadable yet sharp enough to make the girls around us shrink in on themselves. I could practically feel the waves of tension rippling through the hallway.

Nadine’s attention, predictably, wasn’t on me at all anymore. She was staring at him - her lips slightly parted, her posture straightening just enough to make her chest push forward. I had to fight the urge to roll my eyes.

I drew in a slow breath and forced my expression into calm neutrality. Don’t react. That was the key.

So I did the only thing that felt right. I turned to Nadine and her group, gave them a polite - almost too sweet - smile, and said softly, "See you girls around."

Then I looked back at Kieran, schooling my face into composure despite the heat creeping up my neck. "Good morning, Professor."

He didn’t reply right away, just kept looking at me, his gaze steady and assessing, before finally nodding once. I didn’t dare meet his eyes for more than a heartbeat.

I kept my expression straight and walked past all of them, head high, refusing to let them see how flustered I actually was inside. Behind me, I heard faint whispers - Mary’s nervous stammer, Nadine’s low murmur, and the uncomfortable shuffling of feet. Apparently, realizing they’d been caught gossiping about Draven by his brother had been enough to drain the fight out of them.

I turned the corner, exhaling only when I was sure I was out of sight. A moment later, I spotted Mallory, Noah, Selene, Ria, Rowan, and Kyros heading toward me, clearly searching for where I had gone.

"There you are!" Ria said, slightly out of breath. "What happened? You just bolted out of the hall."

"Nothing," I said, managing a smile. "Just ran into Nadine’s group."

The grimace that passed through everyone’s faces was almost comical.

"Again?" Noah groaned. "Those girls seriously need a new hobby."

"Please tell me you punched one of them this time," Mallory teased.

"Almost," I muttered. "But I controlled myself."

That made them laugh, easing the tension in my shoulders. Together, we made our way back toward the dorms, talking about the upcoming exams, the endless revisions we still had left to do, and the general anxiety that was settling over every student on campus.

- - -

The ten days that followed were pure torture.

From sunrise to midnight, every hour of my life seemed dictated by books, study guides, and notes. My friends and I practically lived in the library - surviving on coffee, determination, and the occasional motivational lecture from Kyros whenever one of us started spiraling.

The written exams were brutal. Silver Moon Academy didn’t believe in going easy, especially on first-year students who had to prove their worth. Every subject, be it theoretical tests or practicals, pushed us to our limits.

The days blurred together, marked only by sunrise, exhaustion, and the occasional moments of laughter with my friends when we dared to dream about holidays that felt so far away.

By the tenth day, it finally felt like the end of a war.

The subject was - Lunar Energy and Moon Cycle - one of the most difficult yet fascinating topics. The exam was held from six in the evening to nine, during the peak of the waxing moon. The silvery light filtering through the enchanted glass ceiling made the entire examination hall glow faintly blue.

I took my seat, inhaling deeply as I looked down at the parchment before me. The first few questions were theoretical, but as the minutes passed, the problems grew increasingly intricate. I lost track of time, lost in calculations and energy-flow diagrams.

When the bell finally rang, signaling the end, a collective sigh of relief rose around the room.

"It’s over," Mallory whispered behind me, slumping in her chair.

Noah leaned back, stretching his arms with a groan. "If anyone asks me what the moon means ever again, I swear I’ll start howling."

That made everyone laugh - even the professor monitoring us smiled faintly before reminding us to leave quietly.

We filed out of the examination hall into the cool night air, a sense of freedom settling over us for the first time in weeks.

The Academy grounds were alive with chatter. Students were laughing, some even shouting with joy, a few collapsing onto the grass in mock exhaustion.

Ria looped her arm through mine. "Dinner?" she asked, her eyes shining.

"Definitely," I said, smiling for what felt like the first time all week.

The dining hall buzzed with noise when we arrived. Students from all years were there, celebrating the end of exams. The tension that had gripped the Academy for the past ten days seemed to have vanished, replaced by laughter, music, and the clinking of glasses.

Our group found our usual table, though this time, we didn’t even bother with study notes or discussions. We just... relaxed. Ate. Talked about everything except academics.

Somewhere across the hall, I caught sight of Draven and his friends. His gaze met mine briefly, and he lifted his glass in silent acknowledgment.

I smiled faintly and turned back to my friends. Tonight wasn’t about politics, power, or whispered rumors. It was simply about surviving.

As the meal went on, students began talking excitedly about the week ahead.

The Academy had announced that the holidays would begin in one week, giving everyone time to unwind before heading home. The day before the break, the final exam results would be announced, followed by the ’End of Year Ball’, where students would celebrate their accomplishments and, as tradition demanded, dance under the light of the half moon.

It was going to be the first ball I’d ever attend at Silver Moon Academy.

And as I listened to my friends making plans - Ria gushing about dresses, Noah joking about avoiding dance lessons, Mallory already debating hairstyles - I couldn’t help but smile.

For the first time in a long while, life at the Academy felt almost... normal.

Almost...