NOVPUBRiven POV
Something was off.
Not "a little bit off," like when the head cook swaps the salt and sugar as a prank, or when Aria accidentally turns your hair blue and blames the weather. No, this was a big off the kind that prickled at the back of your neck and made you double-check that your socks matched before leaving your room in the morning. (For the record: they didn't.)
It started last week, maybe earlier, when Velka began acting… well, "weird" doesn't even cover it. Sure, she was always weird she was a vampire, after all, and vampires were contractually obligated to be mysterious. But this was new. Her sarcasm had gone soft, her glares were half-hearted, and she'd said "please" twice in a row, which frankly felt like an omen of the apocalypse.
And then there was Elyzara. Normally, my favorite princess tyrant could out-snark a parliament of goblins, but lately she looked distracted glancing at Velka out of the corner of her eye, smiling for no reason, and occasionally losing her train of thought entirely. At breakfast, she once poured syrup into her teacup and tried to drink it. Nobody even laughed, because everyone was worried.
Of course, being the only sane person in this castle full of magical drama queens, it fell to me Riven, the Last Bastion of Reason to get to the bottom of it all.
I started with surveillance. (And, okay, a sandwich. Sleuthing required sustenance.) I staked out the hallway, notebook in hand, pressed flat against the wall in a pose I considered "dramatic and shadowy." Someone passing by later said it looked more like I was trying to hide from laundry duty. Typical.
First up: Velka. She drifted down the hall, eyes unfocused, muttering to herself. I scribbled in my notebook:
Velka: Distracted. Not threatening anyone with eternal darkness. Suspicious.
Hair: Still shiny. Possibly a clue.
Conclusion: Must watch for further developments.
A few minutes later, Aria strutted past, carrying a basket full of suspiciously colorful potions. I narrowed my eyes. Ever since her "Invisibility Elixir" turned me invisible and mute (thanks, Aria), I'd regarded all her potions as weapons of mass chaos.
Aria: Smiling too much. Up to something.
Potions: Multicolored, probably illegal.
Conclusion: She's either planning a party or a coup. Possibly both.
By mid-morning, my detective work had yielded nothing but crumbs and a crick in my neck. I decided it was time for the "Direct Approach." That is, bothering people until they confessed.
I intercepted Elyzara in the corridor, flanked by Mara and Elira her two ever-present shadows, now also newly engaged and disgustingly cute about it.
"Hey, Zaz," I called, using her least favorite nickname. "Is Velka acting… off to you?"
She blinked at me, feigning innocence. "Define 'off,' Riven."
I hesitated. "Less like a cranky, ancient vampire queen. More like… I dunno, a student pretending to be a cranky, ancient vampire queen?"
She frowned, exchanging a glance with Mara. "She's just tired, maybe."
Elira arched an eyebrow. "Or perhaps she's finally mellowed out, thanks to a certain someone's influence."
Mara coughed discreetly, but not discreetly enough to hide her smirk.
I rolled my eyes. "You people are no help."
But Elyzara's lips twitched, just slightly. Maybe I wasn't the only one who noticed.
I tried to spy on Velka during lunch, but she sat so rigidly upright that even the sandwiches gave her a wide berth. She poked at her food with mechanical precision, answering questions with one-word replies and staring off into the middle distance as if she were trying to solve a riddle only she could hear.
At one point, she laughed out loud, and at something Mara said, which was worrying enough to make everyone at the table fall silent.
"That's it," I muttered, shoving my tray away. "I'm putting her on the watch list."
Aria, seated beside me, grinned. "Don't you mean the naughty list?"
I glared at her. "You're already on that one. Twice."
Later that day, during magical theory class, I caught Aria whispering furiously to herself behind a pile of books. I slithered over, using my patented "sneak and eavesdrop" maneuver. Unfortunately, I tripped over my own feet and crashed headlong into the desk, scattering scrolls everywhere.
Aria glared. "Riven! Could you please not spy on me for five minutes?"
I dusted myself off, unashamed. "I was not spying. I was… foraging. For knowledge."
"Uh-huh," she said. "And did you find any?"
I considered lying, but I was too tired. "No. But I did find a peanut butter sandwich under my chair, so that's a win."
She gave me a look of deep disappointment.
After classes, I checked my "Suspicion Board" a masterpiece of paranoia and string. I'd mapped out everyone's recent behaviors, sightings, and snack choices. Aria's line zigzagged between "possible traitor" and "just annoying." Velka's path wandered in endless loops around Elyzara.
At the center: a question mark. Something big was brewing. Something strange.
I scrawled, "Find proof. Stop world from ending. (Buy more sandwiches.)"
That night, I prowled the corridors, looking for more clues. The moonlight spilled through colored windows, casting wild patterns on the floor. Everything felt heavy with secrets.
I nearly collided with Mara as she left Elyzara's room, her face stormy. "What are you up to, Riven?"
I flashed my most innocent smile. "Night patrol. Top secret."
She looked unimpressed. "Try not to blow up the castle."
"No promises," I called, already darting away.
As I rounded a corner near the ancient stairwell, I froze. Voices filtered up from the lower levels Velka's, but… softer. Uncertain. The clone? Or the real deal? I crept closer, heart pounding, notebook at the ready.
Suddenly, a cold hand clamped on my shoulder.
I shrieked. (Just a little.)
Aria loomed behind me, eyes glittering. "You're everywhere tonight, aren't you?"
I tried to look brave. "Well, someone has to protect this place from well, from whatever you're up to."
She smiled, all teeth. "Careful, Riven. Some secrets bite back."
I gulped.
When I finally tumbled back into my room, I threw myself onto the bed, staring at the ceiling, mind whirring. Something was wrong. Velka wasn't Velka. Aria was too smug. Elyzara was too quiet. And me? I was the only one connecting the dots possibly because I had the fewest dots to connect.
But I wouldn't give up. Not until I found out the truth.
I scribbled one last note for the night:
Trust your gut, Riven. And maybe… check under your pillow for sandwiches.
