When good turns evil

"Arden, how did you know about these hidden passages?"

Arden smiled, his eyes glinting in the dim light. "Let's just say I have my ways. But for now, let's focus on getting you to safety."

As they disappeared into the shadows, the other girls were left to face the men outside, their hearts pounding with anxiety. What would happen next? Would they be able to stall the men long enough for Arden and Phelia to escape?.

As Arden and Phelia navigated the hidden passages, the darkness seemed to swallow them whole. Phelia stumbled, her foot catching on a loose stone.

Arden caught her arm, steadying her. "Careful. It's not much farther."

Phelia nodded, her eyes adjusting slowly to the dim light. She could make out the faint outline of Arden's face, his features set in a determined expression.

As they walked, the air grew thick with the scent of damp earth and mould. Phelia's lungs began to ache, and she coughed, trying to clear her throat.

Arden stopped, turning to her with a concerned expression. "You okay?"

Phelia nodded, taking a deep breath. "Yeah. Just a little...stuffy."

Arden nodded, leading her onward. The passage began to slope upward, the air growing warmer and fresher.

Suddenly, a sliver of light appeared ahead, illuminating the dusty air. Phelia's heart skipped a beat as Arden pushed open a hidden door, revealing a moonlit garden beyond.

Phelia gasped, her eyes drinking in the beauty of the garden. Flowers bloomed in every colour of the rainbow, their scent filling the air.

Arden smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Welcome to the school's secret garden. You're safe here, for now."

Phelia's gaze met Arden's, a sense of gratitude washing over her. "Thank you, Arden. I owe you one."

Arden's smile faltered, and for a moment, Phelia saw something else in his eyes - something that looked almost like...

"No, that can't be, we only met yesterday even if it's been one hectic one. It's just a day. Phelia thought.

But then, his mask slipped back into place, and he nodded, his expression neutral once more. "Just be careful, okay? We don't know what's going on, or who's behind it."

Phelia nodded, her heart still racing from their narrow escape. As she looked around the garden, she knew that she was far from safe - but for now, she was alive, and that was all that mattered.

As Phelia took in the beauty of the garden, Arden's eyes scanned the surroundings, his expression vigilant.

Phelia's gaze followed his, and she couldn't help but think that the garden was like a different place altogether from the academy.

"Arden, how did you know about this place?" Phelia asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

Arden's eyes flicked back to hers, and he smiled wryly. "After we were all asked to report back to our room, I mistakenly bumped into something while walking as everywhere was dimly lit; a wall from nowhere turned and I was at the other side of the wall, I continued walking trying to find my way out. When I came across the garden, Since I couldn't stay here forever, I had to keep going, until I finally figured it out, that was also the same time, I saw your roommates walking together back to their room, I recognised Kaelara as the person Calantha was talking to and how she told you to look out for her, I just put two and two together."

"Oh so you met them by chance "phelia said

"Pretty much" Arden said laughing

Back in Phelia's room, Kaelara, Lila, and Zara were trying to stall the two men in black suits. They had been asking them questions, trying to distract them from their mission to collect Phelia's body.

"I'm telling you, we don't know where Phelia's body is," Kaelara said, trying to sound convincing. "We were told she was taken care of, but we don't know what that means."

The men exchanged sceptical glances. "We were told she was in this room," one of them said.

Lila shook her head. "That's not what we were told. We were told to stay in our rooms and wait for further instructions."

Zara chimed in, trying to add to the confusion. "Yeah, and we've been trying to figure out what's going on, but no one will tell us anything."

The men looked at each other, clearly unsure of what to do. One of them pulled out a phone and dialled a number.

"I need to check with our superiors," he said. "This isn't adding up."

As the man waited for someone to answer, Kaelara, Lila, and Zara exchanged nervous glances. They knew they couldn't keep stalling forever, but they were determined to give Phelia and Arden as much time as possible to escape.

Just as the man was about to hang up, a voice answered on the other end. "Yes?."

The man's expression changed, and he listened intently to the person on the other end. After a moment, he nodded and hung up.

"What is it?" Kaelara asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

The man's expression was grim. "We've been ordered to search the entire school. If Phelia's body is not in this room, then it must be somewhere else. You all are also coming with us to see the Heads."

Kaelara, Lila, and Zara exchanged worried glances. They knew they had to act fast to protect Phelia's secret. But what could they do?.

As the men in black suits began to search the room, Kaelara, Lila, and Zara knew they had to think fast. They couldn't let the men find out that Phelia was alive, or that she had escaped with Arden.

"We need to get out of here," Kaelara whispered to the others. "Now."

Lila nodded, and the three girls quickly made a move for the door. But as they reached for the handle, they found it was locked.

"What's going on?" Zara demanded, trying to keep her voice down. "Why is the door locked?"

One of the men in black suits turned to them, a smug look on his face. "You're not going anywhere. We have orders to keep you here until further notice."