The university campus no longer felt familiar to Elara.
The stone pathways remained the same, and the ancient buildings still stood proudly beneath the pale afternoon sunlight, yet something invisible had changed. Students gathered in small groups beneath trees and beside lecture halls, but conversations quieted whenever she appeared. Their eyes followed her movements. Their expressions shifted. Curiosity mixed with fear, and fear always won.
Elara walked slowly across the central courtyard while autumn wind played softly with loose strands of dark hair. Her shoulders remained straight, and her expression remained calm, but tension hid beneath every step she took. The previous night had left scars deeper than bruises. People had seen something they were never supposed to witness.
They had seen her.
Not the student.
Not the quiet girl.
The other part.
The dangerous part.
