Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The taxi rolled to a stop in front of Anubis House, the familiar building standing tall under the warm summer sun. Eddie Miller stepped out, stretching his arms after the long drive. His father, standing by the car, clapped him on the shoulder in greeting.

"Try to stay out of trouble this year, huh?" Mr. Sweet said, half-joking, half-serious.

Eddie grinned. "No promises."

With a final nod, his father got back into the building and the taxi drove off, leaving Eddie to turn toward the house. Before he could take more than two steps, a familiar voice called out to him.

"Eddie! Have you seen Nina?"

Fabian Rutter stood at the top of the steps, eyes scanning Eddie like he held all the answers.

Eddie let out a chuckle and clapped Fabian on the shoulder. "Good to see you too, Fabian."

Fabian barely acknowledged the greeting, his anxious expression unchanged. Before Eddie could respond, Mara and Jerome joined them, launching into excited chatter about their summer vacations. Mara spoke about an internship she had done, while Jerome bragged about the trip he had taken - courtesy of his father’s newfound attempt at parenting. Eddie nodded along, listening to their banter, but the nagging feeling of being watched made the back of his neck prickle.

He turned slightly, just in time to catch a flash of red hair disappear behind a wall. A frown settled on his face.

Patricia.

His chest tightened as he watched her peek around the corner again, her blue eyes meeting his for the briefest second before she disappeared once more. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. They had broken up over the summer. Or, well - she had broken up with him. No warning, no explanation, just a clean break. And he still had no idea why.

But he was planning to find out.

Still, he knew better than to push her right away. If he confronted her now, she’d feel cornered, lash out, and shut him out even more. That was the last thing he wanted. So, for now, he would wait. Give her the space she clearly needed - at least until he could figure out what was really going on.

His thoughts were interrupted when Alfie came barreling toward them, excitement practically radiating off of him.

"Guys, you will not believe the summer I had! And Trudy’s cookies - oh man, we’re going to miss them!" He grabbed Eddie and Fabian by the arms, practically dragging them toward the house.

Eddie laughed, letting Alfie pull him along. Inside Anubis House, the familiar buzz of excitement filled the air. Amber and Joy had already entered, their voices bubbling with energy as they chatted about their day. Joy skipped over to Eddie, throwing her arms around him in a tight hug. Eddie chuckled, lifting her off the ground a little before setting her back down. Amber, on the other hand, ran to Alfie, her smile wide, while the two exchanged their usual banter.

Just as Eddie took in the lively scene, Trudy walked in with a big grin, her arms open wide. "I'm so happy you're all back!" she exclaimed, enveloping them all in one warm, family-like hug. The group laughed and smiled, catching up on everything they’d missed. They chatted for a while, the comfortable feeling of home settling over them.

But just as Eddie was about to join the conversation, something caught his eye—a flash of red outside the window. He chuckled to himself, deciding it might be a good idea to head upstairs and unpack so Patricia could have some time to settle in too.

"Guess I’ll go unpack," Eddie murmured, half to himself, before making his way upstairs.

He entered his room, walking toward the closet to store his clothes. As he opened the door, a sudden rush of images hit him like a wave. His hand gripped the edge of the closet for support, his heart skipping a beat.

The vision was sharp, vivid, and strange.

A dark-skinned girl, around his age, stood in a hospital room, staring down at an old man lying weakly in a bed. His eyes were barely open, his frailty almost heart-wrenching. Eddie could feel the weight of the moment-the desperation in the air. The old man weakly raised his hand, and Eddie's gaze shifted to the key he placed into the girl’s palm. The man’s lips moved slowly, but his voice was almost a whisper.

"The burden now falls on you," he croaked.

The girl clutched the key, confusion washing over her. She opened her mouth to speak, but the man’s strength was fading. His breath was labored.

"T-The key to the future... is... the g-gate to the past..."

The girl tried to hold on, asking him whathe meant, but he was too weak, his voice barely audible. The vision took a darker turn as Eddie watched the old man’s hand fall from the girl’s grasp. His chest rose one last time before his body stilled. The girl’s sobs filled the space as she held his hand, her face contorted in grief.

And then, just as quickly as it had begun, the vision snapped away, leaving Eddie breathing heavily, his pulse racing.

For a long moment, Eddie stood still, trying to shake off the intensity of the vision. The image of the girl stayed with him, haunting him, but something tugged at his mind. What had just happened?

Why does it feel important?

Before he could process any further, he felt a presence behind him, an arm lightly resting on his shoulder. Startled, he whipped around to find Fabian standing in the doorway, his eyes narrowed with curiosity.

"You okay, Eddie?" Fabian asked, raising an eyebrow. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Eddie’s frown deepened, his hand still pressed against the closet, as if trying to hold onto the last remnants of the vision. He blinked, clearing his head. "Yeah, just... a weird feeling. Thought I saw something."

Fabian's eyes studied him for a moment longer, but he didn’t press.

Instead, a small, knowing grin spread across his face, a silent acknowledgment of Eddie's unsettled state.

"Right," Fabian said, breaking the silence. "Well, we should probably head downstairs, see if the others have arrived yet."

Eddie nodded, though his mind was still reeling from the vision he had just experienced. He didn't say anything, just followed Fabian out of the room, the weight of his thoughts dragging behind him like a heavy fog.

The house was quieter now, a familiar hum of conversation echoing down the hallway as they entered the living room. When they stepped inside, Eddie’s gaze swept over the room. Everyone had arrived-except Nina.

Joy and Amber were clustered around Patricia, who looked as though she was ready to bolt. Eddie gave her a small, reassuring smile, hoping to ease whatever worry she was carrying. He didn’t want her to feel cornered or overwhelmed.

Patricia’s eyes flicked to him briefly, and Eddie noticed a slight easing of her tension. She relaxed just a bit, her shoulders dropping as the tension seemed to fade.

He made sure to sit a little farther away from her, a conscious effort to give her space. She needed to feel like she wasn’t trapped.

The two girls, Joy and Amber, were already moving on to tease Fabian, leaving Eddie to watch the scene play out with a small, amused smile. It was comforting to see things still felt a little normal.

The room grew quiet for a moment, the sound of soft footsteps approaching breaking the stillness. Mr. Sweet and Trudie walked in, their faces tight with worry, and a sense of heaviness settled in the room almost immediately.

Eddie felt his muscles tense in response. Something was off.

Joy furrowed her brow and asked the question everyone else was thinking. "What’s wrong?"

The weight in the air seemed to increase, suffocating the room, and all eyes turned to Mr. Sweet as he opened his mouth to speak.

“Nina won’t be coming back,” he announced, his voice low, tinged with an emotion Eddie couldn’t quite place.

The room fell deathly silent. He exchanged glances with Fabian, who looked stunned.

--
Patricia scraped the last bits of dinner from the plates, her hands moving mechanically. The atmosphere in the house was still thick with the heaviness of the news. Nina wouldn’t be coming back. It was strange-almost surreal-how everything seemed so different in just a matter of hours.

As she worked, Amber and Joy - of course - hadn’t missed the opportunity to pester her about Eddie. Again.

"C'mon!" Joy’s voice broke through the silence. "Last year, you guys were inseparable. You spent the whole summer together and now... nothing. What's up with that?"

Patricia rolled her eyes and continued her task, not looking up. "We broke up," she said flatly, already tired of the conversation. She knew they'd find out eventually, so she figured she might as well get it over with.

Amber and Joy both froze, dish soap dripping from their hands as their eyes widened in disbelief. "What?!" they exclaimed in unison, their voices filled with shock.

"Patricia, why?" Joy pressed, her tone softening, now laced with concern.

Patricia avoided their gazes, her eyes focused on the plates in front of her, refusing to look up. She shrugged, her shoulders tense. "It was a mutual decision," she muttered, though the words tasted bitter. It wasn’t mutual, not really - it had been her decision, but she wasn’t about to get into that with them.

Joy moved closer, a look of doubt creeping onto her face. Patricia braced herself for more questions, but luckily, she was saved by a loud thud from the hallway. The sound broke the awkward moment like a cracking glass, and both girls immediately dropped their dishes, rushing to the source of the noise.

They found Eddie standing over a girl, boxes and scattered belongings around her. The girl looked disoriented but quickly stood up, dusting herself off.

"Sorry about that," the girl said, brushing off the dust from her clothes as she smiled. "I’m KT, I’m new here."

Amber blinked, her face falling into a more somber expression. "You're taking Nina’s place," she said quietly, the weight of the words making her voice soft.

KT’s brow furrowed, clearly confused. "Nina? I’m not sure. This is where they told me to go. I’m staying in Isis House tonight, and I’m moving in tomorrow. I just thought I’d bring some stuff over early." She smiled, brushing a few stray hairs from her face.

Joy pointed her in the direction of the living room. "You can put your stuff there for tonight. We’ll get you settled in tomorrow."

But Eddie, standing slightly off to the side, seemed to be staring at KT, his eyes narrowing with recognition. "I’ve seen you before," he said slowly, as though trying to piece something together.

Patricia’s attention snapped to Eddie, her eyes narrowing in irritation. What’s he talking about now?

"Uhh, maybe," KT responded cautiously, raising an eyebrow. "Where are you from?"

Eddie shook his head, almost in disbelief. "No, I mean... you’re the girl from my dream." He let out a breath, his voice barely above a whisper, stunned by his realization. It was the same girl = the one from his vision, the one with the key.

The air grew heavy in an instant. Eddie’s words hung in the space like a weight, and Patricia’s stomach twisted. She clenched her jaw, a sharp, annoyed breath escaping her.

Behind him, the sound of a scoff sounded, and before Eddie could even turn to explain himself, Patricia was already stomping away, her arms crossed tightly, her head down.

Eddie groaned, immediately regretting his words. Great, Eddie. You really know how to make a situation worse. He turned toward Patricia, but before he could make a move to follow her, Joy stepped into his path, giving him a sympathetic look.

"Idiot," she muttered softly, shaking her head.

Eddie sighed in frustration, but there wasn’t much he could do now. He glanced over at KT, unsure whether to try talking to her more or leave it for later, but before he could make up his mind, the door opened, and Victor strode in.

"Alright, everyone. Time for bed," Victor announced, his voice commanding and final. The room fell into an uneasy quiet, and Eddie could see the way everyone tensed up again, the mood shifting once more.

Patricia was already upstairs, so he couldn’t make it right with her now. And with Victor’s order, the night was pretty much over.

Chapter Text

Patricia walked into school, her hands stuffed in her pockets, her mind still lingering on last night's events. Joy and Mara walked ahead of her, giggling about something, their laughter light and carefree. It was a stark contrast to the way Patricia felt-tense, unsettled.

She wasn’t sure why she felt that way until she spotted Eddie.

He was leaning against the wall, his phone in hand, a small smile playing on his lips. That wasn’t what made her stop in her tracks. It was her-KT-hanging onto his arm, smiling just as widely.

A hot flash of… something settled into her stomach, sharp and unwelcome. Anger? Hurt? Maybe both? Patricia had never been great at telling those two apart.

Her fingers curled into fists inside her pockets. She was being a hypocrite, and she knew it. She had broken up with him. She had no right to feel anything about him moving on. That’s what she wanted, right? Distance.

Then why did it feel like she had been punched in the gut?

Her mind drifted back to the summer, to the trip she had taken to visit Eddie in America. Everything had been great-perfect, even-until the last week. That’s when everything shifted. Eddie became distant, distracted. He was always on his phone or his laptop, quick to hide whatever he was doing when she walked into the room. And the look on his face-guilt.

There was only one reason she could think of for him acting that way. He had been talking to another girl.

Of course, that had set off every insecurity she had. It triggered that deep-rooted fear of getting too close, of trusting someone just to have them let her down. She had convinced herself it was better to end things before she got hurt.

Could she have just talked to him about it? Sure. But talking about her feelings had never been her strong suit. It was easier to lock everything away, pretend she didn’t care.

But seeing him now, laughing, looking so comfortable with KT, made her wonder if she had made a mistake.

"Patricia? You coming?"

Joy’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts. Patricia blinked, tearing her gaze away from the cozy-looking pair.

"Yeah," she muttered, forcing herself to move.

Suddenly a hand grabbed her arm and yanked her into a secluded corner.

"Oi!" she hissed, nearly stumbling. She looked up to see Fabian, his expression serious.

"I’ll catch up with you two later!" she called after Joy and Mara, who barely glanced back before continuing down the hall.

Fabian didn’t waste time. He dug into his bag, pulling out a folded piece of paper and thrusting it toward her. “Eddie had this letter in his bag.”

Patricia frowned, snatching the paper from him. “Not really a reason to give me whiplash,” she muttered, unfolding it.

Her eyes skimmed over the words, brow furrowing deeper with every line. The letter was… off. Too many spelling mistakes, sentences that didn’t sound like Nina at all, and most telling of all-Nina hadn’t even signed her name at the bottom.

“Why didn’t he give it to me himself? He’s my friend,” Fabian pressed, crossing his arms. “And look at it, Patricia-it’s fake.”

Patricia exhaled sharply. “So you think Nina gave Eddie a fake letter to pass on to you?”

Fabian shook his head, lowering his voice. “No, I think Victor and Mr. Sweet are behind this.” His eyes darted around as if expecting them to be lurking nearby.

Patricia rubbed her forehead, already feeling a headache forming. “Fabian, that doesn’t make any sense.”

“Yes, it does!” Fabian insisted. “Eddie is Mr. Sweet’s son. He’s desperate to fix things with his dad-don’t you think he’d do anything Mr. Sweet tells him?”

Her instinct was to shut that theory down immediately, to defend Eddie. But then again… did she really know him? She thought she did, but lately, everything felt so different.

She sighed. “Okay, what do you want me to do?”

“Cover for me. I’m going back to the house to do some snooping,” Fabian whispered, already edging toward the exit.

Patricia rolled her eyes but nodded. “Fine.”

Fabian gave her a grateful look before slipping out of sight. With a heavy sigh, she turned back toward the classroom, already dreading the rest of the day.

When she walked in, her eyes immediately landed on Eddie, who was already seated next to KT. He was laughing at something she said, but the moment he caught sight of her, his smile faltered.

Their eyes met for a split second before Patricia stubbornly looked away.

Joy was already seated next to Mara, Amber had claimed the seat next to Alfie, and-of course-Fabian was off playing detective. That left Patricia with no choice.

Guess I’m sitting alone, she thought with an annoyed sigh.

She slid into the seat in the farthest corner of the room, away from everyone, resting her chin in her palm as she waited for the lesson to start. But before she could even zone out, a strange feeling prickled at the back of her neck.

She looked up and met the sharp gaze of their new teacher, Miss Denby.

Patricia shivered.

Miss Denby’s eyes lingered on her for just a moment too long before she turned away, starting the lesson as if nothing had happened.

Patricia kept her head down after that, counting down the minutes until the school day was over.

Luckily, the day passed by quickly. Patricia spent most of it zoning out, barely paying attention to her classes. The second the final bell rang, she bolted out the door, heading straight home to find Fabian.

She found him in the room he shared with Eddie, sitting on the bed with a file in his hands, his brows furrowed in deep concentration.

“Find anything?” she asked, making sure to shut the door behind her.

Fabian sighed, flipping through the pages. “Just more information about the Chosen One. Mostly stuff we already know-someone born on a certain day, special powers, blah, blah, blah. But no clues as to why they’d want Nina.” He looked disappointed, almost frustrated with himself.

Patricia watched him for a moment before exhaling shakily. She walked toward Eddie’s drawers, her fingers hovering over the handle before she yanked it open, hating herself for what she was about to do.

“What are you doing?” Fabian asked nervously, standing up.

“You said Eddie’s in league with them. I’m just trying to find out if that’s true,” she muttered, pushing aside Eddie’s neatly folded clothes.

Her hands stilled suddenly, eyes widening.

“What is it?” Fabian asked anxiously, glancing at the door in case someone walked in.

Patricia pulled out a small, familiar object and held it up. “Isn’t this Nina’s locket?”

Fabian’s face darkened as he took the locket from her. “Yeah.” His voice was tight, almost strained. “I told you. Eddie knows more about Nina’s disappearance than he’s letting on.” There was an almost hopeful edge to his tone, like he wanted her to believe it.

Patricia shook her head, her instinct to defend Eddie kicking in. “But Eddie is an Osirian. The Osirian and the Chosen One are supposed to be on the same side.”

“His role is to protect her,” Fabian clarified, shaking his head.

Patricia bit her lip, her eyes drifting toward Eddie’s laptop. A wave of pain-or maybe anger-flooded her chest. She hesitated, then sighed and pulled the laptop onto her lap, clicking through until she found his messages.

She scanned them quickly, her stomach twisting as she read the most recent exchange. “They’ve been messaging each other,” she said, her voice hollow.

Fabian leaned over, reading with her.

''Eddie, I’m serious. We can’t be together anymore.'' Patricia read the message out loud, her throat tightening.

“You don’t… You don’t think they had a thing, right?” Fabian’s voice shook.

Patricia’s hands trembled as she pushed the laptop off her lap, pressing her palms into her eyes. That was exactly what she was thinking. How could she not when the evidence was right in front of them?

Her eyes burned, and before she could stop them, a few tears slipped out. Anger. These are tears of anger, she told herself.

Beside her, Fabian exhaled shakily, looking like he might cry himself. Without a word, he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer. She buried her face into his neck, letting him shield her from the overwhelming storm of emotions crashing down on her.

For a tiny, selfish moment, she was glad Fabian was here, going through this with her, so she wouldn’t have to do it alone.

They had been friends for years. He had seen every side of her-the good, the bad, mostly bad-and never once judged her for it. Never once stopped being her friend.

More angry tears escaped her eyes.

Maybe, in some twisted way, she deserved this. But Fabian didn’t. He had been nothing but good, nothing but kind. He didn’t deserve this kind of hurt.

The door burst open, laughter spilling in with it.

KT and Eddie stood in the doorway, smiles still on their faces-until they saw them.

The mood shifted instantly.

“Patricia?” Eddie’s voice was filled with concern. “What’s wrong?”

She scoffed. As if he doesn’t know. As if he wasn’t the reason for the ache clawing at her chest.

And yet, despite everything, she still had the overwhelming urge to crawl into his arms and let him comfort her.

But she didn’t.

Instead, she buried her face deeper into her hands.

Fabian stood abruptly, his entire demeanor shifting into something cold and furious. Without a second thought, he stormed toward the door, shoving Eddie and KT out before slamming it shut in their faces.

She had never seen Fabian so angry.

Through the door, she could hear KT’s muffled voice. “Eddie, just leave them for a moment.”

“But Patricia-” Eddie protested.

“She’ll be fine,” KT cut him off. “Fabian is with her. Let’s just leave them be.”

There was silence for a moment, then two sets of footsteps slowly retreated down the hall.

He had listened to KT.

He had left her.

Chapter Text

Eddie stood in the living room, drink in hand, watching Amber’s birthday party unfold in full swing. Laughter and music filled the air, but he barely noticed any of it. His eyes were locked on Patricia, who sat on the couch, drained and distant. She hadn’t looked at him once.

Her red-rimmed eyes told him she had been crying. He had tried to talk to her a few times, desperate to find out what was wrong. But every time he got close, Jerome was suddenly there, blocking his path. It didn’t matter where Patricia went-Jerome didn’t stray far, and now that Eddie thought about it, he didn’t look particularly happy with him either.

Fabian’s murderous glare burned into the back of his head, but Eddie refused to turn around and acknowledge it. KT had slipped off earlier, probably dealing with that key again. And honestly, he was glad for the distraction-at least someone wasn’t staring daggers at him.

Finally, unable to stand the tension, he walked off, planning to find KT.

“Eddie!”

He stopped, sighing before turning to see Fabian storming after him. His fists were clenched, his expression livid.

“I know about everything,” Fabian spat, his voice low but filled with anger.

Eddie frowned. No-he couldn’t know. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he tried to deny, forcing out a nervous laugh.

“Don’t lie to me!” Fabian snapped, his voice raising, drawing the attention of the entire room.

Heads turned. The music quieted. The tension thickened.

“I know everything,” Fabian said, his voice cracking slightly. “You’ve been emailing each other. Oh, and she gave you this.”

He reached into his pocket and yanked out Nina’s locket, shoving it in Eddie’s face.

Eddie’s breath hitched, his eyes widening in recognition.

“Okay, dude, you need to back off,” Eddie warned, stepping back slightly.

But Fabian wasn’t listening. His face twisted in fury, and before Eddie could react, he lunged.

Alfie grabbed him just in time, holding him back as Fabian struggled against him. “I need to know,” Fabian pleaded, his voice desperate now.

Eddie exhaled, rubbing his face. “Okay, okay. I’ll tell you everything-just not with an audience. C’mon.”

He led Fabian upstairs, glancing over his shoulder just in time to catch Patricia looking at Fabian before following him with her eyes.

Once inside his room, Eddie took a deep breath and started explaining.

It took almost an hour.

He told Fabian everything-how he and Nina had been talking, but there was nothing romantic between them. How Nina had left for her own safety. How it was dangerous for an Osirian and the Chosen One to be together. How Eddie had been trying to figure things out, to help, not betray anyone.

Finally, he pulled out something he had meant to give Fabian earlier-the real letter from Nina. The one he had lost before. He handed it to Fabian with a sigh, hoping for at least some level of forgiveness.

Fabian read it carefully, his expression shifting as he processed it all. The rage in his eyes dimmed, replaced by something softer. He still looked upset, but at least he didn’t seem like he was going to strangle Eddie anymore.

Without a word, Fabian walked out.

Eddie followed a few steps behind, watching as Fabian immediately made his way toward Patricia. He grabbed her hand and led her upstairs.

Eddie frowned, watching them go. Had they always been that close?

Should he be worried about that?

The rest of the residents slowly disappeared, returning to the party as if nothing had happened. The tension eased slightly, but Eddie still felt on edge.

