Chapter 24

• Ariel’s POV
• I should’ve known it would be one of those mornings. The kind where the universe conspires against you from the moment you open your eyes to find that your alarm never went off. The kind where your hair refuses to cooperate, your favorite shirt has a mysterious stain. Yeah, that kind of morning.
• The hallway was already empty when I walked in. Professor Julia’s class had started fifteen minutes ago, and I had barely enough time to run a brush through my hair, let alone grab breakfast. I clutched my notebook tighter as I hesitated outside the door, the faint sound of her voice echoing inside like a warning siren. I took a breath and pushed it open.