Evaline:
The heavy wooden doors of the exam hall creaked open, releasing us into the chilly night. I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding as Rowan, Kyros, Mallory, and I stepped into the open corridor together.
The wall clock above the entrance struck five past ten, its echo bouncing faintly in the vast Academy halls.
Three hours. Three long, excruciating hours of scratching pens, glowing runes, shifting moon diagrams, and practical demonstrations under the ever-watchful eyes of Professor Triss. "Lunar Energy and Moon Cycles" was as demanding as it sounded, and the combination of theory and practical work had drained every bit of energy from us.
But despite the exhaustion weighing on our limbs, a wave of relief washed over the group.
"It’s done," Mallory whispered, her face breaking into a grin. "Finally done."
Her words made us all smile. Even Rowan, who rarely showed much expression during exams, allowed himself a small chuckle. The air around us seed lighter, despite the shadows cast by the moonlight flooding in through the tall windows.
No more exams. No more late-night cramming or waking up early, no more groaning about how tough the exams were. Now, eighteen days of freedom were stretched before us - eighteen whole days until the new term began on March 1st.
Eighteen days of holidays.
My stomach growled softly, a sharp reminder that relief didn’t fill hunger. The last thing any of us had eaten was a hurried snack hours before the exam started. Now, at the end of it, hunger gnawed at us like restless wolves.
"Dining hall?" Noah asked as he, Selene, and Ria finally joined us.
We all nodded in unison.
The dining hall was nearly deserted by the ti we entered, save for a few kitchen staff mbers clearing tables. The usual chatter of students was replaced with the soft clink of dishes and the muffled crackle of the fireplace.
Our footsteps echoed faintly in the silent space as we slipped into a corner table.
Warm bowls of soup, fresh bread, roasted vegetables, and a simple rice dish were placed before us within minutes. Nothing extravagant - just late-night fare - but it felt like a feast.
We ate in hushed whispers, too tired to talk much, though Mallory occasionally mumbled about how she planned to spend her break, her voice fading as she fought sleep.
By the ti the plates were cleared, the clock was edging near eleven. The exhaustion from exams and a full stomach weighed heavily on us.
"Tomorrow," Kyros said softly as we walked back toward the dorms. "We’ll talk about holiday plans tomorrow. I can’t feel my brain anymore."
"Sa," Mallory muttered, dragging her feet as if gravity had doubled just for her.
We all agreed silently. Tomorrow would be for laughter and planning. Tonight was for sleep.
When I slipped into my room, the familiar comfort of welcod . I quickly peeled off my Academy uniform and changed into my nightclothes, savoring the warmth of the thick winter blankets as I opened the door to let Rowan.
Then I slipped under the blanket and turned my back to him as he changed. Once he was done, he too climbed on his bed. With a soft click, we switched off the bedside lamps, plunging the room into comforting darkness.
The silence was almost complete, broken only by the faint whistling of the wind against the windows. My body lted into the mattress, exhaustion tugging at with every blink.
"Eva," Rowan’s voice ca softly through the darkness.
I humd in response, too drowsy to form a full word.
"Are you... going back to the Thorne mansion for the holidays?"
I opened my eyes, staring into the blackness above . "Yes," I answered quietly. "The brothers insisted. I don’t really have anywhere else to go... and honestly, I don’t have a reason to refuse."
The word "insisted" was polite compared to the way Oscar and Draven had practically demanded it. But beneath their stubbornness, there had been a fierce protectiveness I couldn’t ignore. And Kieran had also told to stay at the mansion.
Rowan let out a small sigh, one that carried a note of relief. "Good. That’s where you should be. With them. It’s... the right thing. Especially now."
His hesitation told exactly what he ant, even without him saying it aloud.
I rested my hand gently against my stomach beneath the blankets. Thirty-one weeks. The thought sent a shiver of disbelief through . Ti had slipped by so quickly.
My belly had finally begun to show a little just before the exams started. Nothing dramatic yet, just a subtle curve, but enough to remind daily of the life growing inside .
The thick winter layers helped conceal it for now, but my body was changing. The backaches ca more often. And the most magical, overwhelming change of all - the baby had started kicking.
It happened for the first ti during first exam week. I wasn’t able to share it with Draven or Oscar, too consud by revision and the pressure of tests. But Rowan was there, sitting beside late one evening when the gentle flutter startled . I just grabbed his hand without thinking and pressed it against my side.
The way his eyes widened, the raw emotion on his face... it was one of the most precious monts of my life.
"I can’t wait to let Draven and Oscar feel it," I murmured, more to myself than to him.
Rowan didn’t reply, but I could feel his quiet agreent in the silence.
"You should co visit often," I added softly, turning my head toward his bed even though I couldn’t see him in the dark. "You are the only one who knows. About... all this. I want you there."
"I will," he promised without hesitation. Then, after a pause, he asked, "When are you going to tell the others?"
The question hung in the air like a weight.
I closed my eyes. "I don’t know," I admitted honestly. "I haven’t thought that far ahead. But once the holidays are over, there’ll be no way to hide it. March will bring sumr back... and by then, I’ll be showing too much to conceal. I’ll have to tell them, especially Kyros and Mallory..." I trailed off, sighing. "Maybe I’ll invite them to the mansion during the holidays. Tell them then."
Rowan humd in agreent, though there was an edge of concern in his tone. "It’ll be better that way. Secrets... only get heavier with ti."
I knew he was right.
The silence settled again, warm and companionable, until he spoke once more... his voice hesitant, as though he was unsure if he should share what was on his mind.
"Eva?"
"Yes?"
"There’s sothing I want," he began, then stopped. After a breath, he continued more firmly. "I want to take you to et soone. My friend in the hospital."
My eyes softened in the darkness. The vulnerability in his tone was unmistakable.
"Of course," I whispered without hesitation. "I would be more than happy to go."
I couldn’t see him, but I could imagine the faint smile tugging at his lips.
"Thank you," he murmured.
And with that, we both let the silence claim us once more, drifting slowly into sleep... relieved the exams were over, uncertain about what the holidays might bring, but comforted by the quiet promises exchanged in the dark.
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