Then his eyes landed on KT.

She was sitting on the stairs, fiddling with a key.

His stomach dropped. It was the key. The same one he had seen in his vision.

Without thinking, he reached for it.

“Eddie, don’t-” KT started, but it was too late.

The moment his fingers brushed against the metal, his vision blurred, and suddenly-

He wasn’t in Anubis House anymore.

He stood in a dark chamber, surrounded by towering Egyptian statues, their eyes glowing an eerie gold. The air crackled with energy, a sense of power thrumming through the room.

Then, just as suddenly as it began, it was over.

Eddie gasped, blinking rapidly as he found himself back in the house, KT standing in front of him, looking concerned.

--

Eddie paced back and forth in the empty classroom, running a hand through his hair. Across the room, KT sat on one of the desks, watching him with a mixture of amusement and impatience.

"Okay, let me get this straight," Eddie finally said, stopping mid-stride. "You're at a school you've never heard of, on a quest you don’t understand, with a key that doesn’t unlock anything."

"Pretty much," KT said, nodding slowly.

Eddie sighed dramatically. “Great. Love that for us.”

KT rolled her eyes. “Look, I know it’s weird, but this key has to open something important. Otherwise, why would I have been sent here in the first place?”

“Fair point,” Eddie admitted. “So, where exactly have you tried the key?”

“Everywhere,” KT said, exhaling. “Classrooms, storage rooms, the cellar-literally everywhere.” She paused, then added, “Except Victor’s office.”

Eddie’s eyebrows shot up. “Wait—you haven’t tried Victor’s office?”

KT shrugged. “I mean, it’s Victor’s office. Kind of hard to get in without getting caught.”

Eddie smirked. “Well, then, I guess that’s where we start.”

KT hesitated, then nodded in agreement. Without another word, they rushed toward the door, eager to put their plan into action-

-only to crash straight into Patricia.

Patricia stumbled back, and Eddie instinctively reached out, grabbing her arms to steady her. His hands tightened as he took in her appearance. She was pale, unsteady on her feet, and her usual sharp eyes looked slightly unfocused.

“Are you okay?” he asked, concern lacing his voice. He placed a hand on her cheek, frowning when he felt the heat radiating from her skin. She was burning up.

“Eddie, c’mon! We have to go,” KT urged, grabbing his wrist.

Patricia’s gaze flickered down to KT’s hand wrapped around his wrist, and something in her expression darkened. She pushed Eddie’s arms away, straightening herself.

“I’m fine,” she muttered before turning on her heel and walking the other way.

Eddie watched her go, his stomach twisting with unease. She was not fine. But before he could go after her, KT tugged his arm, snapping him back to reality.

“Eddie,” KT pressed, “we need to move before Victor comes back.”

Eddie clenched his jaw, sparing one last glance in Patricia’s direction before nodding. “Yeah… let’s go.”

Patricia glanced back just in time to see Eddie run off with KT, their heads close together as they whispered hurriedly. The burning sensation in her chest returned, sharp and unrelenting, making her already sick body feel even worse.

It had been a week since KT moved in, and already, she and Eddie had become inseparable. It stung more than Patricia was willing to admit.

Suck it up, she told herself bitterly. You’re the one who let your insecurities push you here. This is your own fault.

She sighed, unsteadily making her way toward her next class. She really should have stayed home. But Amber and Alfie had apparently convinced Fabian to restart Sibuna, and they found something in Victor’s package that needed discussing. And so, here she was, barely holding herself together.

“Patricia!”

She stopped, turning to see Ms. Denby walking toward her, a concerned look on her face.

“Are you alright? You look a bit pale,” the teacher asked, eyeing her carefully.

Patricia forced a small smile. “Oh, I’m alright. Just coming down with something.”

Ms. Denby studied her for a second before nodding. “Maybe you should head home. You don’t look well.”

Patricia opened her mouth to argue-she hated showing weakness-but nothing came out. And, for once, she didn’t want to fight it. she’d rather be in bed.

After a pause, she gave a small nod. “Maybe that’s a good idea. I’ll sleep off whatever this is.”

Ms. Denby smiled approvingly. “I think that’s for the best. Go ahead. I’ll give Victor a call to let him know to expect you.”

Patricia gave her a small, appreciative nod before turning toward the exit. Maybe Ms. Denby wasn’t as bad as she thought. Maybe she’d misjudged her.

She took a slow breath as she walked toward Anubis House, her body aching with each step. She’d be fine. She just needed rest.

--

Eddie and KT walked out of Victor’s office, their shoulders slumped in frustration.

"Nowhere," Eddie muttered, running a hand through his hair. "The key doesn't fit anywhere."

They had tried every room in Anubis House, including Victor’s office, but nothing. The key was completely useless-at least for now.

KT sighed, equally frustrated. “Maybe we’re missing something.”

“Yeah, like a lock?” Eddie quipped sarcastically.

KT gave him a flat look but didn’t get a chance to respond because, suddenly, she grabbed his arm and yanked him down behind the stair railing.

“Hey-” Eddie started, but KT quickly shushed him.

“Look,” she whispered.

Eddie peered past the staircase just as the front door creaked open. Patricia stumbled in, looking even worse than before.

His heart clenched at the sight of her. She was pale-almost ghostly-with dark circles under her eyes, and she looked unsteady on her feet.

Without thinking, he started to stand, ready to go to her, but KT’s grip on his arm kept him in place.

“Just wait,” she murmured.

Eddie clenched his jaw but stayed put, watching as Trudy rushed toward Patricia with concern written all over her face.

“There you are, sweetheart,” Trudy cooed, immediately stepping in to steady her. “Ms. Denby told us to expect you. Let’s get you into bed, and then I’ll make you some soup.”

Eddie watched as Trudy gently guided Patricia toward her room, his jaw tightening. He should be the one helping her.

But she didn’t want his help, did she?

KT gave his arm a small squeeze before letting go. “Come on,” she whispered.

They snuck back into Eddie’s room, hiding out until school was over. It wasn’t ideal, but the last thing they needed was Victor catching them snooping around.

Once the house was bustling again, Eddie wasted no time setting off toward Patricia’s room, determined to check on her.

But when he got there, Joy was already inside, speaking to her in soft, gentle tones.

Eddie sighed, running a hand down his face. He grumbled something under his breath before turning away, deciding to leave them alone.

As he walked back through the house, he spotted Amber, Fabian, and Alfie huddled together, muttering suspiciously.

Sibuna stuff?

They would include him if it was, right?

Then again, he hadn’t exactly been including them in what he and KT were up to.

But technically, this wasn’t Sibuna business-this was KT’s secret to tell.

At least, that’s what he told himself as he walked away.

Night had fallen faster than Eddie expected, and he still hadn’t managed to check on Patricia. Every time he made his way up to her room, someone else was already there-Joy, Amber, even Alfie at one point. It was like the universe itself was stopping him from seeing her.

He sighed heavily, flopping back against his bed and turning to face the wall. The sheets rustled beneath him, but he paid no attention. Across the room, Fabian was already asleep, his breathing steady.

Fabian had been oddly quiet when getting ready for bed. Then again, they hadn’t really talked much this past week. Actually, Eddie hadn’t talked to anyone much, except for KT.

With another sigh, he pushed the thought away, letting sleep take him under.

When he opened his eyes, he wasn’t in his room anymore.

He was somewhere… empty. A blinding white room with no doors, no windows-nothing but a single bed in the center.

And on that bed lay Patricia.

Eddie’s stomach twisted at the sight of her. She looked-God, she looked awful. Her face was pale, almost gray, her body frail and lifeless. Tubes snaked from her arms, disappearing into nothing.

His breath caught when her eyes fluttered open, a single tear slipping down her cheek.

“Eddie,” she croaked, her voice barely above a whisper. She lifted a trembling hand toward him. “Help me. Don’t let me die.”

Panic gripped him. He surged forward, reaching for her-

But no matter how fast he moved, she only seemed to get further away.

“No, no, no,” he muttered, picking up his pace, running as fast as he could toward her.

Her lips turned blue.

Her body stilled.

Her hand dropped lifelessly to the bed.

Her empty eyes stared back at him.

“Patricia!” Eddie shouted, his own voice ripping through the empty space-

He woke up with a gasp, his heart hammering in his chest.

It took a second to realize he was back in his dorm, the white room gone, replaced by the dim shadows of night. His breathing was ragged, his skin damp with sweat.

Fabian was still asleep.

Eddie didn’t hesitate. He threw the blanket off him and swung his legs out of bed.

Making sure Victor wasn’t lurking around, he slipped out of his room and sped toward Patricia’s.

He needed to see her. He needed to make sure she was alive.

When he burst into the girls’ room, KT was sitting up in bed, her skin glistening with sweat, breathing heavily.

But he barely paid her any attention. His focus was on Patricia.

He knelt beside her bed, his entire body sagging with relief the moment he saw the gentle rise and fall of her chest. Soft breaths slipped past her lips.

She was alive.

Letting out a shaky exhale, he reached out, brushing some of her hair away from her face, his fingers lingering on her warm cheek.

Eddie looked back at KT, still trying to steady his breathing. Her eyes were wide, mirroring the same shock he felt.

“I just had a dream-well, a vision, I think-Patricia-”

“Patricia was dying.”

His stomach dropped. “Yeah… how did you know?” he asked, frowning.

“Because I just had the same dream,” KT admitted, her voice trembling. “I was in a white room. Patricia was on a bed, hooked up to all these tubes. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t reach her.”

Eddie stared at her. His heart pounded as her words sank in.

That was exactly what he had seen.

But how?

Before he could say anything else, footsteps echoed outside the door.

His body tensed.

“Victor,” KT hissed.

Eddie nodded, holding his breath as the sound of slow, deliberate steps moved past the room. They stayed perfectly still until the footsteps finally faded into silence.

KT exhaled first. “We’ll talk about this more tomorrow,” she whispered. “You should go before someone catches you.”

Eddie opened his mouth to protest. He couldn’t leave Patricia right now. Not after that vision. Not after-

KT shook her head firmly, cutting him off before he could argue.

“I’ll keep an eye on her. If anything happens, I’ll come and get you, I promise,” she assured him. “But it’s not helping anyone if you get grounded for sneaking in here in the middle of the night.”

Eddie clenched his jaw. He hated it, but she was right.

With one last look at Patricia, he stood up, his hands balling into fists at his sides.

“Fine,” he muttered. “But if anything-anything-feels off, you come get me. Got it?”

KT nodded. “Got it.”

She peeked out the door, checking the hallway before giving him the all-clear.

Eddie hesitated for just a second longer before forcing himself to slip out of the room.

But as he walked back toward his dorm, his mind raced.

Something wasn’t right.

And if he and KT were both having the same vision…

It wasn’t just a dream.

Chapter Text

“So, you think this has anything to do with this?” KT asked, fiddling with the key between her fingers.

It was early morning, just before school, and she and Eddie sat in the lounge, watching as Fabian, Alfie, and Amber walked down the stairs. Those three had been holed up in Patricia’s room all morning, and it was starting to get on Eddie’s nerves.

He exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand down his face. “It all started when you came here with that key,” he hissed, before pausing. “Sorry.”

KT shook her head. “It’s fine, I get it. You’re just worried.” She offered him a small smile.

Eddie sighed. “I just don’t get it! What do we have to do? What’s wrong with her?”

KT didn’t answer right away. She looked just as lost as he felt.

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “But we’ll figure it out. In the meantime, we’ll keep working on the key, and we’ll have to keep an eye on Patricia.”

Eddie nodded, taking the key from her and turning it over in his hands. There had to be something they were missing.

Before he could say anything else, Trudie walked into the room, holding a plate of toast and a glass of orange juice. “Before you kids go off to school, who wants to bring Patricia her breakfast?” she asked.

“I can!” Eddie said quickly, raising his hand.

He noticed the way Fabian, Alfie, and Amber exchanged uneasy glances before Fabian stood up.

“I can do it,” Fabian said, his voice careful. “I have to head upstairs anyway.”

Eddie frowned. He thought they were over this whole thing. What was Fabian’s problem?

Before either of them could argue, Trudie shook her head. “Actually, Mr. Sweet has requested you three a little earlier for some extra coursework you missed,” she said, looking at Fabian, Alfie, and Amber. “So Eddie can bring Patricia her breakfast.”

Fabian hesitated for half a second before nodding stiffly. “Fine.”

Eddie snatched the tray from Trudie’s hands before anyone could change their minds.

He didn’t waste any time heading up the stairs. Balancing the tray in one hand, he knocked lightly on Patricia’s door before pushing it open.

The room was dim, the curtains drawn, casting a dull glow over everything. Patricia lay in bed, her face half-buried in the pillow, her red hair splayed out around her. Even from across the room, Eddie could see how pale she was. The sight sent a sharp pang through his chest.

“Trudie sent breakfast,” he said, shutting the door behind him.

Patricia shifted slightly, blinking up at him groggily. “M’not hungry,” she muttered, voice hoarse.

Eddie rolled his eyes, walking over and setting the tray on her nightstand. “Yeah, well, too bad. You have to eat something.”

She didn’t argue, just sighed and closed her eyes again. Eddie hesitated before sitting on the edge of her bed.

“How are you feeling?”

Patricia cracked one eye open. “Like I got run over by a truck.”

He huffed a laugh, but it faded quickly. The silence stretched between them for a while. Eventually, Patricia sat up with a huff, grabbing the glass of juice and taking small sips.

“Shouldn’t you go now? I’m sure your girlfriend misses you already,” she grumbled.

Eddie stiffened, immediately recognizing the bitterness in her voice. He already knew what she was thinking.

“KT is not my girlfriend,” he said, rolling his eyes.

Patricia didn’t respond, just took another sip of her juice. Eddie sighed, shoving the plate with toast in her direction. She didn’t fight him on it, just picked at the crust absentmindedly.

He wanted to press her for more, wanted to tell her she had it all wrong, but before he could say anything, there was a knock at the door.

“Patricia? You awake?” Joy’s voice called from the other side.

Eddie clenched his jaw, reluctantly standing up.

“Guess that’s my cue.”

Patricia gave him a tired smirk. “Looks like it.”

Eddie hesitated for just a second before reaching out, brushing some hair from her face. The touch was brief, but it made something tighten in his chest.

“I’ll be back later, okay?”

Patricia’s smirk softened into something almost fond. “Okay.”

With that, Eddie grabbed the tray and slipped out the door just as Joy stepped inside. He barely acknowledged her, too wrapped up in his own thoughts. He put the tray down in the kitchen before heading outside, where KT was already waiting for him. She was leaning against the railing, fiddling with the key in her hands.

“How is she?” KT asked, not looking up.

“Still stubborn,” Eddie muttered, crossing his arms. “Didn’t want to eat. Probably wouldn’t have if I didn’t shove the toast at her.”

“You think this has anything to do with that dream?”

KT exhaled sharply, finally looking at him. “I don’t know. We need to figure this out before…” She trailed off, not wanting to say the words out loud.

Eddie ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah.”

They stood in silence for a moment before KT straightened up. “Come on. If we’re gonna get answers, we need to start looking.”

Eddie exhaled, nodding slowly. "Alright. Where do we start?"

KT looked down at the key in her hand, turning it over between her fingers. The metallic surface reflected a soft glow from the early morning light, but it seemed to hold more questions than answers. "We've already tried every lock in the house. It doesn't fit anywhere."

"Maybe we're looking in the wrong place," Eddie suggested, his eyes narrowing as he considered the possibilities. "What if it's not meant for a door?"

KT frowned, looking down at the key again, her mind working through the options. "Then what else could it open?"

Eddie shrugged, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "A box? A safe? Something hidden?" He glanced back at the house. "Victor's got plenty of secrets."

KT pursed her lips in thought, her gaze distant. "Then we start with his office again. Maybe we missed something."

Eddie sighed but nodded. As much as he didn’t love the idea of sneaking around Victor’s office again, especially after the last time, if this key had anything to do with Patricia getting sick, they didn’t have a choice.

They noticed Fabian, Amber, and Alfie stepping out of the house, deep in hushed conversation. Eddie couldn’t help but notice the way the trio exchanged uneasy glances whenever he came into view. It had been happening all morning, and he was starting to get frustrated.

"Hey," Eddie called, stepping toward them. "What’s with all the whispering?"

Fabian’s expression tightened, and the others stiffened. Amber quickly cleared her throat, and Alfie glanced at the ground. Fabian shot Eddie a strained smile. "Nothing. We were just talking."

Eddie wasn’t convinced, but before he could press further, the trio hurried off, walking with their heads down like they didn’t want to be seen talking to him. He stood there for a moment, blinking, before turning back to KT. “They’ve been hovering around Patricia an awful lot, haven’t they?” KT asked, her voice casual, but there was a hint of suspicion in her tone.

Eddie nodded. "Yeah, I guess." He gave a little shrug. “You think they know something?”

“Maybe,” KT replied, her tone thoughtful. “They could just be worried about her. They are her friends, after all.”

Eddie hummed, unsure. Something about their behavior seemed off, but maybe it was just his paranoia. Still, the feeling gnawed at him as they walked into the school. He couldn’t shake the thought that they were hiding something.

As they made their way down the hall, Eddie spotted Jerome standing unusually close to Willow by the lockers. Eddie frowned, trying to make sense of it. Wasn’t Jerome supposed to be with Mara?

He watched them for a second, noting the way Willow was smiling at Jerome-too casually, too knowingly. Eddie shook his head. He wasn’t going to get involved in whatever was going on between them. It wasn’t his business.

KT grabbed Eddie’s arm, yanking him to a stop.

"Ow-what?" Eddie hissed, rubbing his arm as he glanced around. “What’s with you?”

KT ignored him and pointed toward an empty classroom, her expression sharp with suspicion. Eddie followed her gaze just in time to see Fabian, Alfie, and Amber slipping inside, glancing around nervously as if making sure no one was watching.

Eddie and KT exchanged a look.

"That’s weird," Eddie muttered.

"Very weird," KT agreed.

Moving quickly but quietly, they crept toward the door, pressing themselves against the wall just outside. Eddie tilted his head, straining to hear.

“I don’t understand,” Amber whispered, her voice laced with unease. “We all had the same dream? That doesn’t just happen.”

“Maybe it’s a warning,” Fabian said. “We’ve seen this kind of thing before.”

Alfie let out a shaky breath. “But why now? Why all of us?”

“Maybe because it’s real,” Amber murmured. “Maybe… maybe Patricia really is going to-”

“Don’t say it,” Fabian interrupted, his voice sharp. “We are not letting that happen.”

KT and Eddie looked at each other, shocked.

It sounded like the dream they had.

Did the trio have the same dream?

Did they all dream of Patricia dying?

"I don’t like this," Amber whispered. "We still don’t know what to do."

"I know," Fabian said, frustration clear in his tone. "But we can’t tell Eddie anything. Not yet."

Eddie stiffened.

"What do you mean ‘not yet’?" Alfie asked. "He’s already suspicious."

"Exactly. And if we tell him, he’ll freak out. We need to figure out more first."

KT turned to Eddie, eyes wide. He clenched his jaw, his fists curling at his sides.

Without thinking, Eddie reached for the door handle and pushed it open.

"Figure out what first?" he demanded.

Fabian, Amber, and Alfie all jumped, their heads snapping toward the door as Eddie stepped inside, KT right behind him.

Amber let out a startled squeak, clutching her chest. “Eddie! What is wrong with you?”

“What’s wrong with me?” Eddie shot back, crossing his arms. “What’s wrong with you? You’ve all been acting weird all morning, sneaking around, whispering-” He paused, his jaw tightening. “And now I find out you’ve all been having the same dream? About Patricia? And you weren’t going to tell me?”

The trio exchanged uneasy glances.

“Eddie, it’s not like that,” Fabian started, his voice careful. “We just-”

“No, see, I think it is like that,” Eddie cut him off. His voice was sharp, but there was an edge of desperation underneath it. “What exactly did you dream?”

Fabian hesitated, but Amber looked away, her lip trembling. Alfie ran a hand over his face.

“She was…” Alfie swallowed hard, his voice lower than usual. “She was dying, man. Like, for real. And we couldn’t do anything.”

Eddie felt his stomach drop.

His dream had been the same. Patricia, pale and unmoving, slipping away no matter how hard he tried to save her.

He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. “This-this isn’t a coincidence.”

“We know,” Fabian said. His usual logical demeanor was cracking. “But we don’t know what it means. We don’t know if it’s a warning or just… a nightmare.”

Eddie scoffed. “We had it too. That’s not just some bad dream. It’s something else.” He took a step closer, looking at each of them. “And instead of working together, you decided to keep me in the dark?”

Amber flinched, guilt flashing across her face. Fabian sighed. “We weren’t trying to keep it from you. We just didn’t want to make things worse.”

“Worse?” Eddie let out a bitter laugh. “Guys, Patricia is sick, and now we’re all having dreams about her dying. How much worse does it need to get before we actually do something?”

Silence fell over the room.

KT, who had been quiet the whole time, finally spoke. “We need to figure out what’s causing this. The dreams, Patricia’s illness-everything. It’s all connected.”

Fabian ran a hand through his hair. “And how do you suggest we do that?”

Eddie didn’t hesitate. “We start with the key.”

Amber furrowed her brows. “The key?”

“The one KT brought,” Eddie said, turning to her. “It all started when she got here. Patricia got sick right after we started looking into it.”

KT nodded. “We were just about to check Victor’s office again before we saw you guys sneaking off.”

Fabian sighed. “That’s risky.”

Eddie gave him a pointed look. “So is sitting around doing nothing.”

Fabian hesitated but then nodded. “Alright. We check Victor’s office.”

The rest of the school day flew by in a blur of half-hearted attempts at paying attention. By the time the final bell rang, the group wasted no time rushing home, eager to dig deeper into their search. But as they stepped through the front door, all thoughts of sneaking into Victor’s office evaporated.

