Evaline:
Is it him?
The thought entered my head as I found myself moving to open the door.
And the mont I did so, Oscar stepped in without a word, pushing the door shut behind him. He turned the lock with a soft click that echoed through the room.
"Oscar-?"
I didn’t even get to finish.
His hand wrapped around my wrist, and in the next breath, my back hit the wall. And the next thing I felt was his lips on mine.
Hot. Demanding. Absolute.
My heart was kicking against my ribs as he leaned into . His other hand moved to cradle the back of my neck while his mouth moved with purpose. There was nothing hesitant about it - he kissed like he was starving, like this was sothing he had been holding back for far too long.
It happened so fast my brain barely caught up, but my body... traitorous as ever... was already responding.
I curled my fingers in his jacket and kissed him back, matching his passion and hunger.
After what felt like forever, we finally parted. Our breaths were uneven and chests were rising and falling.
"You planned this," I said once I finally found my voice.
He smirked, looking unbothered. "Planned what?"
"Don’t you play dumb with . You knew what you were doing the mont you paired Mallory with Jasper and sent her out of our room."
He gave an exaggerated shrug in response. "I was just helping your best friend. They are mates. And considering Jasper’s identity and duties, this is such a rare chance for them to get to know each other."
He did make sense, but I still glared at him because I knew he wasn’t as thoughtful and nice as he was portraying himself.
He leaned closer again, brushing his lips against my cheek this ti. "I may have helped the stars align a little, sure. But it’s not a cri to want so alone ti with the woman I’m trying to court, is it?"
"Unbelievable."
"Say that again," he murmured, pressing another kiss near the edge of my jaw.
I flushed. My heart was hamring all over again. "We have to go."
He placed a kiss on my forehead before stepping back. "I’ll leave first. Don’t want to give the giggling squirrels downstairs more gossip fuel than they already have."
"Too late for that," I muttered, watching as he slipped out, just as silently as he had entered.
When I finally composed myself and left the room a few minutes later, locking the door behind , I couldn’t help the way my lips were still tingling. The man was impossible. Infuriating. Shaless.
And completely irresistible.
* * *
Downstairs, the class was already gathering. With everyone dressed in hiking gear, their bags packed with notepads, research tools, and snacks, we were looking like a pack of over-prepared young archaeologists.
Professor Aldric was standing at the front, already giving instructions in his commanding but oddly pleasant tone.
"The first circle of the Halendor Ruins lies about thirty minutes from here," he explained. "A light uphill hike. Keep pace. Stay with your groups. Instructor Corey and Instructor Oscar will be flanking both ends."
My gaze flicked to where Oscar was standing a few feet away. He caught my eye and winked.
I looked away, feeling my cheeks burning.
The hike started smoothly. Trees were towering on both sides of the narrow trail, sunlight was filtering through the branches and casting dappled patterns on the path. The sound of birds and distant water flowing filled the silence between footsteps and casual chatter.
Half an hour later, we reached the first circle.
The ruins were a strange blend of forgotten beauty and quiet power. There were half-buried stone columns, so etched with old runes. Moss had crept up their bases, and tiny purple flowers were blooming through the cracks in the stone.
Beyond the ruins, the forest thickened again, as if the mountain itself had wrapped its secrets tightly in vines and roots.
"This circle was believed to be a trial ground," Professor Aldric said, as we gathered around him. "Ancient mages carved protective runes into these stones to contain wild elental magic during their tests. So say the remnants of those spells still linger."
That explained the faint hum I was feeling in the air. Like sothing alive slumbered beneath the dirt.
We were divided into study groups. Mine consisted of Ria, Freya, Cedric, and Rowan.
"Each group," he continued, "will be assigned a quadrant. Observe the runes. Sketch them. If you sense any magical residue, docunt it. But... DO NOT... attempt to activate any rune. Understood?"
We all nodded.
My group moved to the eastern section, near an arch that had mostly crumbled, but so of the runes were still intact along the base. Ria crouched beside , already pulling out her rune guidebook.
Cedric was hovering with his notebook while Freya took detailed photos with her tablet.
And Rowan?
He just watched.
"You are quiet," I muttered to him under my breath as I ran my fingers lightly over one of the symbols, never touching it, just tracing the air above it.
He tilted his head. "Just trying not to get in your way."
I just shook my head and returned my focus on the rune. It was a swirling spiral that shimred faintly in the sun. It wasn’t just design... it was magic. Ancient and layered.
"Binding rune," Ria murmured. "Low-level containnt."
"I think it’s intertwined with a grounding sigil," I added. "See how it’s overlapping with the corners?"
Freya snapped a photo. "This is fascinating. The layering ans they probably combined spells into one set."
As we moved around the arch, I noticed a cluster of herbs growing at its base. They had small blue leaves with silver-tipped edges.
"Moonvein," I said as I recognized the herb. "Didn’t think it would grow this far up."
Rowan raised a brow. "You know about herbs?"
"I try."
There were more - blisterleaf, a potent burn salve ingredient, and even a few sprigs of shadowroot, which only blood near strong magical sources.
It all made sense. The ruins weren’t just a historical site... they were alive. The magic was still feeding the earth around it.
I was kneeling near the base of a pillar when I felt it. A soft pulse under my palm, like a heartbeat. It was... deep, ancient, and buried.
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