A Glimpse of the Past

The rest of the day passed uneventfully, or at least as uneventful as it could be for Celeste. She had successfully avoided further confrontations with Bianca and her clique, but Adrian’s words lingered in her mind. Scholarship girl. The way he said it wasn’t cruel, but it still stung.

By the time the final bell rang, Celeste was ready to retreat to the quiet solitude of her dorm room. She made her way through the crowded halls, weaving past students making plans for the weekend. As she stepped outside, the sun was already dipping below the horizon, casting a golden glow over the sprawling campus.

The dormitory was a modest building tucked at the far end of the school grounds, a stark contrast to the lavish student villas reserved for the wealthier families. Celeste didn’t mind. It was quiet, and that was all she needed.

She pushed open the door to her room and dropped her bag onto the bed. The room was small but cozy, with a desk, a wardrobe, and a single window overlooking the forest behind the academy. Celeste sat down and pulled out a leather-bound journal from her bag.

The journal was old, the edges worn from years of use. It had belonged to her mother, a woman Celeste barely remembered but whose legacy had shaped her entire life. She flipped through the pages, scanning the intricate sketches and notes written in her mother’s elegant handwriting.

One sketch caught her attention—a symbol she had seen countless times before. It was a crown encircled by flames, the emblem of her family’s forgotten dynasty.

The Crown of Aetheris, her mother had called it. The source of their family’s magic, hidden away for centuries to protect it from those who would abuse its power. Celeste didn’t know where it was or how to find it, but she knew one thing: someone at St. Orion’s was looking for it, and she had to stop them.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. Celeste quickly closed the journal and shoved it under her pillow.

“Come in,” she called, trying to sound casual.

The door creaked open, and a girl with curly auburn hair peeked inside. “Hey, you must be Celeste. I’m Nora, your dorm mate.”

Celeste smiled, relieved to see a friendly face. “Hi, nice to meet you.”

Nora stepped inside, carrying a stack of books. “I hope you don’t mind, but I claimed the bottom bunk. I’m not great with heights.”

“Works for me,” Celeste said, gesturing to the top bunk.

As Nora set her books down, she glanced at Celeste. “So, how’s your first day been? Survive the gauntlet of rich kids?”

“Barely,” Celeste admitted with a laugh.

Nora grinned. “Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it. Just watch out for Bianca. She’s got a vendetta against anyone who doesn’t worship the ground she walks on.”

“Noted,” Celeste said.

They chatted for a while, and Celeste found herself relaxing for the first time all day. Nora was easy to talk to, with a sharp wit and an encyclopedic knowledge of the school’s drama.

But as the night wore on and Nora drifted off to sleep, Celeste couldn’t shake the feeling of unease. She reached under her pillow and pulled out the journal again, her fingers tracing the crown symbol.

The Crown of Aetheris was out there, and if the wrong person found it, the consequences could be catastrophic.

Celeste closed the journal and stared out the window at the forest beyond. Somewhere in the shadows, secrets were waiting to be uncovered.

And she was determined to find them.

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