Patricia was sitting at the dining table, chatting and laughing with Joy like nothing had ever happened.

“Patricia!” Alfie squealed, nearly tripping over himself as he bolted toward her. Without hesitation, he threw his arms around her, rocking her slightly in his enthusiasm.

Patricia groaned but didn’t push him away. “Alfie, get off me,” she muttered, though there was no real bite to her words.

“You’re alive!” Alfie cried dramatically, finally letting go. “I mean, obviously, but still! This morning you looked like you were gonna keel over any second.”

Fabian stepped forward cautiously. “Are you… feeling better?” His voice was hesitant, like he wasn’t sure if he believed it.

Patricia nodded. “Yeah. I mean, I still feel a little weak, but Trudy says I should be fine to go back to school tomorrow.”

Joy grinned, practically beaming. “It’s true! She even ate actual food today.”

Eddie frowned, stepping closer. “But this morning, you could barely sit up.” His eyes flickered over her, searching for any signs of lingering sickness. “Now, all of a sudden, you’re fine?”

Patricia rolled her eyes. “Relax, Weasel, it’s not that weird. Maybe I just needed some rest.”

''We should celebrate!” Alfie declared, throwing an arm around Patricia. “Movie night? Snacks? Maybe a ceremonial burning of all the gross soup Trudy forced on you?”

Patricia snorted. “I am so down for that.”

Everyone else laughed, but Eddie couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.

The group jumped as Victor suddenly burst through the door, his usual scowl deeper than ever as he stormed past them and straight into his office. The heavy door slammed shut behind him, making them all flinch.

Eddie let out a frustrated sigh. “Well, there goes that plan.”

KT crossed her arms. “Figures. The one time we actually had a chance to search his office.”

Fabian caught Eddie’s eye, then gestured for them to follow him upstairs. Eddie hesitated, glancing at Patricia, who was still sitting at the table with Joy and Alfie. She looked fine-better than fine. But that didn’t change the fact that something wasn’t right.

“Let’s go,” Fabian murmured. Eddie nodded, and the four of them quietly slipped away, leaving Alfie behind with Patricia.

Once inside their room, Fabian shut the door behind them.

“She isn’t sick anymore!” Amber said, her voice filled with cautious hope. “Maybe it was just a coincidence.”

Eddie gave her a flat look. “That we all had the exact same dream? I doubt it.”

Fabian sat down on his bed, rubbing his temples. “It doesn’t add up. We were all convinced Patricia was getting worse, and now, just like that, she’s fine?”

KT hesitated before speaking. “Do you think maybe… we should tell Patricia?”

“No,” Eddie said immediately, shaking his head. “It’s only gonna freak her out. We can tell her about the other stuff, but not the dream. I mean, we don’t even know what it means yet.”

Fabian nodded. “I agree. We should try to figure it out first before we go dumping more stress on her.”

KT sighed but didn’t argue. Instead, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the key, turning it over in her fingers.

Fabian’s eyes locked onto it. “Speaking of mysteries… where did you get that key?”

Chapter Text

“So, it doesn’t fit anywhere?” Fabian asked, turning the key over in his hands, inspecting every detail.

“No, we’ve tried pretty much every door in the house,” KT confirmed, crossing her arms.

Fabian frowned. “Why would your grandpa give you a key that doesn’t fit anywhere?”

Amber, sitting cross-legged on Eddie’s bed, twirled a strand of her hair. “Maybe it’s, like, a metaphorical key. You know, symbolism and all that.”

Eddie shot her a look. “Or, maybe, it’s just a key that we haven’t figured out yet.”

Amber pouted. “Well, excuse me for thinking outside the box.”

Fabian sighed, tapping the key against his palm. “We need more information. If we can’t find the lock, maybe we need to start thinking about where your grandfather might’ve expected you to use it. There has to be some kind of connection.”

Before KT could respond, a voice interrupted them.

“Hey, are you guys joining us for movie night?”

They all turned to see Mara standing in the doorway, arms folded, giving them a curious look.

Fabian’s eyes widened slightly, and he quickly passed the key back to KT. She shoved it into her pocket before Mara could notice.

“Yeah, we’re coming,” Fabian answered smoothly.

Mara narrowed her eyes slightly, clearly sensing something was up. “You guys sure? Because it kind of looks like you’re up to something.”

Eddie forced a grin. “Us? Nooo. We were just… talking about history homework.”

Amber nodded enthusiastically. “Yep! Super boring history homework. Ugh. So boring.”

Mara raised an eyebrow but didn’t press further. “Well, if you guys don’t show up in five minutes, Alfie’s picking the movie, and I refuse to sit through another one of his ridiculous sci-fi comedies.”

Eddie smirked. “Noted.”

As soon as Mara left, Amber flopped onto the bed dramatically. “Ugh, that was close.”

KT sighed, pulling the key back out and glancing at it again. “We need to figure this out. But for now… movie night?”

Fabian exchanged a glance with Eddie before nodding. “Yeah. We’ll figure this out later.”

The living room was already buzzing with chatter when they walked in. Alfie was dramatically waving around a DVD case, passionately arguing with Joy over which movie to watch.

“I’m just saying, Attack of the Space Aliens is a classic,” Alfie declared.

Joy rolled her eyes. “It’s stupid.”

“Stupidly brilliant,” he shot back.

Patricia, sitting curled up in an armchair, smirked. “I hate to say it, but I agree with Joy. No more Aliens , Alfie.”

Alfie groaned. “You people have no taste.”

Eddie chuckled, flopping onto the couch next to KT, while Fabian and Amber squeezed onto the other end.

Mara, taking her place beside Jerome, raised an eyebrow. “So? Did you guys finish your ‘history homework’?”

Eddie didn’t even blink. “Totally. Learned so much.”

Jerome smirked knowingly. “You’re all terrible liars, you know that, right?”

Amber gasped dramatically. “Excuse me! I’ll have you know I was very convincing.”

Jerome shrugged. “Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night.''

Before anyone could push the subject, Joy grabbed a different DVD and held it up triumphantly. “We’re watching this.”

Eddie groaned when he saw the title. “Some Romantic Comedy We’ve All Seen A Thousand Times? Seriously?”

Joy smirked. “Yep.”

Alfie looked personally offended. “We could’ve had Aliens .”

Despite the playful bickering, the movie started soon enough, the room settling into a comfortable rhythm of occasional laughter and sarcastic commentary.

--

Patricia bounded down the stairs, feeling significantly better than the past few days. The fever was gone, leaving only a bit of lingering tiredness, but she could handle that. She greeted the others sitting around the table, grabbing a piece of toast as she plopped into an empty chair.

Joy and Mara were already at school, and Jerome was nowhere to be found.

Alfie grinned at her from across the table. “Morning, sunshine! Glad to see you’re finally up and not dying.”

She rolled her eyes but smirked. “Yeah, well, try not to sound too happy about it.”

Amber, sitting beside Fabian, gave her an exaggerated pout. “We were so worried, Patricia! You missed all the drama.”

“Yeah?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “What kind of drama?”

Before anyone could answer, Fabian leaned in slightly. “Patricia, today at lunch we have a Sibuna meeting. We have some things to discuss.”

Patricia’s eyes flickered toward Eddie and KT, suspicion creeping in. Should he really be saying this in front of them?

“They’re in too,” Fabian assured her, reading her expression. “I’ll explain everything later.”

She nodded slowly, trying not to let her gaze linger on Eddie, or the way he was sitting just a little too close to KT. Not that she cared-obviously.

Eddie, seemingly oblivious, stretched his arms behind his head. “Yeah, we’re all on the same page now. Well, mostly. Still gotta figure out some things.”

Patricia frowned. “Like what?”

KT hesitated, glancing at Fabian, who shook his head slightly. “We’ll talk later,” he repeated firmly.

Patricia huffed but let it go-for now. If there was one thing she hated, it was people keeping her out of the loop. Before she could dwell on it, Jerome suddenly appeared beside her, grabbing her arm and yanking her out of her chair.

“Good morning, Trixie. Let’s walk to school together, shall we? I have a little favor to ask of you…” Jerome trailed off, looking around frantically before dragging her toward the door.

Patricia barely had time to react before she was being pulled outside, her protests going ignored.

Eddie frowned, watching them leave. Patricia hadn’t even eaten properly. With a sigh, he grabbed a few pieces of toast, wrapped them in a napkin, and stuffed them into his bag. She was going to need it.

As he zipped his bag shut, KT leaned in close, her voice a whisper. “You’ll never believe what happened last night.”

Eddie glanced at her warily. “What?”

“Victor came into our room in the middle of the night.”

Eddie stiffened. “What?”

“He just stood there,” KT continued, her voice low and uneasy. “Leaning over Patricia. Staring at her for like ten minutes straight. And then he just left.”

Eddie exchanged an uneasy look with Fabian, his stomach twisting.

“That’s definitely weird,” Fabian muttered.

“Ugh, what a creep,” Amber said with a shudder.

Before any of them could respond, Trudy walked in, hands on her hips. “Off to school, children! You’re going to be late!”

--

At lunch, the Sibuna members gathered in their usual spot, tension thick in the air.

“So, let me get this straight,” Patricia said, tapping her fingers against the table rhythmically. “Your grandpa gave you a mystery key and a vague message, and now we’re supposed to figure out what it opens?”

“Pretty much,” KT admitted, exhaling.

Patricia’s eyebrows knitted together. “So? Maybe it’s not for a door.”

“That’s what we figured,” KT said. “It could be for something else-like a box or a safe. But we have no idea what or where.”

Patricia sighed, rubbing her temples. “And you think this has something to do with Victor?”

“We don’t know,” Fabian admitted. “But it’s possible. Everything weird in this house is usually connected to him.”

Patricia frowned, eyeing the four of them. They were tense, too careful with their words. They weren’t telling her everything.

But before she could press further, the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch.

“Great,” she muttered, standing up. “More mysteries.”

Eddie patted her shoulder as they headed toward class. “Wouldn’t be Sibuna without them.”

They filed into the classroom, Patricia slipping into the seat next to Fabian. She barely had time to pull out her notebook before Ms. Denby appeared beside her.

“Patricia,” she said smoothly, smiling down at her. “I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

Patricia forced a polite smile. “Yeah… thanks,” Patricia replied, gripping her pen a little tighter.

The rest of the school day passed in a blur of frustration and failed attempts. They hadn’t managed to snoop in Victor’s office-he’d been holed up there all day, making any move impossible. They had also scoured the house for a keyhole that might fit the mysterious key, but nothing had worked. It was like the house itself was mocking them.

Now, the next morning, Eddie sat on his bed, watching as Fabian examined the key with a magnifying glass. He tilted it, squinting as he searched for any hidden symbols or inscriptions.

There was a loud bang as the door to their room swung open. KT burst in, panting heavily, her eyes wide with panic.

“Patricia is gone!” she gasped, her voice trembling.

Eddie’s heart stopped. “What?”

KT took a deep breath, pushing past her panic. “I woke up last night to go to the bathroom, but she wasn’t in bed. She hasn’t come back all night. I asked everybody-Trudy, Mara, Alfie-no one’s seen her!”

Fabian stood up abruptly, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “How could she just disappear like that? She wouldn’t leave without telling anyone.”

Eddie’s mind raced. “Victor… Do you think he took her?” His voice was low, thick with dread.

“It’s possible,” KT admitted, looking between the two of them. “But we can’t jump to conclusions. We need to search the house, check the grounds, see if there’s any trace of her.”

Eddie was already moving, grabbing his jacket and heading for the door. “Let’s go.”

Fabian and KT followed closely behind, their footsteps echoing through the empty halls. The air was thick with tension, every second stretching unbearably long.

They searched every room, every corner of Anubis House. Nothing. No signs of a struggle, no clue as to where she could be.

Frustration mounting, they stepped outside to check the grounds. Eddie’s eyes scanned the area, but again-nothing.

“Maybe she went to school already?” KT muttered, her voice strained with doubt.

Eddie huffed out a hollow laugh. “Patricia doesn’t go to school voluntarily. Especially not early.”

“Well, it doesn’t hurt to check,” Fabian said with a shrug.

Eddie clenched his jaw but nodded. They had to look everywhere.

Chapter Text

“Nina?”

Patricia squinted against the blinding light surrounding the girl at the foot of her bed. She was still half-asleep, but the shock of hearing Nina’s voice had jolted her awake.

“What are you doing here? How are you here? And why are you surrounded by a bright freaking stagelight?” Patricia shielded her eyes, trying to make sense of what she was seeing.

“Come on, Patricia. No time to lose. We’re going.”

Nina’s voice sounded distant, like it was echoing through a tunnel.

Patricia blinked, her mind still sluggish. “Where are we going? Nina!” She threw off her blanket and scrambled to her feet as Nina turned and left through the door.

She hesitated for a second, glancing at KT’s sleeping form. Should she wake her?

No. This felt… personal.

Barefoot, Patricia followed Nina down the hall and toward the stairs. Her heart pounded in her chest. The house was eerily silent, but Nina’s voice called to her again.

“Patricia! Come.”

Nina stood at the bottom of the stairs, glowing in that strange, unearthly light.

“Why? Where are we going? What do I have to do?” Patricia asked, glancing around. How had no one else woken up? They weren’t exactly being quiet.

Nina smiled, but there was something sad in her expression. “Follow your heart. You know what you’re looking for.”

Patricia frowned. “No, I don’t. I don’t understand, Nina.”

“Search the Tear of Isis.”

Patricia’s frown deepened. “Tear of Isis? Like… Isis House?” Her mind spun, trying to connect the dots.

“You will understand,” Nina said softly. “I’m sorry this has to fall on you now. Good luck.”

And then, before Patricia could say another word, Nina disappeared right in front of her eyes.

Patricia stood frozen at the bottom of the stairs, her breath coming in short gasps.

“Nina! Nina, where are you?!”

Patricia’s voice echoed through the empty house. She spun in a circle, searching for any trace of Nina. She couldn’t have just disappeared like that… could she?

Maybe this was all a dream. A really weird, realistic dream.

She wandered through the halls, checking rooms as she passed. Everything was still, the air thick with silence. But just as she was about to give up, a noise from the direction of the cellar made her freeze.

A soft click.

Patricia’s stomach twisted as she slowly turned toward the cellar door.

She hesitated before stepping closer, pressing her ear to the wood. No voices, no footsteps… just an eerie stillness. Taking a deep breath, she reached for the handle.

Locked.

“Victor,” she whispered under her breath. Of course. He must have locked it.

She started backing away, her heart pounding in her chest. But just as she turned, another sound stopped her in her tracks.

A key turning.

Her breath hitched. Was Victor coming out?

She stood frozen, waiting. Seconds passed. Nothing.

Cautiously, she reached for the handle again. This time, when she twisted it, the door swung open with ease.

Patricia swallowed hard, glancing behind her before slipping inside and closing the door behind her. The air was thick, damp, and-

Wait.

She turned around, expecting to see the dusty cellar filled with Victor’s relics and secrets. But instead-

She was in the tunnels.

“What the hell?” she whispered, spinning on her heel.

The door was gone.

She pressed her hands against the stone walls, searching for any sign of the door she had just come through. But there was nothing. No seam, no handle-just cold, unyielding stone.

Her chest tightened. “No, no, no, no,” she muttered, panic creeping into her voice.

“Okay, okay, don’t freak out,” she whispered to herself, pressing her hands against the stone walls. There has to be a way out.

Her fingers skimmed across the rough surface, searching for anything-a hidden latch, a secret door, something. When she reached the wall opposite where the door had been, her hand went right through.

Patricia yelped, jerking back.

“What the hell?” she whispered, staring at her hand. It was like the wall wasn’t even real.

Follow your heart.

Nina’s words echoed in her mind.

Patricia inhaled shakily. “Okay, screw it.”

She stepped forward and let herself pass through the illusion.

The moment she emerged on the other side, she found herself in a small, dimly lit chamber. The room was nearly empty-except for two things.

A framed picture of an older man she didn’t recognize.

And a dog-like statue draped in a golden robe.

Patricia frowned. She wasn’t an expert like Fabian, but she knew enough to recognize what it was. Anubis.

Her stomach churned. She had a very bad feeling about this.

“Nina?” she called out hesitantly. “I don’t know what to do.”

Silence.

Her chest tightened. Great. I am officially alone in a creepy underground room with no way out.

Patricia turned back to the wall, pressing her hands against it. She had come through before-she could do it again. Right?

Her fingers met solid brick.

“No, no, no,” she whispered, pressing harder. Nothing happened. She pounded her fists against the wall, frustration and panic rising in her throat. “Come on, work! Let me through!”

Nothing.

She tried again. And again. But the wall was just a wall now.

Patricia took a shaky breath. Okay. Don’t panic. Fabian and Eddie will find you.

But that thought did little to comfort her as she leaned against the wall, staring at the statue of Anubis watching her in eerie silence.

--

It had been nearly a full day since Patricia had gone missing, and the tension in Anubis House was unbearable. They had searched everywhere-the house, the school, even the surrounding grounds. Fabian had suggested checking the cellar, but the door had been locked tight.

Amber had thrown out the idea of calling the police, but Fabian immediately shut that down. They hadn’t called them when Joy went missing, and doing it now would only raise questions they couldn’t answer.

Eddie felt like he was losing his mind. More than once, the others had to physically stop him from storming into Victor’s office and demanding answers. He had never felt this helpless before.

Now, they all sat around the dinner table, pushing food around their plates, the silence heavy.

Then Joy walked in, casually grabbing a plate. “Have you guys seen Patricia? I’ve been looking for her all day.”

Eddie’s heart nearly stopped. His eyes darted to the others, mind racing for an excuse.

“She’s, uh… sleeping in my room,” he blurted out.

Joy raised an eyebrow. “Ohh, how romantic.”

Mara smirked. “Didn’t take you for the cuddling type, Miller.”

“No, she’s sick,” Eddie said flatly. “She couldn’t sleep, so she came to my room last night.”

Joy’s teasing expression faded into concern. “Again? Maybe I should check on her-”

“No!” Eddie practically jumped in his seat. “I mean, no. She just needs rest. You know how she is-she hates people seeing her sick.”

Joy hesitated but eventually nodded. “Yeah, I guess that’s true.” She still looked unsure, but thankfully, she dropped it.

Fabian took the opportunity to stand up. “We should probably start on our homework. You guys coming?”

Eddie quickly followed, along with KT and Amber. The second they were out of earshot, Fabian turned to them.

“Alright, tonight, Eddie and I will try to sneak into Victor’s office and find the key to the cellar.”

Eddie nodded. “Yeah, let’s just hope he actually sleeps tonight.” He half-joked, though the weight of the situation made it hard to find anything funny.

KT huffed a small laugh, shaking her head as she stepped into her room. The others followed, but just as Eddie was about to step inside, a noise from the hallway made him freeze.

He turned around slowly, half expecting to see Victor looming over him with that signature you’re all doomed expression.

Instead, his stomach dropped.

Patricia.

She stood there, barely holding herself up against the bathroom doorframe. Her pajamas were rumpled and covered in dirt, her red hair a mess, and her skin was paler than usual. Dark circles shadowed her eyes, and she looked exhausted.

But she was here.

“Patricia?” Eddie breathed.

Her glassy eyes flickered up to meet his. “Hey, weasel.”

And then, her legs gave out.

Eddie barely had time to react before Patricia collapsed. He lunged forward, catching her just before she hit the floor.

“Yacker? Hey, come on, stay with me,” he urged, his heart hammering in his chest.

“Guys!” Eddie shouted, struggling to keep her upright.

The others came rushing out of KT’s room.

“Oh my god,” Amber gasped, hands flying to her mouth.

Fabian immediately dropped to his knees next to them. “Patricia? Patricia, can you hear me?”

She let out a small groan, eyelids fluttering, but she didn’t respond.

“She’s freezing,” Eddie muttered, adjusting his grip on her.

KT crouched beside him. “We need to get her back to her room-now.”

Eddie didn’t need to be told twice. He scooped Patricia up into his arms, ignoring how unnervingly light she felt, and carried her toward her room. The others followed closely, worry written all over their faces.

When they got to her bed, Eddie gently laid her down, brushing stray strands of hair from her clammy forehead.

Amber pulled Patricia’s blanket up over her. “What happened to her?”

“She looks like she’s been buried alive,” Fabian said grimly, eyeing the dirt smudges on her pajama sleeves.

Eddie clenched his jaw. “Where the hell has she been all day?”

As if on cue, Patricia stirred. She let out another quiet groan, shifting under the blanket. Then, slowly, her eyes cracked open.

“Patricia?” Fabian leaned closer. “Hey, are you okay?”

She blinked blearily up at them, her expression confused, like she wasn’t sure where she was.

“Guys?” she mumbled.

Eddie exhaled, relief washing over him. “Yeah, it’s us, Yacker. You had us freaking out.”

Patricia swallowed hard. “I…” She frowned, her forehead creasing like she was trying to remember something. Then, her eyes widened slightly. “The tunnels.”

Fabian’s head snapped up. “The tunnels?”

“I-I was in the tunnels. There was… there was a room. A statue. Anubis.”

Amber exchanged a nervous look with KT.

“The tunnels are sealed,” Fabian said. “How did you even get down there?”

Patricia’s lips parted like she was about to answer, but then her expression darkened. Her fingers curled into the blanket, and when she spoke again, her voice was hoarse.

“Nina.”

Silence.

Eddie’s stomach twisted. “What do you mean, ‘Nina’?”

Patricia turned her head to look at him. Despite how drained she looked, her blue eyes were sharp.

“She was here.”

The room fell into stunned silence. Amber’s mouth dropped open. “I’m sorry-what?”

Fabian looked pale. “Patricia… that’s not possible.”

Patricia pushed herself up slightly, wincing at the effort. “I know what I saw,” she said, voice raspy but firm. “I woke up last night, and Nina was in my room. She told me to follow her, led me downstairs-then she disappeared.”

Eddie shook his head. “That doesn’t make any sense. Nina’s in America.”

“I know that, genius,” Patricia snapped, though her usual bite was dulled by exhaustion. “But she was here, Eddie. And she told me to search for the Tear of Isis before she-before she vanished.”

“The Tear of Isis?” Fabian repeated, brows knitting together. KT looked just as confused. “What is that?”

“I don’t know,” Patricia admitted, rubbing her forehead. “I asked, but she just said I’d figure it out. Then she disappeared, and somehow, I ended up in the tunnels.”

Amber hugged herself. “That’s so creepy.”

“What are the tunnels?” KT whispered to Fabian.

“I’ll explain later,” he murmured back.

“I found a room down there,” Patricia continued. “There was a painting of some old guy, and a statue of Anubis in a gold robe.”

Eddie frowned. “What else? Was there anything-anything-that stood out?”

Patricia hesitated. “There was no door. I couldn’t get out. I tried going back through the wall I came from, but it was just solid brick.”

Fabian paled. “Then… how did you get out?”

Patricia swallowed hard, her fingers tightening around the blanket. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “I was banging on the walls, shouting for help, and then… I blacked out. Next thing I knew, I was coming out of the bathroom, and you guys were here.”

Eddie exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand down his face. “So you’re telling me Nina-who is across the ocean-showed up in your room, led you into some mystery room in the tunnels, and then you just-woke up?”

Patricia glared at him. “I’m telling you what happened. Believe me or don’t, I don’t care. But something weird is going on.”

“Okay, okay. So we’re going to have to go back to the tunnels,” Fabian said, shifting into problem-solving mode. “Here’s the plan: Eddie and I will sneak into Victor’s office tonight and get the cellar key. We’ll make a copy of it and put it back.”

“Sounds like a good plan. I’m going to get ready for bed,” KT said, standing up and stretching. She walked out of the room, Amber following close behind.

Fabian pulled out his laptop, the glow of the screen casting sharp shadows on his face. “I’m going to email Nina. See if she knows anything about this.”

Eddie nodded. “Yeah, good idea.”

Fabian started typing, his fingers moving quickly over the keys:

**Hey Nina,**
Something strange happened last night. Patricia says she saw you in her room. She followed you downstairs, and somehow ended up trapped in the tunnels. She says you told her to look for something called the *Tear of Isis.* Do you know anything about this?
Please reply as soon as you can.
—Fabian

He read it over once, then hit send.

“There. Now we wait,” he said, shutting the laptop.

Patricia let out a breath. “I still don’t get it. If that *was* Nina… how was she here? And why wouldn’t she just *tell* me what’s going on instead of leading me into a death trap?”

Eddie shrugged. “Maybe it wasn’t actually her.”

Amber poked her head back into the room. “Wait-you think it was, like, a *ghost Nina*?”

Patricia rolled her eyes. “Oh, great. That’s comforting.”

“Not necessarily a *ghost,*” Fabian said, rubbing his chin. “But maybe some kind of… I don’t know, vision? An illusion? The house has done weird things before.”

Patricia shivered, wrapping the blanket tighter around her shoulders. The idea that she had followed *something* that looked like Nina-something that *wasn’t really her*-made her stomach twist.

Eddie stood up. “Look, no point overthinking it now. We’ve got a plan, right? We’ll get the key tonight, go back into the tunnels, and figure out what’s down there.”

Fabian nodded. “Yeah. And hopefully, by then, Nina will reply.”

Amber hesitated at the door. “Be *careful,* okay?”

“Aren’t we always?”

Amber shifted awkwardly before clearing her throat. “Well, I should probably go… uh… check on my skincare routine.”

Fabian gave her a weird look. “That’s not a-”

“Goodnight!” Amber interrupted, grabbing his arm and dragging him toward the door. “Come on, Fabian.”

Fabian hesitated, glancing between Patricia and Eddie. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

Patricia rolled her eyes but nodded. “I’ll live, Brainiac. Now go.”

Fabian sighed but followed Amber out, shutting the door behind them.

Eddie sat on the edge of the bed, watching Patricia carefully. She looked exhausted, her usually sharp eyes dull with fatigue. Dirt clung to her pajamas, her hair a tangled mess, but she was here. Safe.

“You scared me, you know,” Eddie admitted, his voice quieter than usual.

Patricia let out a small, tired laugh. “Didn’t mean to.”

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I thought-I don’t know what I thought. But you just… disappeared. And then you show up covered in dirt, talking about Nina and secret rooms in the tunnels-”

“I know how crazy it sounds,” Patricia interrupted, her voice softer now. “But I swear, Eddie. I wasn’t dreaming.”

“I believe you,” he said without hesitation. “I mean, it’s not like weird stuff is new around here.”

Patricia huffed a laugh. “That’s the understatement of the century.”

Eddie reached out, gently tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Just… don’t do that again, okay? No more disappearing acts.”

She looked at him then, something unreadable in her expression. “I didn’t exactly plan it, weasel.”

Eddie smirked, shaking his head. “Still.”

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then, quietly, Eddie reached for her hand. “Get some rest, alright?”

Patricia didn’t pull away. Instead, she gave his hand a small squeeze. “Yeah. You too.”

After Eddie left, Patricia sat still for a moment, staring at the closed door. The exhaustion weighed heavy on her, but she could feel the dirt clinging to her skin, the grime in her hair. She needed a shower.

With a groan, she forced herself to stand. Her muscles ached as she shuffled toward the bathroom, peeling off her dirt-streaked pajamas as she went. She caught her reflection in the mirror and winced. No wonder everyone had been so freaked out-she looked like she’d crawled out of a grave.

Turning on the water, she waited until steam filled the small room before stepping under the hot spray. The warmth washed over her, loosening the knots in her shoulders. She tilted her head back, letting the water run through her hair, rinsing away the dust and sweat.

Her mind raced as she scrubbed herself clean. The tunnels. The room. Nina. None of it made sense.

She exhaled sharply, pressing her forehead against the cool tile. Follow your heart, Nina had said. But what was that supposed to mean?

When she finally stepped out of the shower, she felt lighter-physically, at least. She dried off quickly and threw on a fresh pair of pajamas before heading back to her room.

As she stepped inside, she stopped short.

A tray sat on her newly cleaned bed with a glass of milk and a sandwich.

KT was already lying in bed, flipping through a book, but she glanced up when she saw Patricia staring at the food. “I figured you must be hungry after all of that,” she said casually, as if it was no big deal.

Patricia hesitated before sitting on the edge of her bed. “Thanks,” she said softly, picking up the sandwich.

She felt a twinge of guilt. She hadn’t exactly been nice to KT since she got here, and yet here she was, making sure Patricia had something to eat after everything she’d been through.

KT just shrugged. “Don’t mention it.”

She chewed slowly, letting the silence settle between them.

“Try to get some sleep,” KT said after a moment, rolling onto her side. “You look like you need it.”

Patricia huffed a soft laugh. “Yeah. No arguments there.”

She finished her sandwich in a few more bites, then set the tray aside and climbed into bed.

Chapter Text

Joy twirled in front of the mirror, admiring her reflection as she smoothed down the fabric of her new dress. "So?" she asked, grinning at the other girls. "What do you think?"

"It’s… definitely a change," Mara said, tilting her head thoughtfully.

"It’s bold," KT added, trying to be diplomatic.

Patricia bit the inside of her cheek to keep from saying what she was really thinking. She had a sneaking suspicion that Joy’s new look had everything to do with impressing Fabian. But the last time she’d suggested something like that, it hadn’t ended well, so she kept her mouth shut. Instead, she just laughed along with the others as Joy struck another dramatic pose.

Before Joy could fish for more compliments, the door creaked open, and Eddie and Fabian poked their heads in.

"Hey," Eddie said, glancing at Patricia and KT. "Can we talk to you two in the hallway?"

Patricia raised an eyebrow but stood up, exchanging a quick look with KT before following them out. Once the door clicked shut behind them, she crossed her arms. "Well?"

Eddie grinned. "We did it!"

"It was touch and go for a while, but we got the key," Fabian added. "And we made a copy."

KT practically jumped in excitement. "That’s amazing! So now what?"

"Now we have to wait until it hardens," Fabian explained.

Patricia's excitement deflated. "And how long is that going to take?" she asked, already dreading the answer.

Fabian winced. "Two days."

Patricia groaned, running a hand down her face. "Great. Just great."

"But we put the original key back in Victor’s office this morning," Eddie assured them. "If he’d found it missing, we’d all be screwed."

"Okay, so what do we do now?" KT asked.

"Now we wait," Eddie said with a shrug. "Oh, and we should keep an eye on Denby. I do not trust her-she’s been hanging around Victor way too much."

"We could follow her," Alfie chimed in suddenly from behind them.

The group jumped, whipping around to face him.

Alfie smirked. "You know, see where she goes, who she talks to. Espionage."

Eddie clapped him on the shoulder with a laugh. "Okay, your job is to follow Denby."

Alfie’s smirk vanished. "Wait, I didn’t mean-"

The others laughed at the face he made, but the plan was set.

"We should probably head to school," Fabian said, glancing at the time.

Patricia turned to KT. "Hey, do you want to walk together? I kinda wanted to talk to you about something."

KT nodded. "Yeah, sure!"

As Patricia and KT walked side by side down the path toward school, Patricia glanced around to make sure no one was within earshot. The last thing she needed was someone overhearing this conversation and making a big deal out of it. Once she was sure they were alone, she sighed.

"Listen, I just wanted to… apologize. For, you know, how I’ve been acting."

KT looked at her, a little surprised. "You don’t have to. I get it."

Patricia nodded, feeling a little awkward. "I do have to. I was out of line, and I know it. So… I’m sorry."

KT smiled. "Apology accepted."

They walked in comfortable silence for a few moments before KT nudged Patricia’s arm lightly. "There’s nothing going on between me and Eddie, you know."

Patricia shrugged, playing it cool. "I don’t really care," she lied.

"Sure you don’t," KT said with a doubtful laugh.

Patricia rolled her eyes but didn’t argue.

Ahead of them, they could see the school gates coming into view. Spotting the others waiting by the entrance, Patricia and KT picked up their pace, running up to join them. The moment they reached the group, Alfie slung an arm around Patricia’s shoulders.

"You guys took forever. What were you doing, plotting world domination?" he teased.

Patricia smirked. "Wouldn’t you like to know?"

“So, what’s the plan for today?” Eddie asked, hands in his pockets as he looked over at Fabian.

“For now, we just act normal,” Fabian said. “We need to lay low until the key is ready, and in the meantime, we keep an eye on Denby.”

“I still think we should be doing something,” KT muttered. “Sitting around and waiting for the key to harden feels like a waste of time.”

“We are doing something,” Fabian said. “Alfie’s keeping an eye on Denby.”

Eddie snorted. “Yeah, because that’s reassuring.”

Just then, Joy walked up to them, flipping her newly straightened hair over her shoulder. “What are you guys talking about?”

“Homework,” Fabian answered smoothly.

Joy gave him a look. “Uh-huh. Sure.”

Mara came up beside her, eyeing them suspiciously. “You guys are acting weird again.”

“We’re always weird,” Eddie said with a smirk.

Mara narrowed her eyes at him but didn’t press further.

Before Joy could ask anything else, the bell rang, signaling the start of the first lesson. The group exchanged quick looks before heading off to class.

The rest of the day passed by in a blur of lectures, whispered conversations, and stolen glances at the clock. Patricia found herself zoning out more than once.

Joy, on the other hand, had no such distractions-unless Fabian counted as one. She spent the entire afternoon practically glued to his side, laughing at his jokes a little too hard, casually touching his arm whenever she got the chance, and finding excuses to talk to him.

Mara and KT weren’t helping. If anything, they were encouraging her.

Patricia watched from a few desks away as KT leaned over and whispered something to Joy, causing her to giggle and play with her hair. Fabian, for his part, looked mildly overwhelmed, but he wasn’t exactly running away either.

Patricia rolled her eyes. Of course.

Jerome was off somewhere, probably scheming, as usual. He hadn’t been in class since lunch, which wasn’t exactly surprising.

Alfie, meanwhile, was nowhere to be seen. He was off playing spy, following Denby and trying to dig up whatever he could. Patricia just hoped he wasn’t getting himself caught.

"Any sign of Alfie?" she asked, falling into step beside him.

Eddie shook his head. "Nope. Either he’s doing a great job, or he’s already been caught and locked in Victor’s cellar."

Patricia sighed. "Fantastic."

"We should probably find Fabian and KT," Eddie suggested. "See if there’s any update on Operation Flirt Fabian into Submission."

Patricia snorted. "If Joy keeps this up, she might actually succeed."

Eddie smirked. "Jealous?"

Patricia shot him a glare. "Shut up."

Eddie chuckled but didn’t push further.

In between classes, Patricia found herself standing by her locker, idly flipping through the pages of a notebook. KT was next to her, chatting about something or other, though Patricia’s mind was elsewhere. She couldn’t stop thinking about the situation with Eddie. She hadn’t heard from him since their talk, and it left a sour taste in her mouth. It wasn’t as if she wanted things to be awkward, but it certainly didn’t help that he was being so… normal.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching. Turning her head, Patricia caught sight of David, a boy from her history class, walking toward her. He looked nervous but determined. She raised an eyebrow, half-expecting him to ask about a project or something school-related. Instead, he stopped right in front of her.

"Hey, Patricia," he said, his voice unsure but laced with an attempt at confidence. "I was wondering... if you’d like to go out sometime? Since you and Eddie aren’t... you know, a thing anymore..."

Patricia froze, her immediate response forming as a sharp glare aimed straight at him. What did he think this was? She opened her mouth, ready to shut him down in the most direct way possible, but just as she was about to speak, KT’s voice cut through the tension.

"Yeah, she would love to go out with you!" KT said brightly, her grin stretching from ear to ear.

Patricia’s eyes snapped to KT, the shock and disbelief clear on her face. "What are you doing?" she hissed under her breath, not bothering to hide her annoyance.

KT leaned in, whispering quickly, “Trust me, this is the perfect way to make Eddie jealous! He needs a push, and this will get him to confess his feelings.”

Patricia clenched her jaw. This is a terrible idea, she thought. But before she could say anything, David was already grinning.

“Awesome! How about tomorrow after school?” he asked eagerly.

“Great!” KT answered for her, nudging Patricia’s side.

Patricia shot KT a deadly look but forced a tight smile at David. “Yeah… sure.”

“Cool! I’ll see you then.” He gave a little wave before walking off.

The second he was out of earshot, Patricia spun on KT. “Are you insane?”

KT just grinned. “Nope. Just looking out for you.”

Patricia spent the rest of the day shooting KT irritated glares, but her so-called friend only looked smug. Every time Patricia tried to argue about it, KT would just shrug and say, “Trust the process.”

By the time the final bell rang, Patricia was in a full-blown bad mood. She grabbed her bag from her locker, still grumbling about being forced into a date she did not want, when Eddie appeared beside her.

“What’s with the murder face, Yacker?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Patricia scowled. “Nothing.”

KT, who was standing right next to her, cleared her throat loudly. “Oh, hey Eddie! Did you hear? Patricia has a date tomorrow!”

Patricia immediately smacked KT’s arm, but it was too late. The words were already out there.

Eddie’s easygoing expression faltered for a second. “A… date?”

“With David,” KT added helpfully, rubbing her arm where Patricia hit her. “Isn’t that great?”

Eddie blinked, his jaw clenching slightly. “David?” He scoffed. “With the braces and headphones? Seriously? That guy?”

Patricia folded her arms. “And what’s wrong with him?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Eddie said, voice dripping with sarcasm. “Maybe the fact that he’s boring. And annoying. And-oh yeah-totally not your type.”

“And what exactly is my type, Eddie?”

Eddie opened his mouth, then closed it, clearly realizing he was walking into dangerous territory. “I just mean… you can do better,” he muttered.

“Oh, like who?”

Eddie’s hands curled into fists at his sides, but he didn’t answer. Instead, he just rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Whatever. Have fun on your date.”

With that, he turned and stalked off down the hall, shoulders tense.

Patricia stared after him, her smirk widening. Maybe KT was onto something after all.

KT, meanwhile, was practically bouncing with excitement. “That was perfect. He’s totally jealous.”

Patricia sighed, shaking her head but unable to stop the small grin forming on her lips. “We’ll see.”

--

Patricia wasn’t sure if she was more entertained or frustrated by Eddie’s avoidance tactics. Ever since KT filled her in on his bad mood, he had gone out of his way to steer clear of her. No sarcastic remarks in class, no smug grins in the hallway, not even a passing glare. It was… weird.

And maybe-just maybe-it made her feel a little guilty.

But it also made her feel really smug. Usually, she was the one feeling jealous. It was oddly satisfying to turn the tables.

She didn’t see him again until later that night when she and KT were already settled in bed, the room dimly lit by their bedside lamps. Patricia was just about to shut her book and call it a night when their door burst open.

Alfie barreled inside, panting like he’d just sprinted across the house. Eddie, Amber, and Fabian followed close behind, all three already dressed for bed.

“You’ll never believe what happened,” Alfie gasped, flopping into the desk chair dramatically.

Patricia raised an eyebrow. “You finally got abducted by aliens?”

“Close.” Alfie sat up straight. “I followed Denby back to the gatehouse-where she lives by the way- and get this. There’s a hidden door that leads to a room with a big tank in it. And inside the tank?” He paused for effect. “Some guy floating around like a science experiment.”

Fabian blinked. “I’m sorry-what?”

Alfie crossed his arms. “Yeah. You heard me. There’s some dude in a tank over there. Looked… weird. Not like a normal person.”

Patricia exchanged a look with KT. That was definitely not what she expected to hear tonight.

“Okay, that’s creepy,” Amber said, frowning.

“Super creepy,” Alfie agreed. “I tried to get a better look, but then Denby came back, so I had to book it out of there before she caught me.”

Patricia let out a slow breath, trying to process. “So, what? She’s keeping some random guy locked away in a fish tank? Why?”

“That’s what we should investigate!” KT said eagerly, already climbing out of bed.

Patricia shot her a look. “And how exactly do you suppose we do that? It’s almost ten o’clock at night. Denby is probably home.”

KT hesitated, clearly deflating at the logic.

“She’s right,” Fabian said. “If we’re going to investigate, we need to be smart about it. We’ll go tomorrow morning during school. Denby should be teaching, so we’ll have a few hours to explore.”

The others exchanged glances before nodding in agreement.

Just as they did, Victor’s voice suddenly bellowed from downstairs, making them all freeze.

“IT IS TEN O’CLOCK. YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS!”

They all scrambled, murmuring rushed goodnights as they slipped out the door and back to their rooms.

--

The next morning, the group carried on with their usual routine, blending in as best they could to avoid suspicion. Breakfast was the same as always-Victor hovering over them like a hawk, the occasional bickering between Jerome and Alfie, and Joy subtly trying to impress Fabian with casual comments about books she had definitely just skimmed the night before.

As soon as they stepped outside Anubis House, they subtly broke away from the others, heading toward the gatehouse.

"Alright, I think one or two of us should actually go to school," Patricia suggested, arms crossed. "Just so we don’t raise suspicion."

“Good idea,” Fabian agreed, nodding. “If all of us are missing, someone’s bound to notice.”

“I’ll stay,” Amber said immediately, raising her hand.

“Yeah, me too,” Alfie added. “I’ve seen enough of that creepy room for one lifetime.”

“Alright, that’s settled,” Eddie said. “Keep an eye on Denby. If she leaves the school, text us ASAP.”

Amber and Alfie nodded before heading off to school.

Meanwhile, Patricia, KT, Eddie, and Fabian hurried toward the gatehouse.

From the outside, the small brick building looked eerily normal. The curtains were drawn, and there were no signs of life inside.

“Let’s hope no one’s home,” Fabian muttered.

Patricia turned to Eddie. “You’re up.”

Eddie knelt by the lock, unbending the paperclip and inserting it into the keyhole. He fiddled with it for a few tense seconds before-

Click.

The door creaked open.

“Okay, that’s actually kind of impressive,” Fabian admitted.

Eddie grinned. “Ladies first.”

Patricia rolled her eyes but stepped inside anyway, the others close behind her.

The air inside was cold, sending a shiver down her spine. The place smelled… damp. Stale. Like it hadn’t been aired out in years.

“Alfie said the room was upstairs behind the organ,” KT whispered.

Moving as quickly and quietly as possible, they climbed the stairs. The upper level was just as unsettling-dusty furniture, old paintings with cracked frames, and a thick layer of dust covering everything.

Just as Alfie described, an organ sat against the far wall.

“This is it,” Fabian murmured.

Patricia moved forward and ran her hands along the wooden frame. A small click sounded as she pressed against one of the panels, and sure enough, the organ shifted slightly, revealing a door behind it.

KT gasped. “That must be it!”

The door was unlocked, so Fabian carefully pulled it open.

But behind it was another door-this one older, sturdier, and far more secured.

Eddie immediately knelt and tried to pick the lock. He worked at it for several minutes, jaw clenched in concentration. But no matter what he did, the lock wouldn’t budge.

“This isn’t working,” he muttered, frustrated.

Patricia frowned in thought. Then, a thought struck her.

“KT, do you have that key with you?”

KT’s eyes widened as she reached into her pocket, pulling out the old metal key.

It had to fit.

Holding her breath, KT inserted the key into the lock and turned it.

A loud click echoed through the room.

The door unlocked.

Patricia exchanged a glance with the others.

“Well,” Eddie said, standing up. “Here goes nothing.”

The door creaked open, revealing a dimly lit room bathed in an eerie greenish glow. The air inside was thick, heavy with the metallic scent of rust and stagnant water. Patricia hesitated for only a moment before stepping inside, her boots making a soft splash against the damp floor. The others followed, their breaths shallow, as if speaking too loudly would shatter the unsettling silence.

Then she saw it.

A massive golden tank stood in the center of the room, its glass panels coated in condensation, making it difficult to see what was inside. Patricia squinted, taking another step closer.

And that’s when she realized.

There was a man in there.

Suspended in the murky liquid, his body hung eerily still, his limbs loose as if weightless. His skin was deathly pale-almost gray-and his dark hair floated around his head like ink in water. His eyes were closed, his expression disturbingly peaceful, like he was merely sleeping.

Patricia’s breath caught in her throat.

“What the-” Eddie started, his voice barely above a whisper.

“This is insane,” Fabian muttered, circling the tank, his gaze locked onto the figure inside. “Who is he?”

“And why is Denby keeping him here?” KT asked, her voice sharp with unease.

Patricia forced herself to look away from the floating man, scanning the room. Old books and papers cluttered every surface, strange symbols scrawled across the pages. She spotted a leather-bound journal on a small table and flipped through it. Most of the writing was unreadable-some mix of Latin and hurried notes-but one phrase stood out clearly among the mess of words.

"The Chosen must awaken."

A cold shiver ran down Patricia’s spine.

“Guys…” she murmured, holding up the journal.

Fabian peered over her shoulder, his face paling. “That… that doesn’t sound good.”

“No kidding,” Eddie muttered, his eyes darting around the room like he expected something to jump out at them.

While the others focused on the tank, Patricia searched through a nearby drawer. Her fingers brushed against several ID cards. She pulled them out and frowned. Each one bore a different name but had the same picture-Denby’s. Or at least, the woman they knew as Denby.

“Wasn’t her name Harriet Denby?” Patricia muttered, flipping through the IDs. “Then who’s Caroline Denby?”

She shoved the cards into her pocket, deciding to deal with that mystery later. Joining the others by the tank.

“He looks kind of familiar,” Fabian said, leaning closer to the glass.

Patricia raised an eyebrow but held back a sarcastic remark. “We should take a picture,” she suggested instead.

“Good idea,” Fabian agreed, pulling out his phone. He snapped a few shots, but his face fell as he checked the screen. “It’s too blurry through the glass.”

“Okay, so let’s take it off,” Eddie said, shrugging like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Eddie, wait”

But Eddie was already reaching up, gripping the glass bowl-like apparatus attached to the man’s head. He hesitated for a second, then slowly pulled it off.

The second the glass separated from his skin-

The alarm blared.

A deafening, high-pitched siren filled the room, sending a shockwave of panic through Patricia’s body.

“Put it back!” KT yelled, covering her ears.

Eddie fumbled, quickly sealing the glass back into place. The moment it clicked in, the alarm silenced as abruptly as it had started.

“We have to go!” KT said, her voice trembling.

“Way ahead of you!” Eddie grabbed Patricia’s wrist, yanking her toward the door.

They didn’t stop running until they were outside, down the path, and hidden behind the bushes near Anubis House. Eddie finally let go of Patricia’s wrist, his breathing heavy.

“What… was that?” KT panted.

Fabian looked dazed, his mind racing. “I think I know who that was.”

Patricia ran a shaky hand through her hair, trying to calm her nerves. She still clutched the journal tightly. “Who?” KT asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“I’ll show you. Come on!” Fabian said, his expression set with determination as he sprinted toward Anubis House.

The group ran all the way back to Anubis House, their hearts pounding from both exertion and fear. Luckily, neither Trudy nor Victor seemed to be anywhere inside, so they didn’t have to sneak around.

Fabian led the way straight to the living room, his breathing still heavy as he darted toward the dresser. He grabbed a framed photograph, turning back to face the others. His hands were shaking slightly as he held it up.

The picture showed an older man, dressed in formal attire, standing in front of the estate. Even though the man in the tank looked thinner, paler, and more sickly, there was no denying it.

“It’s him,” Fabian said, his voice filled with certainty. “This is Robert Frobisher-Smythe. He was the original owner of the estate-House of Anubis.”

KT’s eyes widened as she stepped closer, staring at the photograph. “No way…” she whispered. “It really is him.”

Patricia folded her arms, her mind racing. “Victor always thought Frobisher possessed the secret to eternal life.”

Eddie let out a scoff. “If that’s eternal life, I don’t want it.”

A heavy silence settled over the room as they all processed what they had just seen. The idea of Robert Frobisher-Smythe, long believed to be dead, floating in a tank was disturbing enough, but the fact that Denby was hiding him away? That was even worse.

“What do we do?” KT finally asked, her voice breaking the silence. She glanced between them, clearly looking for some direction.

Fabian exhaled sharply, setting the picture back down on the dresser with a soft thud. "We need to figure out why Denby is keeping him there. And what she means by ‘the chosen must awaken.’”

Patricia glanced down at the journal still clutched in her hand. Its pages were filled with cryptic notes and strange symbols, all of them connected to Frobisher, it seemed.

“Well, I guess we have some reading to do,” Patricia muttered, her mind already starting to churn with ideas. There had to be some clue in the journal. Something that could help them make sense of it all.

"Yes," Fabian agreed. "But that can wait until tonight. Right now, we need to go to school. If we miss too much, we’ll get expelled."

The others nodded in agreement, though none of them seemed particularly thrilled about going back to normal life just yet.

"Yeah, besides..." KT trailed off with a teasing smile, turning toward Patricia. "I believe Patricia has a date with David after school."

Patricia froze, her cheeks flushing instantly. She shot KT a glare, but her friend just smiled wider, clearly enjoying the moment.

Eddie’s expression darkened slightly at the mention of David, but he said nothing. Patricia could feel his eyes on her, though. She could feel the tension simmering between them, and it made her stomach churn.

"Really, KT?" Patricia muttered under her breath, trying to ignore the way Eddie was looking at her. "Now is not the time."

“Hey, it’s all part of the plan, right?” KT winked, clearly enjoying herself.

Patricia rolled her eyes but didn’t respond. She turned to Fabian instead. “Let’s just get through today. We can figure everything out after school.”

Chapter Text

When they arrived at the school entrance, Amber and Alfie were waiting for them, looking expectantly.

“So?” Amber asked, her voice low. “Did you find anything?”

“A lot. We’ll talk tonight. We need to figure out what to do next.”

Fabian turned and walked toward the school building, the others following behind him. As they reached the lockers to grab their books, Patricia’s heart sank when she saw David standing by hers. He was leaning casually against the metal, his hands stuffed into his pockets, a nervous but hopeful smile on his face.

Patricia stopped in her tracks, suddenly aware of how awkward this was going to be. She could hear Eddie groan softly behind her, and KT's giggle didn’t help. Patricia shot a quick glance at Eddie, who was trying his best to avoid looking at her.

“Hey,” David greeted her, the nervous smile still in place. “I was just wondering if we're still on this afternoon?”

Patricia’s stomach twisted at the question. She really didn’t feel like dealing with this today. After everything they’d uncovered last nigh, she wasn’t in the mood to pretend everything was normal.

“Uhhh...” She hesitated, unsure of how to respond. Her mind raced for an excuse. She wasn’t sure if she was even up for it, especially with Eddie standing right behind her, his mood clearly off.

Before Patricia could find the words, KT, quick to step in when it came to “helping” with her love life, interrupted.

“Yeah, of course! She’s looking forward to it. You’ll see her after school,” KT chimed in with a wide grin, clearly enjoying the chaos she was stirring.

Patricia shot KT a glare, but her friend only grinned wider, oblivious to Patricia’s frustration.

“Thanks, KT,” Patricia muttered under her breath, already regretting the whole thing. She turned back to David, forcing a smile. “Yeah. I’ll see you then.”

David’s face lit up, clearly relieved, as he nodded enthusiastically. “Great! I’ll meet you after school then.”

As he walked off down the hall, Patricia felt a knot form in her stomach. She could feel Eddie’s eyes on her, but she didn’t dare turn around. She knew KT was watching, waiting to see what would happen next.

The awkwardness hung in the air like a thick fog. Eddie’s groan hadn’t gone unnoticed, and Patricia couldn’t help but wonder if she had messed things up between them even more. She should have been more direct with David. But now it was too late.

“So,” KT said, her voice way too innocent, “I guess we’ll see how that goes, huh?”

Patricia sighed heavily, still unable to shake the feeling of discomfort. “You’re seriously the worst.”

“I know,” KT replied with a wink. “But hey, this is fun.”

Fabian shot a glance back at the two of them, his brow furrowed slightly as he realized something wasn’t quite right. “You good, Patricia?”

Patricia nodded quickly, trying to ignore the tension. “Yeah, I’m fine. Let’s just get to class. We have bigger things to deal with.”

As they all headed to their next classes, the rest of the day passed in a blur. Patricia tried her best to focus.

By the time the final bell rang, Patricia was mentally drained. She couldn’t wait to just get back to Anubis House, grab some food, and figure out what was going on. Maybe she could actually get a little bit of peace, at least for a few hours.

But the universe, as usual, wasn’t done with her yet.

As soon as she stepped out of her last class, there he was. David. Standing in the hallway, waiting for her. Waiting for their “date.”

Patricia’s heart sank, her thoughts going from exhausted to frustrated in an instant. She had been hoping she could slip out unnoticed, but David was there, his eyes fixed on her with that eager smile of his.

She sighed inwardly, wishing she could just make this all go away. She hadn't wanted to agree to this in the first place. It had been KT who'd pushed her into it, insisting it would make Eddie jealous, make him realize how she felt.

The truth? Patricia wasn’t even sure how she felt anymore.

David caught sight of her, his expression lighting up as he straightened his posture. The nervousness in his eyes was clear, but his smile remained hopeful.

“Hey!” he called out, waving slightly. “You, uh… you ready?”

Patricia almost said no. Almost. But she stopped herself just in time. If she backed out now, KT would never let her hear the end of it.

"Yeah," she said, her voice lacking its usual enthusiasm. "I’m ready…" Her words trailed off, and she barely even realized how much she didn’t mean them.

Just as she took a step forward, ready to get this over with, she felt a hand grab her arm. A familiar, warm hand.

It was Eddie.

“Can I talk to you for a minute?” he asked, his voice low but firm, his tone leaving no room for argument. His eyes flicked to David, practically daring him to say something. “Alone.”

Patricia froze, her stomach flipping in a way she couldn’t quite explain. She wanted to pull away from Eddie, to avoid making this any worse than it already was, but at the same time, a part of her wanted to hear what he had to say.

David, caught off guard by Eddie’s sudden appearance, took a small step back. His nervous smile faltered, and for a brief moment, Patricia felt a wave of guilt wash over her. She had promised him they’d go out, and now Eddie was swooping in, making everything more complicated.

But as Eddie's grip on her arm tightened just slightly, Patricia couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief. He wasn’t giving up. He was doing something-something that felt like it mattered.

“Yacker,” Eddie said, his voice quieter now, almost pleading. “Can we just… can we talk? Please?”

David looked between the two of them, his face falling. He looked like he might argue, but then thought better of it. He opened his mouth to say something, but Patricia quickly cut him off.

“I’ll meet you later,” she said, trying to keep the tension out of her voice. “I just… need a minute.”

David nodded, but Patricia could tell he was disappointed. He forced a smile, clearly trying to mask his frustration, but Patricia didn’t miss the way his shoulders sagged as he turned and walked off down the hall.

“Eddie…” she began, turning to face him fully, but before she could say anything else, Eddie pulled her to the side, out of the main hallway and into a quieter corridor.

He let go of her arm once they were away from the crowd, but his eyes didn’t leave her face. His expression was tight, frustrated. He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply.

“This is ridiculous,” he muttered.

“What is?” Patricia asked, crossing her arms defensively.

“This!” Eddie gestured wildly between them. “You, with David, pretending you’re interested. You’re not interested, Yacker.”

“Oh?” she challenged, raising an eyebrow. “And how would you know that?”

Eddie leaned in, his voice dropping low. “Because I know you. And I know you don’t like guys like David.”

Patricia’s stomach tightened. “So who do I like, Eddie?”

Eddie groaned in frustration, then, without warning, grabbed her by the waist, pulling her closer. “Me,” he muttered.

Before Patricia could fully process what was happening, Eddie closed the distance between them, crashing his lips onto hers.

It wasn’t soft. It wasn’t gentle. It was desperate, full of frustration, and a storm of pent-up feelings that both of them had been holding back for too long. Patricia felt every bit of it-his urgency, his relief, and her own overwhelming emotions crashing together.

By the time they pulled apart, both of them were breathless. Eddie’s hands were still gripping her waist, his forehead resting against hers.

“Finally,” Patricia breathed out, a small smirk tugging at her lips.

Eddie chuckled breathlessly, his eyes softening. “Yeah, yeah, shut up.”

From behind them, David cleared his throat awkwardly. “Uh… should I just… leave?”

Patricia laughed, stepping back from Eddie and turning toward David. “Yeah, I think so.”

David muttered something about “should’ve seen that coming” before turning and walking away. Patricia could feel Eddie’s smug grin as he watched David go.

Eddie turned back to her, his smirk still in place. “So… I guess this means you’re not going on any more dates with David?”

Patricia rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t help but smile. “Guess not.”

Eddie grinned, grabbing her hand and intertwining their fingers. “Good. Because you’re mine, yacker.”

Patricia squeezed his hand, feeling victorious. KT was definitely going to gloat about this, but she didn’t care.

--

When they finally made their way back to Anubis House, walking in hand in hand, the reaction was immediate.

A chorus of groans and cheers erupted from the kitchen, where the rest of the housemates were gathered.

"Finally!" Jerome threw his hands up dramatically. "Took you guys long enough."

"I was about ready to lock you two in a closet," Joy said with a grin, arms crossed as she leaned against the counter.

Patricia rolled her eyes but couldn't fight the smirk tugging at her lips. Eddie just chuckled, squeezing her hand. "Yeah, yeah. We got there eventually."

"Eventually?" Amber scoffed.

"And Patricia was in full denial mode," Fabian added with a knowing smirk.

Patricia narrowed her eyes at him. "I was not in denial."

"Oh, please," Mara chimed in, smirking.

Patricia opened her mouth to argue but promptly shut it when everyone gave her the same look. Instead, she turned to Eddie. "I hate them."

Eddie grinned, draping an arm over her shoulders. "Nah, you love them."

"Do not."

"Do too."

Fabian, who had been leaning against the counter, pushed himself up and gestured for them to follow him.

"Alright, as much as I love this moment," he said, "we’ve got more important things to talk about."

They made their way up to the girls’ room, sitting in a loose circle. Alfie, who had been munching on a snack the entire time, finally spoke up.

"Okay, now that this whole ‘will-they-won’t-they’ saga is over, can we get back to the fact that we found a frozen dude in a tank?"

The room instantly sobered, the previous excitement fading into seriousness.

"Yeah, we have bigger problems than Patricia and Eddie’s unresolved sexual tension," KT added, crossing her arms.

"Hey!" Patricia and Eddie protested at the same time, earning snickers from the group.

"But she’s right," Fabian said.

"Okay… so what’s the next step?" Patricia asked, leaning forward.

"The key is almost ready," Fabian said. "So I think we should be able to sneak into the tunnels tomorrow night."

KT and Eddie cheered, clearly excited about finally seeing the tunnels for themselves.

"We only have one problem," Fabian continued, holding up the locket that hung around his neck. "We don’t have enough lockets."

"What are they for?" KT asked, peering at the small piece of jewelry curiously.

"So you won’t be blinded," Fabian answered cryptically. "You’ll see."

KT still looked confused but nodded anyway.

"I’ll stay!" Alfie and Amber volunteered at the same time.

"We only need one of you to stay," Patricia pointed out. "Eddie has Nina’s locket."

"No, no, no," Fabian interjected quickly, shaking his head. "They can both stay. It’ll be too crowded anyway."

Alfie looked relieved, while Amber clapped her hands together.

"Okay, so it’s settled," Fabian said, taking control again. "Tomorrow night, we go in. We stick together, we watch each other’s backs."

A collective nod passed through the group.

--

Patricia was halfway through stuffing her books into her bag when a knock sounded at the door. She glanced up just as Joy stepped in.

"Hey," Joy said, leaning casually against the doorframe.

Patricia blinked, taking in her friend’s new look-her usually straight hair was curled into soft waves, and she wore a sleek black blazer with matching pants. It was polished, put-together. Different.

“You have a new look,” Patricia commented, zipping up her bag.

Joy shrugged, walking in and perching on KT’s bed. “Yeah, I figured I’d work on myself a little before chasing after some boy.” She smirked, but there was something behind her words-something real.

“Well, you look great,” Patricia said sincerely.

“Thanks,” Joy smiled. Then her expression softened. “I feel like we haven’t hung out much.”

Patricia winced. She had noticed too, but between Sibuna, Denby, and, well… Eddie, she hadn’t had time for much else. “Yeah,” she admitted. “I’ve been kinda busy.”

Joy hesitated before asking, “Is it Sibuna stuff?”

Patricia met her gaze, debating for a moment. Joy had helped them last year. She’d been part of it too. Maybe she still was.

“Yeah, it is,” Patricia admitted.

Joy sat up a little straighter. “You’ll tell me if you need help, right? I’m still part of Sibuna?”

Patricia smiled, feeling a little guilty for keeping her out of the loop. “Of course you are, Joy. The second we need help, I’ll call you.”

Joy seemed to relax at that, and the two spent a few more minutes catching up before Joy headed downstairs.

Patricia let out a breath, finishing up the last of her morning routine.

By the time she made it to the foyer, Eddie, KT, Fabian, Amber, and Alfie were already gathered, waiting.

“Finally,” Eddie teased. “I thought you got lost.”

The walk to school was filled with the usual morning banter-Alfie complaining about how he could still be in bed, Amber going on about a dream she had involving a fashion show, and Fabian trying to steer the conversation back to something remotely logical.

Eddie walked beside Patricia, their hands brushing every now and then. Every time it happened, Patricia felt a tiny jolt of warmth spread through her. It was ridiculous, really. They had already kissed-why did this feel like such a big deal?

They reached the school gates, and as soon as they stepped inside, reality settled in again. Ms. Denby stood near the entrance, her sharp eyes scanning the students as they filed in. The group tensed instinctively.

“She’s watching us,” Fabian muttered under his breath.

“She always is,” KT added.

Patricia squared her shoulders, keeping her expression neutral as they passed by. Denby’s gaze lingered on them a little longer than necessary before she finally turned away.

As soon as they were in the clear, Amber let out a dramatic sigh. “Ugh, I hate her creepy staring. It’s like she can see into my soul.”

“Then your soul must be made of glitter and perfume,” Alfie joked.

Amber flipped her hair. “Obviously.”

They split off to their respective classes, but Patricia still felt the weight of Denby’s stare even after she was gone.

During lunchtime, Patricia managed to sneak away from her usual group. She made her way to the student computer, glancing over her shoulder before typing "Caroline Denby" into the search bar.

Not a single useful result. She frowned and tapped her nails against the desk, thinking. Maybe she was looking at this the wrong way. She hesitated before typing “Harriet Denby” instead. It took a while, but finally, she stumbled upon a website with a full profile-including a picture.

Patricia’s heart pounded as she stared at the screen. The woman in the photo was not their teacher.

Before she could process what that meant, the sound of running footsteps made her jump. She quickly exited out of the page just as Eddie, KT, and Fabian burst into the room, slightly out of breath.

“Yacker! There you are! Where have you been?” Eddie’s voice had a sharp edge of panic.

Patricia blinked, still trying to shake off the shock. “Relax, I was just-”

“You can’t just disappear like that,” KT cut in, crossing her arms. “We were looking everywhere for you!”

Patricia scoffed, turning off the monitor. “I wasn’t lost, I was doing research.”

Eddie’s eyes narrowed as he glanced at the computer. “On what?”

She hesitated before sighing. “Miss Denby.”

Fabian stepped closer, intrigued. “And?”

Wordlessly, Patricia turned the monitor back on and pulled up the website again. “I looked up Harriet Denby, and this is what I found.”

They all leaned in, scanning the page. KT gasped. “That’s not her.”

“Exactly.” Patricia tapped the screen. “Whoever’s teaching us? That’s not Harriet Denby.”

Eddie’s expression changed, a flicker of realization crossing his face. “I had a vision about her.”

“What?! And you didn’t tell us?” Fabian asked, incredulous.

Eddie shrugged. “It was before we started working together. I didn’t know it meant anything.”

Patricia clicked the page away and turned the monitor off again. “Well, it means something now.”

The warning bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. The group exchanged uneasy glances before heading toward the hallway. Just as they turned the corner, Eddie suddenly put an arm out, stopping them in their tracks.

“Look.” He pointed toward Mr. Sweet’s office.

Through the glass window, they could see Victor and Miss Denby in a heated discussion with Mr. Sweet. Whatever they were arguing about, it looked serious. Then, as Miss Denby turned and stormed out, something fell from her bag. A letter. She didn’t notice-she just kept walking.

Patricia reacted immediately. The moment Victor followed Denby down the hall, she darted forward, snatching the envelope and tucking it into her pocket. The others quickly followed her down an empty corridor.

“Open it,” KT urged.

Patricia carefully unfolded the letter. Amber and Alfie arrived just in time to see her pull out an official-looking document. As Patricia scanned the page, her stomach twisted.

“It’s from the Lakehouse Clinic,” she murmured. “It says Harriet Denby has been in a mental institution for years.”

A heavy silence fell over the group.

“So… if the real Harriet Denby is locked up,” Alfie said slowly, “then who the heck is the woman teaching us?”

--

The fluorescent lights flickered slightly as the group walked down the eerily quiet hallway of Lakehouse Clinic. The pale blue walls and sterile white floors gave the whole place an unsettling, lifeless feel.

"This place could seriously use a splash of color," Amber muttered, wrinkling her nose.

"Just keep walking, keep smiling," Eddie murmured, leading the way with forced confidence.

Before they could reach the end of the hall, a man in a blue uniform stepped out in front of them, making the entire group jump.

"Can I help you?" he asked, eyeing them suspiciously.

"Uh… we… we’re here to see Harriet Denby," KT said, stumbling slightly over her words.

The man’s gaze lingered for a moment before asking, "And you are?"

"I’m her nephew!" Eddie blurted out without hesitation.

The orderly squinted at him but eventually shrugged. "I see," he said, gesturing towards a door to their right. "In there. But not that you’ll get much sense out of her, I’m afraid. She’s very disturbed, poor thing. Keeps talking about an ancient evil." He scoffed slightly at the words.

The group exchanged uneasy glances before muttering their thanks and stepping into the room.

The small space was dimly lit, with a single bed pushed against the wall. A woman sat in the chair beside it, flipping through a worn-out book. She looked up as they entered, and Patricia immediately noted that she resembled their teacher-but with a rounder face and a much kinder expression.

"I knew you’d come," the woman gasped, closing her book and looking directly at KT.

KT exchanged a glance with Fabian. "Sorry… I don’t think we’ve met before."

"No, but I know who you are. You’re Robert’s great-granddaughter," Harriet Denby said with certainty.

KT stiffened. "No, I think there’s been a mistake. I’m not Robert’s great-granddaughter. I never even heard of him until I came to school in England."

"But I presumed your grandpa would have told you!" Harriet said excitedly. "My father was a great friend of his. I had rather hoped he’d come in person… but he said you were up to the job. And he must have been right because here you are, Robert’s descendant."

"You’re the real Harriet Denby," Eddie realized, his voice filled with awe.

"I’ve lost my doll. Have you seen her?" Harriet suddenly asked, looking distressed. "Sometimes she speaks to me…"

Eddie cleared his throat. "That’s nice… but we have a teacher claiming to be you-"

"Caroline!" Harriet interrupted, her expression darkening.

"You know her?" Fabian asked.

"All my life, unfortunately. She’s my sister," Harriet nodded.

"You guys don’t believe all this, do you?" Amber whispered as Harriet went over to a drawer and pulled out a picture. She handed it to KT, who frowned at the image of two girls standing side by side.

"You don’t look alike," KT observed.

"Oh no… Caroline’s adopted," Harriet confirmed. "She took my identity. Then she took Robert. Then she took my freedom and locked me away here. All the staff here think I’m crazy. Oh! Where are my manners? Please, have some cake." She grabbed a tissue box off the dresser and held it out as if it were a plate of desserts.

Alfie hesitantly took a tissue. "Thank you?" he mumbled.

"So why would your 'sister' steal your identity?" KT pressed.

"To take my role as Keeper, of course. She wants to perform the ritual. She wants the glory," Harriet said darkly.

"So it’s real," Fabian whispered.

"Very real. As is the evil that Caroline will unleash when she performs the ritual," Harriet warned.

"Because she’s not pure of heart," Fabian realized with dread.

"How can we stop her?" Eddie asked urgently.

Harriet’s face fell. "Oh, you can’t. It’s too late."

"She’s lying!" KT snapped, crossing her arms.

"KT!" Fabian scolded, giving her a look.

KT scoffed and stormed out of the room, Fabian quickly following. Amber and Alfie hesitated before deciding to leave as well.

"We’ll be right back," Patricia assured Harriet before she and Eddie rushed after them.

"There’s no way I can be Frobisher’s great-granddaughter, is there?" KT asked nervously when they caught up in the hallway.

"Look, she did seem pretty confused," Alfie said, trying to comfort her.

"We better go," KT muttered, glancing at her watch.

The others nodded, starting to walk away, but Patricia hesitated. She turned to Eddie and grabbed his sleeve. "Wait! We can’t just leave her here."

"Why not? She kinda belongs here," Amber said, raising an eyebrow.

Patricia shot her a glare. "She’s the only one who can stop this. Right now, she’s our only hope. You guys go ahead."

Eddie gave Patricia a knowing look before nodding. "Yeah, we’ll catch up later."

Once back in the room, Patricia moved quickly, grabbing a jacket from the closet and helping Harriet slip it on. Her hands shook slightly, but she tried to keep her voice steady.

"We're gonna get you out of here," she whispered reassuringly.

Harriet gave a nervous giggle, her eyes darting to the door. "Can't just walk out. Believe me, I've tried."

Eddie glanced at her while rifling through the closet, looking for anything useful. "We've got no choice, okay? It'll be all right."

"No." Harriet muttered, barely above a whisper.

Patricia crouched in front of her, taking her hands. "I promise, we'll take care of you." She smiled gently, trying to ignore the knot in her stomach.

"Just wait here, and I'll make sure the coast is clear, all right?" Eddie said, motioning for Patricia to stay put.

She nodded, watching as he cracked the door open.

His whole body stiffened. "Shit. It's Ms Denby."

Patricia’s stomach dropped.

"I'm here to see my sister, Harriet," their teacher’s voice rang through the hallway.

Panic surged through Patricia as she locked eyes with Eddie. What do we do now?

Without hesitation, Eddie grabbed her wrist and yanked her into the closet. It was cramped, barely enough space for the both of them, but neither dared to move.

The only sound was the sharp click of heels against the cold floor, growing closer. Patricia held her breath, Eddie's arm tightening around her as if to shield her from whatever was coming next.

Then-

Harriet’s scream tore through the room, high-pitched and bloodcurdling.

Patricia flinched, but Eddie held her firm. Through the door, they heard hurried footsteps.

"Ah! What happened? Is everything all right in here? It might be better if you left." It was the male nurse from earlier.

A pause.

"Of course," Caroline finally responded, her tone unreadable. "Alright Harriet, I'll see you very soon, when you've had a little rest."

They stayed put, waiting for the sound of the door clicking shut before Eddie cautiously pushed the closet door open.

Harriet sat on the bed, rocking slightly, her eyes glazed over.

"Oh! Harriet, that was brilliant." Eddie grinned, stepping forward.

Patricia wasn’t as convinced. Harriet looked terrified.

"Okay, okay, let's go," she said, glancing toward the door.

But Harriet didn't move. "I can't leave. You can't protect me from Caroline. No one can." Her voice was barely above a whisper, but the fear in it sent a chill down Patricia’s spine.

Eddie sighed, running a hand through his hair. He knew she was right. As much as they wanted to get her out, maybe this was the safest place for her right now.

"Okay," he finally said. "But we'll be back."

"Wait!" Harriet stopped them, suddenly crawling off the bed and onto the floor. Patricia and Eddie watched as she pried up a loose floorboard, revealing a large scroll of paper. Harriet handed it to Patricia, her eyes full of sorrow.

"Take this with you. You’ll need it."

Eddie raised an eyebrow, but Patricia only shrugged before tucking the scroll securely under her jacket. They would look it over later with the others.

They shared one last glance at Harriet before slipping out the door, their steps quick and silent as they made their way back to Anubis House.

The two made it back just in time for dinner. They ate quietly, sneaking glances at each other as they waited for the opportunity to slip away unnoticed. Once the meal was over and the other residents were occupied, Eddie, Patricia, Fabian, KT, Alfie, and Amber hurried to Eddie and Fabian’s room.

Fabian carefully unrolled the scroll Harriet had given them, spreading it out on the desk. The group gathered around, their eyes scanning the faded ink and intricate lines.

“It looks like some kind of map,” Fabian observed, running his fingers over the paper.

“A map of what?” KT asked, leaning in closer.

“I don’t know, but it looks like there are pieces missing. See?” He pointed to several empty squares where the design seemed incomplete.

Fabian frowned in thought. “Patricia, you said you saw Anubis in the tunnels, right?”

Patricia nodded. “Yeah.”

Fabian’s eyes lit up. “Then that room might be real. Look here.” He pointed to an area on the map labeled ‘Anubis.’ “This section of the map shows a room with a tunnel behind it. If this is accurate, the tunnels are way bigger than we thought.”

The others exchanged amazed glances.

“We’ll have to hide this. Make sure no one finds it,” KT said, carefully folding the scroll again.

Fabian nodded and tucked it into his bag. “Alright. We’ll meet by the cellar door at midnight to check out the tunnels. Make sure Victor doesn’t catch you.”

The group nodded in agreement before heading off to prepare for bed. If Patricia was lucky, she’d get two hours of sleep before the midnight mission.

Chapter Text

At exactly midnight, Patricia and KT sneaked downstairs. They tiptoed past Victor’s office, holding their breath as they passed the door. They met Eddie and Fabian by the cellar entrance.

“You’re late,” Eddie whispered, crossing his arms.

“Victor almost woke up,” Patricia shot back.

KT nodded. “Let’s go before we waste more time.”

Fabian carefully unlocked the cellar door, the hinges creaking slightly. They winced at the sound before slipping inside one by one. Eddie shut the door behind them, plunging them into darkness.

“Got a light?” Patricia muttered.

Fabian flicked on his flashlight, illuminating the damp stone walls. The air was thick with dust, and the scent of old books and stale air filled their noses. They carefully made their way through the cellar toward the passage that led into the tunnels. Fabian scanned the bookshelves, searching for the one marked with the ibis symbol. He found it and pulled it slowly. The passage creaked open, revealing the dark tunnel beyond.

They stepped into the tunnel, their footsteps echoing off the walls.

“What now?” Fabian asked, looking at Patricia.

“I went through this wall before,” Patricia said, placing her hands on the brick wall opposite the passage they had entered from. Nothing happened-just solid stone.

“Uh, guys. What is that?” KT asked, flashing her light onto a section of the wall.

“That wasn’t there last time we were here, was it?” Patricia asked, stepping closer.

Fabian shook his head. “No, definitely not.”

Eddie read the words etched into the stone aloud: “When the last heir falls and all hope is lost, this path will guide you, but at what cost? Show bravery and courage, wherever this will lead, and you may find your quest will succeed.”

Beside the inscription was a painted image of a faceless woman with a white robe and dark hair, her arms spread wide. Symbols surrounded her, each one distinct and unfamiliar.

“Let’s take a picture,” Fabian suggested, pulling out his phone.

Fabian quickly snapped a few pictures of the wall and the mysterious symbols, making sure to capture every detail. He lowered his phone and turned to the others.

“Let’s get out of here. There’s nothing we can do at the moment either way,” Fabian whispered, glancing back at the cryptic message.

Eddie nodded. “Yeah, before Victor wakes up and finds us all down here.”

Carefully, they retraced their steps through the tunnel, making sure not to disturb anything that could give away their presence.

Once they reached the cellar, they slipped back into the main house. Closing the cellar door behind them. Fabian made sure to lock it properly.

KT and Fabian wasted no time heading upstairs, exchanging tired but satisfied looks before quietly parting ways to their respective rooms.

Patricia lingered for a moment, turning to Eddie with a small smile. “Well, that was fun.”

Eddie smirked. “Yeah, nothing like sneaking around ancient tunnels at midnight to get the adrenaline going.”

Patricia chuckled softly. Then, without thinking too much about it, she leaned up and kissed Eddie gently. It was quick, but warm.

“Goodnight, dork,” she whispered as she pulled away.

Eddie grinned. “Goodnight, Yacker.”

With that, Patricia turned and made her way upstairs, following KT down the hall.

--

The next morning, Anubis House carried on as if nothing had happened. The usual routine played out-the distant jingle of Victor’s keys sent everyone scrambling to get ready for the day. Alfie and Jerome were already scheming their next prank in hushed voices, while Amber stood in front of the mirror, adjusting her outfit for the third time.

Patricia walked into the dining area, dropping into the seat next to Eddie. Across from them, KT and Fabian were already eating, though Fabian looked significantly worse for wear. His shirt was wrinkled, his hair stuck up at odd angles, and the dark circles under his eyes suggested he hadn’t slept at all.

“What happened to you?” Patricia asked, raising an eyebrow.

Fabian sighed, rubbing his temples. “I didn’t sleep much. I spent all night trying to figure out what those symbols mean,” he admitted in a hushed tone.

Patricia rolled her eyes. “Fabian, you have to sleep! You’re no good to anyone if you pass out from exhaustion.”

“Did you figure it out?” KT asked, her excitement cutting through Patricia’s scolding.

Fabian hesitated, glancing around to make sure no one else was listening. “Not entirely,” he murmured. “But I’ve got some theories. We’ll talk at lunch.”

Before Patricia or KT could press him for more, the rest of the housemates joined the table

The morning classes dragged on, with Fabian barely paying attention. His mind kept drifting back to the symbols on the tunnel wall and the cryptic message they had found. He had spent all night researching, and though he was exhausted, he was no closer to an answer.

When the lunch bell rang, the group gathered at their usual spot in the school courtyard. Patricia, Eddie, KT, Alfie, Amber, and Fabian sat at the far end of a bench, keeping their voices low as they spoke.

“All right, so what did you find?” Eddie asked, taking a bite of his sandwich.

Fabian sighed, running a hand through his already messy hair. “Not as much as I’d hoped. Some of the symbols were Egyptian, but a few of them didn’t match anything I could find. They might be a variation of ancient hieroglyphics, but I need more time to be sure.”

“So we’re back to square one,” KT said, looking disappointed.

“Not exactly,” Fabian said, pulling out his phone. He scrolled through the pictures he had taken and held it up for them to see. “This one here-this specific marking-I think it represents a chosen one. It’s similar to the ones we found before, with Nina.”

“The chosen one has to partake in a ritual at a specific moon phase or something like that,” Fabian added.

“Guys, I’ve been thinking…what if it’s me? I’m the last heir of the Frobisher-Smythe line,” KT whispered, looking nervous.

“What if it’s Nina!” Amber gasped.

“I doubt it. I mean, I would have felt it, right? As an Osirion,” Eddie said.

“Did we hear back from her yet?” Alfie asked.

“Yeah. Nina said she was nowhere near here when you disappeared. And she didn’t have any strange dreams either,” Fabian informed them.

“Oh great! So whatever led me down there wasn’t even Nina?!” Patricia asked, crossing her arms. Fabian shook his head with a wince.

“Patricia!”

Joy appeared beside them, looking determined. “I’ve been looking all over for you. Can we talk for a moment? Alone?”

“Uhh…yeah, sure. I’ll see you guys later,” Patricia said, pecking Eddie on the cheek before following Joy.

Eddie waited until they were out of sight before leaning in. “Guys, I hate to say this, but what if it is Patricia? What if the vision is somehow tied to this?”

“You really think Patricia could be…” KT trailed off, her expression troubled.

“I don’t know,” Eddie admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. “But it’s not like we can ignore it. First, we all have a vision of her dying, then she disappears. Now, this whole ‘last heir falls’ thing? It’s too much to be a coincidence.”

Fabian frowned, deep in thought. “The phrase said, ‘when the last heir falls.’ That implies something bad is going to happen to them, not that they’re the Chosen One.”

“So what does that mean for Patricia?” Amber asked, biting her lip. “I mean, if she’s the last heir… last heir of what?”

Eddie clenched his jaw. “I don’t know.”

“Okay, so what do we do?” Alfie asked, looking between them.

“First, we need more information,” Fabian said, flipping through his phone again. “I’ll keep researching the symbols.”

“Good. While you do that, we’ll go back to the tank room. This whole thing has to do with Frobisher, right? And who wants to wake him up? Denby. If she has to do this ritual, maybe she also knows who the Chosen One is,” Eddie said.

The others agreed.

“We’ll go after school,” KT decided.

“But Denby will be home by then,” Alfie protested.

“Well, we don’t have much of a choice. We have to hurry; for all we know, this ritual could take place in a few days. We’ll just have to find a way to distract her.”

Meanwhile, in the girls’ toilets, Patricia leaned against the wall, watching Joy pace around.

“Look, I love Jerome. He’s like a brother to me. But if you’re sure about this, then you have to tell Mara. She deserves to know,” Patricia said.

Joy nodded, frustrated. “I just don’t get why he would do this. He was so crazy about her!”

Patricia shrugged. She could kind of understand. She had a lot of experience in screwing things up. Things start to feel too good, so you have to self-sabotage to feel safe. But still, that didn’t mean Mara had to suffer for it.

She looked up when the warning bell rang. “Go ahead. Can’t have you late to class. Your attendance record already sucks,” Joy said with a smirk.

Patricia rolled her eyes but left for class, catching up with Eddie and the others.

--

"Okay, everyone remember the plan?" Eddie asked as he and the others stood in front of the gatehouse. Fabian had made sure Patricia was occupied, keeping her busy with researching the symbols.

"We distract, you search," Alfie confirmed.

"Good. Let's go," Eddie said, nodding.

KT and Eddie pressed themselves against the wall beside the gatehouse while Alfie dropped to the ground, clutching his ankle. He let out a dramatic howl of pain just as Amber rang the doorbell.

"Miss, you have to help me, please! Alfie is hurt!" Amber pleaded when Denby opened the door.

Denby sighed, clearly annoyed, but knelt in front of Alfie, examining his foot. "It’s not broken. I think you just sprained it. You’ll be fine," she said dismissively.

While Denby was distracted, KT and Eddie slipped through the open door and ran upstairs, keeping quiet.

They froze when they heard Denby’s footsteps approaching.

"Wait, wait!" Amber suddenly exclaimed. "You have to help me bring him back to Anubis House, miss! I can’t carry him by myself!"

A frustrated groan followed. "Fine," Denby snapped.

They heard the jingle of keys and the sound of the door shutting behind her.

Eddie carefully peeked out a small window, watching Denby and Amber slowly walk away, supporting Alfie between them. "All clear," he whispered.

The two wasted no time, making their way into the tank room. The large tank still stood in the center, Frobisher floating inside, unmoving. The rest of the room was in disarray-papers scattered everywhere, books open on random pages, as if someone had been frantically searching for something.

Eddie and KT quickly got to work, rifling through the mess. They had to be fast, Denby wouldn’t be gone for long.

Eddie flipped through a pile of papers, frowning as he skimmed over scribbled notes of symbols similar to the ones they found on the tunnel wall. Most of the documents seemed to be research about Anubis, but there was nothing that directly linked them to the Chosen One.

After a few more minutes of searching, KT called out, "Hey, Eddie. Come look at this."

She was holding a binder. Eddie took it from her, flipping it open.

He took a deep breath, steadying himself as he flipped through the binder. The weight in his chest only grew heavier with every page. This wasn’t just an obsession, Denby had been tracking Patricia for years.

“Look at this,” KT whispered, pointing to a yellowed newspaper clipping. The headline read: Tragic Accident Claims Lives of Young Couple—Daughter Left Orphaned. Beneath the text was a picture of a much younger Patricia, staring blankly at the camera. Eddie swallowed hard.

Denby had everything, Patricia’s school records, old photographs, personal documents, and most disturbingly, her family tree. Eddie traced the lines with his finger, following the connections back centuries until one name stood out among the rest.

“Amneris,” he murmured.

KT nodded grimly. “She’s a descendant.”

Eddie shut the binder, exhaling sharply. “So it’s true. Patricia is the Chosen One.”

They stood in silence for a moment, the air between them thick with realization. .

“We need to get out of here,” KT said urgently. “Denby could be back any minute.”

Eddie nodded and stuffed the binder under his jacket. They had to show the others.

They quickly put everything back where they had found it, making sure not to leave any traces of their search. Eddie gave one last glance at the floating form of Robert Frobisher-Smythe before they slipped out of the tank room and back down the stairs.

Eddie peeked through the window again, scanning for any sign of Denby. “Looks clear,” he whispered, then led KT back to the front door. Carefully, he turned the knob and inched it open just enough for them to slip outside.

The cold air hit them as they crept around the side of the gatehouse and hurried toward Anubis House. They stayed low, moving quickly across the grass, not daring to breathe until they reached the back entrance of the house.

Once inside, they rushed up the stairs, straight to Eddie and Fabian’s room. Fabian was sitting at his desk, buried in research, while Amber and Alfie sat cross-legged on the floor. At the sight of Eddie and KT, Fabian pushed away from the desk. “Well?”

Eddie tossed the binder onto the bed. “We found this.”

Fabian opened it, his eyes scanning the pages. His brow furrowed. “This is… Patricia.”

KT nodded. “Her entire life is in there. Pictures, articles about her parents, even her school records. And look at the last page.” She pointed to the family tree.

Fabian’s mouth fell open as he read the names. “Amneris…” he whispered. “Patricia is her descendant.”

Amber gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. “Oh my God.”

Alfie blinked. “Wait, wait, wait. So, Patricia’s like… some kind of Egyptian princess?”

“Not just that,” Eddie said, his jaw tight. “She’s the Chosen One.”

The room went silent. No one knew what to say.

Finally, Fabian shut the binder. “This explains everything. The visions, the dream, she’s the last heir. That’s what the wall meant.”

KT nodded firmly. “We have to tell Patricia. Now. We can’t keep this to ourselves any longer.”

“Too late.”

They all jumped as Patricia burst into the room, arms crossed, suspicion written all over her face.

“Can’t keep what to yourselves?” she asked, her gaze shifting between them.

Alfie, completely missing the tension in the room, grinned. “That you’re the Chosen One.”

“Alfie!” KT and Fabian groaned at the same time.

Eddie sighed, but there was no point in hiding it now. He handed Patricia the binder.

He watched as she flipped through the pages, her expression shifting from confusion to something closer to panic.

“Did you know you’re a descendant of Amneris?” Fabian asked cautiously.

Patricia shook her head, her voice quiet. “No. I did not know that.”

She kept flipping, her fingers tightening on the edges of the pages. Then, suddenly, she stopped and looked up.

“How long have you guys known?” she asked, her voice sharper now.

Eddie hesitated.

“We just found out for certain,” KT started, but before she could explain further, Amber chimed in.

“But we already figured when we had that vision of you dying…” she said in an airy tone.

A thick, heavy silence fell over the room.

Fabian groaned. KT dropped her head into her hands. Eddie shut his eyes, exhaling sharply.

Thanks, Amber.

Patricia froze. “You all had a vision of me dyi-” She cut herself off, her posture turning rigid. “When was this?!”

Amber shrugged. “Like, two weeks ago.”

''Amber!” Eddie, KT, and Fabian exclaimed at the same time.

Patricia’s head snapped toward them, eyes blazing. “Two weeks?! You all had a vision of me dying two weeks ago, and no one thought to tell me?”

“We didn’t want to freak you out,” KT said quickly. “We weren’t sure if it was just a coincidence that we all dreamed the same thing-”

“That is bullshit,” Patricia snapped. “Nothing in this house is a coincidence.”

She threw the binder onto the bed, now glaring at them.

“We were trying to protect you-” Eddie jumped in, taking the brunt of her anger.

“Protect me?” Patricia scoffed. “I don’t need protecting. I can handle myself.”

Before anyone could say another word, she stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

Silence.

“So… what now?” KT asked hesitantly.

“Just let her cool off for a bit. She’ll come around,” Eddie sighed, running a hand through his hair.

He turned to Fabian. “Did you have any luck?”

Fabian shook his head. “Not yet. I just need a little more time.”

Eddie exhaled, glancing at the door Patricia had just stormed through. Time was the one thing they didn’t have.

--

Patricia stormed into her room, slamming the door behind her.

"Protect me," she scoffed under her breath. "I’m not some damsel in distress."

She threw herself onto her bed, arms crossed tightly over her chest. They had all known about the vision-for two weeks-and no one had told her.

She hated being lied to.

And they knew that.

Ever since everything that happened with Joy and Rufus, her parents, trust didn’t come easy. She had let Sibuna in, let them become her people, and now they had gone behind her back? Lied to her face?

For what?

To protect her?

She had always prided herself on taking care of herself. She had to. Ever since her parents died, it had been just her. No one else was going to look out for her, so she had learned to do it alone.

Muttering angrily to herself, she kicked off her shoes and climbed into bed, not even bothering with dinner. She didn’t want to see their faces right now.

A few hours later, she heard the door creak open. KT.

Patricia shut her eyes, pretending to be asleep. She wasn’t in the mood to talk, and thankfully, KT seemed to get the message. The room stayed silent, save for the occasional rustle of fabric as KT got ready for bed.

Patricia stared at the inside of her eyelids until sleep finally took over.

Chapter Text

Patricia woke up early, determined to avoid the others. She got dressed quickly, pulling on her uniform with sharp, practiced movements before heading downstairs.

As she entered the living room, a strange tension hung in the air.

Jerome sat at the table, eating breakfast, looking entirely too casual.

Meanwhile, Joy and Mara stood in the kitchen, practically burning a hole into the back of his head with their glares. Joy must’ve told Mara.

“You’re up early,” Mara said, offering her a small smile.

Patricia just nodded, grabbing the lunchbox Trudy had packed and stuffing it into her bag.

“Yeah, I’m off to school,” she said quickly. She wanted to be gone before the rest of them woke up. Call it petty, but she just needed time to steam.

Joy frowned. “Already? Is everything alright?”

“Yeah, everything’s fine.” Patricia reached for a piece of toast off the table and turned toward the door. “Laters.”

She was out the door before they could question her further.

As she walked to school, her mind buzzed with everything she had learned the night before.

She was a descendant of Amneris.

What did that even mean?

And why had her parents never told her?

Though, now that she thought about it, she had been so young when they died. Maybe they just never got the chance.

Or maybe… they had been trying to protect her too.

Patricia’s grip tightened on the strap of her bag.

She didn’t need protecting.

The crisp morning air did little to clear Patricia’s mind as she walked. Her thoughts spun in endless circles, always leading back to the same question:

What does this mean for me?

The Chosen One. The words felt foreign, ridiculous even. She wasn’t special. A descendant of Amneris? Sure, okay. But what did that actually mean? Was she supposed to do something? What did Denby want with her?

For the first time, she kinda felt sorry for Nina. She never really understood how much pressure Nina must’ve felt being the so-called Chosen One, but now? Now, she got it.

She barely noticed when she reached school, her feet moving on autopilot. The hallways were mostly empty, only a few students milling around. Perfect. She didn’t feel like talking to anyone.

Patricia ducked into the girls’ toilets, locking herself in a stall. She lowered the toilet seat and sat down, exhaling sharply.

Maybe I overreacted a little.

She knew they were just trying to protect her. But it was her life. Her future. She had the right to know. They should’ve told her earlier.

She looked down at her hands, lost in thought.

Then she saw it.

A pair of gloved hands.

Sliding under the stall door.

Patricia’s heart lurched, breath catching in her throat. One of the hands gripped her ankle. The other held a needle.

Shit.

She didn’t think. She just reacted.

With a strangled gasp, she stomped down-once, twice, three times-her heels colliding with flesh and bone. She hoped she hurt the bastard.

The grip loosened.

Then, silence.

Her breath came in sharp, panicked gasps. She could still feel where the hand had grabbed her, her skin crawling like insects were burrowing under it.

After a few tense seconds, she forced herself to move.

Slowly, cautiously, she unlocked the stall and stepped out.

The bathroom was empty.

No attacker. No needle. No sign of struggle.

Her gaze dropped to the floor, and her stomach twisted.

Etched into the tile, glowing faintly, was a golden cobra.

A snake.

“What the hell…” she whispered shakily.

She didn’t wait around to figure out what it meant. Heart hammering, she turned and ran.

She nearly collided with Joy and Mara as she bolted out of the bathroom.

“Patricia?” Joy called, concern laced in her voice. “Are you okay?”

Patricia didn’t stop. She barely heard them. She needed to find someone-anyone-from the club.

She rounded a corner too fast, nearly tripping over her own feet.

Then she saw them.

Eddie and KT, walking toward her.

“Eddie!”

Patricia sprinted forward, throwing herself into his arms.

He barely had time to react before she clung to him, her breath coming out in sharp, panicked bursts.

“Whoa, hey, what’s wrong?” Eddie asked, arms wrapping around her instinctively.

KT looked just as alarmed. “Patricia, what happened?”

Patricia didn’t answer. Not yet. She just held onto Eddie tighter, grounding herself.

Someone had just tried to take her.

Eddie stiffened at first, caught off guard by Patricia literally launching herself into him. But the way she clung to him, the way her body trembled slightly, had him tightening his grip around her without hesitation.

“Okay, Yacker-what happened?” he asked again, his voice more urgent now.

Patricia finally pulled back just enough to look at him. Her face was pale, eyes wide with something he didn’t see often from her-fear.

“I-” She swallowed, glancing around as if making sure no one else was listening. “I think someone just tried to grab me.”

Eddie and KT exchanged a sharp look.

“What?” KT asked, voice rising slightly.

Patricia exhaled shakily, running a hand through her hair. “In the toilets. I locked myself in a stall, and then-then someone slid their hands under the door-”

She didn’t even get to finish.

Eddie was already storming toward the toilets.

“Eddie-” KT called after him, grabbing Patricia’s arm as they followed.

They didn’t care that Eddie technically wasn’t supposed to be in there. Right now, rules didn’t matter.

Inside, a girl was fixing her hair in the mirror. She froze at the sight of Eddie-a boy-in the girls’ bathroom, eyes going wide before she grabbed her bag and bolted.

Eddie ignored her. He stalked toward the stalls, pulling each door open with enough force to make them slam against the walls. His entire body was tense.

Patricia stood near the last stall, peeking around the corner.

“There! Do you see it?” she asked, pointing.

“Where? Here?” Eddie pushed open the stall door, eyes scanning the floor.

Patricia’s stomach dropped.

“It’s gone.”

“What’s gone?” KT asked, stepping closer.

“A snake. A cobra. A golden cobra, it was right there when I came out,” Patricia stammered, pointing at the tile.

Eddie and KT exchanged another look, this time one of concern.

“I swear, I saw it,” Patricia insisted. “I’m not making it up.”

Eddie didn’t doubt her for a second. He looked down, expression dark, before turning back to her.

Patricia hesitated, then sighed. “I’m sorry I got so mad yesterday. I didn’t know-” She turned toward Eddie. She wasn’t even sure why she was apologizing. Half an hour ago, she’d still been mad at them.

Eddie shook his head and grabbed her face gently, his thumbs brushing over her cheeks.

“It’s fine. Calm down. I’m here.”

She hated herself a little when the shaking stopped. Just because he was with her.

God, she was being pathetic.

“We should go find the others, tell them what happened,” KT suggested.

The walk back to the common area was tense. Patricia stayed close to Eddie, not that she’d admit it was on purpose. Every time she thought about those hands grabbing for her, a shiver ran down her spine.

KT kept glancing at her, clearly debating whether to say something. Finally, she did.

“Are you sure it was real?” she asked hesitantly.

Patricia stopped walking and turned to face her. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I mean, you were already stressed, and maybe with everything going on, you thought you saw-”

“I did see it, KT,” Patricia snapped.

Eddie frowned. “Even if the cobra isn’t there anymore, something still happened. Someone was in that bathroom. We can’t ignore that.”

KT sighed, nodding. “Yeah. You’re right.”

They reached the main hall, and the moment Patricia spotted Fabian, she marched straight toward him.

“We need to talk. Now.”

Fabian, who had been in mid-conversation with Alfie, took one look at Patricia’s face and nodded. “Uh, yeah. Okay.”

Fabian, Alfie and Amber followed the three of them out. Once they were inside a empty clasroom, Patricia wasted no time explaining what had happened.

When she was done, the room was silent.

Then Amber spoke, her voice small.

“You don’t think… it was a warning, do you?”

Patricia swallowed. That hadn’t crossed her mind until now.

“A warning for what?” Alfie asked, arms crossed.

Fabian ran a hand through his hair. “It could be connected to the Chosen One stuff. Maybe whoever’s after Patricia is getting bolder.”

“Or maybe it’s Denby,” KT added.

Eddie clenched his jaw. “Then we need to figure out what she wants with Patricia.”

They all turned to Fabian, who looked at them like they had just handed him a twenty-pound research paper due tomorrow.

“I-I don’t have all the answers yet,” he admitted. “But I am working on it.”

“Well, work faster,” Patricia muttered, folding her arms. “Because I don’t like the idea of random creeps trying to grab me in bathrooms.”

Eddie, who had been oddly quiet, suddenly pushed away from the table he was leaning on. “That’s it.”

“What?” KT asked.

“We’re not letting Patricia go anywhere alone.”

Patricia gaped at him. “Excuse me?”

Eddie crossed his arms. “Someone tried to take you today. Until we figure out who, you need someone with you at all times.”

“No way,” Patricia scoffed. “I don’t need a babysitter.”

Eddie arched an eyebrow. “Really? Because ten minutes ago, you ran straight into my arms.”

Patricia’s face burned. “That was-shut up!”

Alfie snickered. Amber sighed dramatically. “I mean, as much as I love romance in times of crisis, Eddie’s right.”

KT nodded. “We can take turns. That way, it doesn’t seem obvious.”

Patricia groaned, rubbing her temples. “Fine. But if I so much as catch any of you hovering, I swear I will-”

“Oh, look, time for class!” Fabian interrupted, standing up quickly.

Patricia glared at him.

The rest of the day passed in a blur, but Patricia could feel the stares. Not just from Sibuna, but from other students too. Maybe she was being paranoid, but after what happened in the bathroom, it was hard not to be.

Eddie stuck close. Too close.

“I swear, if you hover any closer, you’re gonna end up glued to my back,” she muttered as they walked down the hall.

Eddie smirked. “You love it.”

Patricia groaned, speeding up just to put space between them, but Eddie just matched her pace. KT and Fabian were walking ahead, pretending not to listen in, but Patricia caught the way KT’s shoulders shook slightly-she was definitely laughing.

At lunch, she sat down with the group, trying to act normal. Fabian nudged her plate toward her.

“You barely ate this morning,” he said.

Patricia rolled her eyes. “You sound like Trudy.”

Fabian gave her a look. “Just eat.”

Fine. Whatever.

Alfie dropped into the seat across from her. “So! Any more bathroom goblins trying to kidnap Patricia, or…?”

“You didn’t see his face?” Amber asked.

“No. I was locked in a stall, Amber.”

“Well… was it a woman’s hand or a man’s?” Alfie asked.

“I don’t know. Whoever it was, was wearing gloves,” Patricia said, shrugging.

The warning bell rang, signaling they had to make their way to their next class. Patricia stood up quickly, more than ready to be done with this conversation. The others followed suit, but she could still feel the tension lingering at the table. Even though they were acting casual, it was clear that everyone was on edge.

Eddie stuck close again as they made their way to class, but at least he wasn’t hovering this time.

“Do you think Denby’s behind this?” KT asked in a low voice as they walked.

Fabian frowned. “She’s definitely a suspect, but if it was her, why would she try something so reckless?”

KT shot a glance behind them before lowering her voice. “We should keep an eye out for anything weird. Anything at all.”

Patricia smirked. “KT, this is Anubis House. ‘Weird’ is our normal.”

Before KT could reply, a sharp shove from behind nearly sent Patricia stumbling forward. She turned around, expecting some clueless first-year, but the moment her eyes met Joey's smirking face, her stomach twisted.

“Relax, Williamson,” he drawled. “Didn’t see you there.”

Liar.

Joey was a year older, part of the sports teams, and someone Patricia had never liked. She found him cruel and annoying. Which, for her to say, was saying something.

Eddie immediately stepped in between them. “Watch where you’re going,” he said, his usual joking tone gone.

Joey smirked. “Didn’t realize she needed a bodyguard.”

Before Patricia could bite her usual snappy response, Eddie took a step closer. “Maybe she does. You wanna test that theory?”

Joey's smirk faltered just a little before he scoffed and walked off, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Eddie turned back to her. “That guy’s a creep.”

“Yeah, no kidding.” she muttered.

They kept walking, but Patricia couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling crawling up her spine.

Because as much as she hated to admit it…

She felt watched.

The classroom buzzed with the usual chatter as students filed in. But as soon as Patricia walked in, she noticed something odd-Mr. Sweet was already standing at the front of the room, next to Denby. That was never a good sign.

“Sit down, everyone. Mrs. Denby and I have an announcement to make,” Mr. Sweet said.

Patricia slid into a seat next to Fabian and Eddie. She exchanged a glance with Fabian, who already looked suspicious.

“Mrs. Denby has told me how hard you all have been working this year and has proposed a little class trip as a reward,” Mr. Sweet continued.

The class erupted into cheers at the word trip.

“We’re only a few weeks into the term,” Fabian muttered, clearly doubtful.

“So, we’ll be going on an informational nature trip...camping!” Mr. Sweet finished.

Alfie whooped beside them while Amber groaned dramatically.

“I am so not made for camping,” she whined.

Alfie gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “Don’t worry, babe. I’ll protect you from all the scary squirrels.”

Patricia snorted, but her amusement faded when she noticed the look on Fabian’s face.

“What’s wrong?” Eddie asked, lowering his voice.

“I’ve been going to this school for four years now, and not once have we gone on a class trip,” Fabian whispered.

“So what? You think this is some kind of plan?” Patricia asked, crossing her arms.

Fabian shrugged. “I just think it’s weird that Denby is the one who suggested it.”

Eddie frowned in thought before raising his hand.

“Yes, Edison?” Mr. Sweet asked.

“Who will be escorting us on this trip?” Eddie asked, his tone carefully neutral.

“Well, since this is a relatively small class, I think Trudy and I should be sufficient,” Mr. Sweet answered.

At that, they all relaxed slightly. Trudy being there was a relief.

"This trip will take place on Friday. Victor has already been made aware," Mr. Sweet announced.

Friday. That was in two days.

Patricia barely had time to process that before Mr. Sweet clapped his hands together. "Now, I shall leave you to your class." He gave Denby a small nod before turning and walking out.

The moment the door closed behind him, the room filled with murmurs.

"Two days? That's barely any time to prepare!" Mara whispered to Joy.

"More like barely any time to come up with an excuse not to go," Amber muttered, already looking miserable at the thought of spending time in the wilderness.

Patricia, however, wasn't focused on them. She was watching Denby.

Denby, who stood at the front of the class with that same unreadable expression she always had. She wasn't smiling, but she wasn't exactly not smiling either. It was unnerving.

Eddie must have noticed it too because he leaned in, his voice low. "Is it just me, or does she seem a little too pleased with herself?"

Fabian hummed in agreement. "I don't like this. Why now? Why suddenly? Why her?"

Patricia didn't answer. She was too busy wondering the same thing.

Denby finally spoke, cutting through the noise. "Alright, enough chattering. Open your books, please. We still have a lesson to get through."

Patricia tore her gaze away and forced herself to focus.

--

The next two days passed, and for the most part, things started to feel normal again.

Or at least, as normal as things could get when you were the supposed descendant of an ancient Egyptian princess and someone tried to kidnap you.

Classes were the same, teachers droned on as usual, and even Amber had stopped complaining (as much) about the upcoming trip. It should’ve been comforting. It should’ve helped Patricia push down the unease that had been eating away at her since the incident.

But it didn’t.

Not when someone from Sibuna was always with her.

At all times.

It was getting on her nerves.

She wasn’t that fragile. She wasn’t some damsel in distress who needed a babysitter. And yet, everywhere she went-hallways, class, even when she was grabbing something from her locker-one of them was there.

Fabian walked her to class. KT went with her to the bathroom. Alfie miraculously decided to be her best friend in chemistry. And Eddie? Eddie had practically glued himself to her side.

"Are you following me?" she asked after catching him trailing her on the way to the cantine.

Eddie smirked. "I like to think of it as escorting you."

She groaned, rolling her eyes. "I'm fine, you know."

"Uh-huh. Because last time you were fine, someone tried to kidnap you in a bathroom."

Patricia gritted her teeth. "That doesn’t mean I need a bodyguard 24/7!"

Eddie shrugged, unbothered. "Too bad. You're stuck with me, Yacker."

She huffed, crossing her arms. "I hate you."

"Sure you do," he said, grinning.

She did hate it.

But she also hated that some part of her-some stupid, traitorous part-felt safer knowing he was there.

Patricia tried to ignore Eddie for the rest of the walk, but it was impossible when he was practically breathing down her neck.

When they reached the cantine, she spotted KT and Fabian already there, sitting at the table and whispering to each other. Their heads snapped up when she and Eddie walked in.

Patricia groaned, dragging a hand down her face before flopping onto the couch. "This is ridiculous."

"No, what’s ridiculous is that someone tried to grab you in a locked bathroom stall and you're acting like it’s nothing," Fabian shot back.

Patricia scowled but didn’t argue.

She hadn’t been sleeping well. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw those gloved hands sliding under the stall door, that flash of silver from the needle. And that golden cobra…

Had she imagined it? Had the stress and paranoia made her see things that weren’t really there?

"You can be mad at us all you want," Eddie said, sitting beside her. "But we're not backing off. Not when weird crap keeps happening."

Patricia let out a frustrated sigh. "It just sucks, okay? I feel like I can’t even breathe without one of you hovering over me."

"Would you rather be alone if it happens again?" KT asked gently.

That shut Patricia up real quick.

No.

She didn't want to be alone if it happened again.

She just hated feeling like this.

Vulnerable.

Eddie nudged her shoulder. "Tell you what-stick with us for now, and if nothing happens on the trip, we'll ease up. Deal?"

Patricia eyed him suspiciously. "Ease up how much?"

Eddie smirked. "I'll stand at least a whole foot away from you. Maybe two, if I’m feeling generous."

Patricia rolled her eyes but huffed out a reluctant, "Fine."

Fabian and KT exchanged knowing glances, and Patricia suddenly realized, she had just agreed to let them babysit her for even longer.

Brilliant.

--

The small bus hummed with chatter as students settled into their seats, waiting for Trudy to join them. Patricia leaned her head against the window, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling in her gut. The past two days had felt too normal-well, as normal as things ever got at Anubis House. The constant presence of someone from Sibuna trailing her every move was driving her insane, but at least nothing weird had happened. Maybe this trip would just be a trip.

“Whatcha got there?” Joy asked, leaning over to peek at Mara’s lap.

Mara flipped through a pamphlet. “It’s about where we’re going. They have an old castle there-see?” She held it up for Joy to see.

Joy wrinkled her nose. “Creepy.” She glanced out the window just in time to see Victor running toward the bus, suitcase in hand. Her stomach sank. “Oh no. He’s not coming, is he?”

Patricia snapped her head up. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Eddie groaned. “Well, there goes any chance of actually enjoying this trip.”

At the front of the bus, Mr. Sweet frowned as Victor climbed aboard. “Victor! What is going on? Where’s Trudy?”

Victor huffed, looking put out. “A rather unfortunate event. Trudy is out cold with a stomach bug.”

Mr. Sweet’s face paled. “What about the cooking?”

Victor sniffed. “I have handled worse.” And with that, he stalked toward the very back, settling in as far from the students as possible.

A collective groan spread through the bus.

“Great,” Alfie muttered. “Now we’re definitely going to starve.”

“Are we finally complete then?” Mr. Sweet asked, glancing around. When the students confirmed that everyone was present, the driver started the engine, and the bus pulled away from the school.

Mr. Sweet turned to face the class. “Alright, everyone. We are on our way to a beautiful landscape in the middle of nature. If anyone can tell us more about the area, now is the time! Otherwise, I shall have to do it myself.”

Amber perked up, elbowing Alfie. “Go on! You love being the center of attention.”

Alfie grinned, standing up.

"Alright, passengers, welcome aboard the Highway to Hell! I’ll be your in-flight entertainment-"

“Bus,” Fabian corrected.

Alfie waved him off. "-and as per safety regulations, I’m here to introduce you to our many emergency exits!" He gestured wildly around. "You got your front door, your back door, your-uh-windows if you're really desperate."

The students burst into laughter, except for Victor, who looked like he was already regretting his existence.

"Alfie, please be serious," Mr. Sweet sighed, rubbing his temples.

Alfie held up his hands in surrender. "Fine, fine! Okay, serious time." He grabbed the pamphlet from Mara’s hands. "Let’s see what this place has to offer!" He squinted. "Wow. This place is old. And by old, I mean really old. Look at this castle! Bet you it’s haunted. I give us-hmm-two days before a ghost tries to murder us in our sleep.”

Amber gasped. “ALFIE! Don’t say that! Now it’s going to happen!”

Eddie leaned toward Patricia. “If there is a ghost, do you think it’ll come after Victor first?”

Patricia smirked. “One can only hope.”

KT, who had been quietly listening, frowned. “Actually…that’s not as ridiculous as it sounds.”

Everyone turned to her.

“What do you mean?” Fabian asked.

KT hesitated before tapping her own pamphlet. “The castle has underground tunnels. Some of them collapsed over time, but no one really knows how deep they go or where they lead.”

Fabian straightened up, intrigued. "That could mean hidden passageways. Maybe even an old library-"

Amber cut him off with a dramatic groan. "Ugh, nerd alert!"

Two hours. Two whole hours of Alfie’s ramblings.

At first, it had been amusing-his overdramatic commentary, his ridiculous "ghost-proofing" plan for the trip-but by the time they neared their destination, even Jerome was banging his head against the window.

So when the bus finally rolled to a stop in a wooded area, the students wasted no time piling out.

“Finally! Air!” Jerome exclaimed, throwing his arms up dramatically.

“Calm down, calm down!” Mr. Sweet called as he stepped off the bus. He turned to thank the driver before the vehicle took off again, leaving them stranded in the middle of nowhere.

“Good! Now, everyone get in line in pairs,” Mr. Sweet instructed. The students shuffled into place, grumbling as they did. “Very good. Now, be quiet and enjoy mother nature. Let’s count heads.”

While Mr. Sweet went through the headcount, Amber was already complaining. “Ugh, insects! They’re everywhere! What if one crawls into my hair? Or-oh my gosh-what if one bites me?”

“You’ll survive,” Fabian muttered.

“Alright! Let’s go!” Mr. Sweet announced, leading the group into the woods, with Victor trailing behind like some kind of grim reaper.

Twenty minutes in, and the complaints had already started.

“I’m thirsty,” Joy whined.

“My feet hurt,” Mara added.

Fabian turned to Mr. Sweet. “We’re looking for the old castle, right? How far is it?”

Mr. Sweet gestured straight ahead. “A few miles that way.”

Amber gasped. “A few miles?!”

“My legs are dying,” Alfie groaned, dragging his feet. “What if I just lie down and let nature claim me?”

“That’d be one less person for me to deal with,” Victor muttered, but no one paid him any mind.

Just when it seemed like the complaints would never end, Mr. Sweet suddenly gasped and crouched down. “Ah-ha! Allium ursinum!”

Alfie blinked. “Gesundheit?”

“Garlic without garlic-the only member of the finials,” Mr. Sweet announced excitedly, plucking the plant from the ground. He turned to the group, holding it up as if it were a prized artifact. “Take a sniff, everyone!”

Joy took one whiff and recoiled. “Ugh! Garlic.”

Amber wrinkled her nose. “That’s disgusting. Why do we care?”

Before Mr. Sweet could launch into a full-on botany lesson, a scream tore through the woods.

The group froze.

Chapter Text

Patricia slowly opened her eyes. Her head ached, and everything around her was blurry. She blinked carefully, trying to clear her vision, but her body wasn’t responding. It took a few minutes before the blurriness faded, revealing that she was lying on a red tile floor that seemed to stretch endlessly.

Where was she?

The cold from the ground seeped into her bones. She shifted her gaze to her hand, lying motionless in front of her face. She willed her fingers to move, but it was as if the hand wasn’t hers. Panic flared in her chest. She tried again, and this time, her fingers twitched, slowly coming to life.

She attempted to speak, but her throat was so dry that only a squeak escaped.

Slowly, she lifted her head. The motion sent a wave of dizziness crashing over her. She forced herself to take in her surroundings: massive windows with red curtains, dim candlelight flickering against dark stone walls, casting eerie shadows. The entire room was filled with white, lit candles, their glow barely pushing back the darkness.

The room was huge-or was it just her disoriented mind making it seem that way?

She braced her arms against the ground and tried to push herself up into a sitting position. Her limbs felt like noodles, weak and unsteady. Her breath hitched when her eyes landed on a large, ancient-looking mirror at the end of the room.

That’s when she saw it.

A figure stood behind her, draped in a dark cloak, wearing a mask shaped like a raven’s beak. Her pulse pounded in her ears as the masked figure stepped forward. Every instinct told her to run, to scream-but when she tried, only another squeak came out.

The figure loomed over her, reaching down and pulling her up onto her feet.

“Finally awake?” The voice was distorted, unnaturally heavy and distant, as if altered.

Patricia struggled to focus on the figure’s eyes through the mask. There was something familiar about them. Where had she seen those eyes before?

She tried to think, but her head was heavy, her thoughts sluggish.

Her gaze dropped to her body. She was wearing a long, flowing white dress that reached the floor. That wasn’t what she had been wearing before-was it?

The figure dragged her forward. Her legs gave out, but the grip on her arm tightened, keeping her upright.

“You’ll feel better soon,” the distorted voice assured her.

They reached the end of the room, where white curtains hung. The figure pushed them aside, revealing a small stone platform with a pillar at its center.

Patricia’s body was betraying her, weak and useless as the figure forced her onto the platform and tied her hands behind the pillar.

“What are you doing?” she finally managed to croak, her voice hoarse and strained.

“You’ll see soon enough.” The voice was mocking.

Patricia’s strength slowly returned. Her dizziness faded. She looked down at the stone floor, at the towering windows. A realization struck her like a lightning bolt.

The castle.

She was in the castle. But why? What did this figure want from her?

The raven mask tilted slightly, as if studying her. A cold hand cupped her cheek. She shuddered at the touch.

“I won’t hurt you,” the figure murmured. “You’re too valuable.”

The masked figure turned to glance at the old clock hanging on the wall. Then, without warning, they grabbed a piece of gray duct tape and pressed it over her mouth.

Patricia fought back a whimper as the figure stepped away, disappearing behind the white curtains once more.

She yanked at the ropes, trying to loosen them, but they were too tight. Her eyes darted around, searching desperately for something-anything-that could help her escape.

A noise from the closed door caught her attention. She listened intently.

“Finally! Where were you?” the masked figure asked.

“I took a detour.”

Patricia froze. She *knew* that voice.

Victor.

“We can start,” the masked figure announced.

The curtains were yanked open again, revealing Victor standing there, looking... nervous.

The masked figure picked up a sharp knife from a nearby table. Candlelight glinted off the blade as they approached her.

Panic surged in Patricia’s chest. She screamed against the tape, her muffled cries filling the room.

The figure only laughed. “Scream all you want. No one can hear you here.”

With quick, precise movements, the figure cut the rope binding her hands. Her arms fell limply to her sides, too weak to resist as the figure lifted a large, old-looking necklace and placed it around her neck.

“Here-hold this,” the figure ordered, thrusting an ornate golden cup into her hands.

“No,” Patricia spat, voice raw with defiance.

“Do it! Think about those little friends of yours. I *can* go find them...”

Her heart pounded. She hesitated but, reluctantly, took the cup.

“Good girl.” The figure’s voice dripped with mockery.

The masked figure stepped back, watching the clock.

“Up!” they ordered.

Patricia’s arms trembled as she raised the cup above her head.

“Yes! It’s time!” the masked figure hissed. They moved to stand beside Victor, both staring at the clock as the final minute ticked down.

Patricia’s breath came in shallow gasps. Her arms burned.

Then-

“Yacker!”

Her heart nearly stopped. *Eddie.*

“Patricia!” Fabian’s voice rang out.

She struggled, desperate to free herself, but the masked figure seized her wrists, forcing them to stay up.

“Quick! The door!” the figure barked at Victor.

Victor hesitated before shoving a heavy dresser against the entrance.

The clock struck *eight.*

Golden sunlight streamed through the windows, hitting the cup she held. A blinding light erupted from it, and Patricia squeezed her eyes shut.

“Yes!” the figure hissed triumphantly.

A strange sensation washed over Patricia-warm at first, then cold, like ice flooding her veins.

“It worked. Quick, grab that water!” the figure demanded.

She barely registered the hands tangling in her hair, forcing her head back.

“What is it?” Victor asked warily.

“Something to make sure she won’t remember this.” The figure sprinkled a white powder into the drink.

Patricia struggled weakly. The figure’s grip tightened.

“Is that safe?” Victor questioned hesitantly.

Loud banging erupted from the door. “Patricia!” Eddie’s voice was frantic.

“Hurry up,” the masked figure snapped.

Patricia’s mouth was forced open. The cold rim of the cup pressed against her lips. Liquid spilled into her mouth. She tried to spit it out, but a hand clamped over her nose and mouth. She had no choice.

She swallowed.

A fiery sensation burned in her stomach. Her head spun.

The pounding on the door grew louder, the voices more desperate.

Patricia’s eyes widened as the world around her blurred.

Darkness swallowed her whole.

--

Before Mr. Sweet could launch into a full-on botany lesson, a scream tore through the woods.

The group froze.

“What was that?” Amber whispered, clutching Alfie’s arm in terror.

Mr. Sweet raised his hands. “Don’t panic, don’t panic! Get in line in pairs!”

But KT’s eyes darted around frantically. “Where’s Patricia?”

Eddie whipped around, scanning the group. His heart pounded.

She was gone.

Eddie’s stomach twisted in knots as he scanned the trees, eyes darting between the thick branches and shadows, searching for any sign of Patricia. His breath came out in uneven bursts as panic slowly crept up his spine.

“Patricia!” he called, his voice sharp with urgency. The words felt like they were hanging in the air, swallowed by the silence of the woods. There was no response.

“She was just here,” Fabian said, his brow furrowed as he looked around, his voice tight with worry.

“Not anymore,” KT muttered, her eyes scanning the trees in every direction. Amber clung to Alfie’s arm, her face pale with fear.

“Oh my gosh, what if the forest ate her?” Amber blurted out, her voice shaky.

“Yeah, because trees are totally out here swallowing people whole,” Jerome deadpanned, trying to keep the mood light, but even he couldn’t hide the anxiety in his tone.

“Patricia!” Joy called out, her voice echoing through the trees. Soon, the others followed suit, shouting her name, but still, there was nothing.

“Maybe she fell?” Amber suggested, her voice trembling.

“We would have seen her by now,” Fabian pointed out, shaking his head in disbelief.

“I’m calling 911. They can send a helicopter,” Amber said, already pulling out her phone and typing rapidly.

“Can’t you call your dad for that?” Jerome asked, but quickly shut up when Amber shot him a glare.

“No signal!” Amber groaned, her voice filled with frustration.

“Me neither!” KT exclaimed.

“Not even one bar,” Mara added.

“I have one bar!” Jerome said, raising his phone triumphantly, but it quickly fizzled out. “Oh, wait, it’s gone already.”

“We have to do something! She could be hurt!” Eddie's voice cracked with desperation as he turned to his father, hoping for some kind of plan, but Mr. Sweet looked just as helpless.

“Fireworks!” Alfie suddenly shouted, his eyes lighting up with a moment of inspiration. “Guys, did anyone bring fireworks? We could ask for help that way!”

Fabian gave him a look. “Yes, Alfie. Because we totally packed fireworks for a camping trip.”

Mr. Sweet clapped his hands, trying to regain order. “Alright, everyone stay calm! No one wander off-we’ll search in an organized manner.”

But Eddie wasn’t waiting around for a plan. He was already moving, his body instinctively propelled forward by a surge of urgency.

“Yacker!” Eddie shouted, as he dashed into the woods, pushing past branches, his pulse hammering in his ears. The others called after him, but their voices were drowned out by the pounding of his heart.

KT caught up to him quickly, her breath coming in ragged gasps. “Eddie, wait! You can’t just-”

“Watch me,” Eddie snapped, not slowing down, his eyes locked on the path ahead.

The woods felt unnervingly quiet, the only sound the crunch of leaves underfoot and the distant chatter of the others behind them. Eddie’s chest tightened, every step leading him further into the unknown. Where could she be? What had happened to her?

Just as panic began to claw at his throat, Eddie saw it-a small, red fabric caught on a low-hanging branch, fluttering in the wind. His heart stopped for a beat.

Patricia’s scarf.

Eddie’s breath caught in his throat as he reached out, snatching the piece of fabric from the branch. His grip tightened around it, a cold shiver running through him. This was hers. This was proof she had been here, and she wasn’t just lost. Something was wrong.

Fabian, Amber, and Alfie arrived behind him, their faces a mix of confusion and fear. Fabian’s eyes immediately went to the fabric in Eddie’s hand.

“That’s from Patricia’s scarf,” Fabian whispered, his voice shaky as he took the fabric from Eddie. He studied it for a moment, his face hardening. “She didn’t fall.”

Eddie swallowed, trying to steady himself. “So she was kidnapped? But why?” Amber’s voice was a whisper, still clutching Alfie’s arm, her eyes wide with fear.

KT's expression darkened, her voice low and resolute. “Because she’s the Chosen One.”

Eddie’s stomach flipped at the words. He looked at KT, his voice tight with realization. “By who?”

“Victor,” KT said, her voice thick with certainty.

“Of course,” Fabian muttered, his eyes narrowing as he glanced around. “He’s nowhere to be seen.”

“But where could he have taken her?” Amber asked, her voice quivering with the same fear Eddie felt creeping up his spine.

The group stood in silence, processing the magnitude of what was happening, before Fabian suddenly snapped his fingers. “The castle,” he said, his voice sharp with conviction. “It’s the only place around here for miles. Unless whoever took her plans to keep her outside in broad daylight.”

Eddie’s heart raced. The castle. Of course. It made sense now. It was the one place that could hide Patricia away.

“Let’s go,” Eddie said, his voice low and determined, his mind already racing ahead to what he had to do next.

They pushed forward, their feet crunching against the forest floor as they hurried through the trees. Eddie led the way, his mind locked on the castle they could see in the distance, its dark silhouette growing closer with each stride. The others followed close behind, their urgency matching his own. For the most part, the journey was silent-each of them caught up in their own thoughts, the weight of the situation pressing down on them.

The forest began to thin out, the towering trees giving way to a more open space. The castle loomed ahead, its tall spires and stone walls casting long, ominous shadows. The breeze seemed to shift, growing colder, and Eddie’s stomach churned with a mixture of fear and determination. The atmosphere around the castle was thick with an unsettling energy- like something was off.

“We’re here,” Fabian said quietly, his voice heavy with tension.

Eddie nodded, barely registering his words as he scanned the area. The castle seemed silent, but something about it felt wrong-too still, as if the very air was warning them to turn back. But they couldn’t. Not now.

They reached the gate. Amber let out a nervous laugh. “Gross, it’s so scary.”

Eddie rolled his eyes, but his unease mirrored hers. He quickly slipped through an old gap in the iron fence, pressing his hands against the cold stone walls as he made his way deeper onto the castle grounds. The others followed suit.

They arrived at the massive castle doors, towering in front of them like an insurmountable obstacle. Amber broke the silence, her voice tinged with anxiety. “You know, maybe Patricia just sprained her ankle or something. Maybe she’s at the campsite right now, and we’re all freaking out for no reason. I had that happen once-”

“Amber! Shhh!” Fabian interrupted, his tone sharp. They were close now, and they needed to be quiet.

Eddie glanced up at the door. His hands shook with adrenaline. He was almost there. Almost to Patricia.

Alfie’s voice broke the tension. “Woah, guys, look at this old doorbell!”

He reached out to ring it, but Eddie quickly stopped him. “Alfie, don’t! Don’t mess with anything.”

They slowly pushed the heavy door open, half surprised to find it unlocked. The creak of the hinges echoed through the empty castle hall as they entered, the dark interior stretching out in front of them like a labyrinth of stone. They moved cautiously, their eyes darting around the eerie surroundings.

“Woah, check this out!” Alfie exclaimed, his voice filled with wonder as he walked toward a tall medieval suit of armor. “Do you think I’d fit in this thing?”

“Alfie! Don’t touch it,” Fabian scolded, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him back. “Focus, man.”

Before anyone could say more, a shout echoed through the castle-a shout that stopped Eddie’s heart in its tracks.

Patricia.

Her voice rang through the stone walls, but it didn’t sound right. It was weak, strained, desperate. He broke into a sprint, pushing past the others. His feet pounded against the floor, and his heart raced in his chest.

“Eddie!” KT shouted after him, but he didn’t care. He had to find her. He couldn’t stop. Not now.

The sound of Patricia’s voice echoed again, and Eddie followed it like a beacon. He skidded around corners, his mind focused on nothing but reaching her. The others struggled to keep up, but Eddie was faster. He could hear her, he could feel her presence somewhere ahead.

He reached a gated door and slammed into it with his shoulder, but it wouldn’t budge. The lock was too sturdy. Another shout rang through the stone walls.

“Yacker!”

Eddie pushed and pulled at the door, but it wouldn’t move. He slammed his fists against it in frustration. The others caught up, their eyes wide with panic.

“It’s locked!” Eddie grunted, still struggling.

“We’ll never get through this,” he muttered to himself, his pulse hammering in his ears.

“Guys, move!” Alfie suddenly yelled. He was holding a chair he had found, ready to smash it into the door. But Fabian quickly stepped in front of him, shaking his head.

“Alfie, no! It’s not strong enough!”

“Yacker!” Eddie called out again, desperation coating his voice. He pushed harder against the door, his muscles straining.

“Move!” KT shouted.

Without another word, KT ran toward the door, brandishing a long axe she had taken from the suit of armor. She swung it at the lock. With a loud crack, the door swung open.

They rushed through the gate, but their relief was short-lived. Another door loomed in front of them, locked tight.

“Yacker! Patricia, open up!” Eddie called, his voice breaking as he slammed his fists against the door.

“Patricia!” Fabian shouted, his knuckles white as he pounded on the door.

“Why isn’t she answering?” Amber asked, her voice trembling. “Why isn’t she answering us?”

“I don’t hear anything anymore,” Alfie whispered, his face pale as he strained to listen.

The sudden sound of footsteps behind them made them all jump. They turned around to find Mr. Sweet, looking grim.

“Dad!” Eddie exclaimed, relieved but still frantic. “How did you find us?”

“I didn’t,” Mr. Sweet replied, his voice tight with worry. “Victor called me. He said he found Patricia. Victor! Open up!”

Mr. Sweet moved forward and rattled the door, but it didn’t open at first. It took a long, agonizing minute, but finally, the door creaked open, revealing Victor standing on the other side, his arms folded.

“Calm down, everyone,” Victor grumbled, clearly irritated by their panic. But Eddie wasn’t listening. He pushed past him, his eyes scanning the room beyond.

“Yacker!” Eddie called out, his voice thick with fear.

And then he saw her. Patricia lay unconscious on a stone altar, surrounded by flickering candles. Her body was still, but the faint rise and fall of her chest was the only sign that she was alive. Eddie’s heart slammed in his chest as he rushed toward her, fear and relief colliding in his veins.

“Patricia!” he whispered urgently, kneeling beside her. He gently shook her shoulder, praying that she would wake up.

"Why didn't you open the door?" Fabian asked, his voice laced with suspicion as he stared at Victor. The others had gathered around Patricia, trying to rouse her, but she remained unresponsive. Eddie's fingers brushed through her hair, a constant reassurance that she was still here, still his.

"Yeah, we've been banging on that door the whole time!" KT added, her eyes narrowing as she glared at Victor.

"I was looking for a blanket," he said vaguely, his gaze flickering over to the far side of the room, avoiding their stares. The lie hung in the air like a thick fog, impossible to ignore.

Fabian crossed his arms. "You must have heard us!"

"Thick walls," Victor muttered, his response falling flat. He finally turned his attention to Mr. Sweet, who was kneeling next to Patricia, checking for any signs of life.

“How is she?” Victor asked, his voice a little too calm for the situation.

Mr. Sweet didn’t look up immediately. His focus was entirely on Patricia. “She’s unconscious,” he said, his voice rough with concern. “How long has she been like this?”

Victor hesitated, looking away for a moment. “The whole time,” he answered, his eyes flickering with something Eddie couldn't quite place.

KT’s suspicion flared. “We heard her scream,” she said, her voice tight with frustration. “So don’t tell me she was unconscious the whole time.”

Victor quickly changed his answer. “She was awake for a bit,” he said, a little too quickly, as if the truth was slipping through his fingers.

KT scoffed, clearly unconvinced. Eddie felt a surge of anger rise in his chest. He didn’t trust Victor, not for a second.

“How is she?” Eddie asked, his voice low, his gaze still on Patricia. His heart was pounding in his chest, the weight of the moment making it hard to breathe.

Mr. Sweet sighed deeply. "I’m afraid she’s not doing too well." He pulled out his phone and began dialing, his fingers shaking ever so slightly. “We’ll need an ambulance.”

“You should kiss her, then she’ll wake up.”

Eddie scoffed, brushing Patricia’s hair gently out of her face. "Amber, this isn’t a fairytale."

Mr. Sweet finished his call and turned to face the students. His expression was tired, but there was a firmness in his voice. "You guys should head back to the others. The trip is canceled, and the bus has already been called back."

“I’m staying!” Eddie protested immediately, his voice sharp and full of defiance.

"I know you want to stay with her, Eddie, but it's no use for all of us to guard her," Mr. Sweet said gently, placing a hand on Eddie's shoulder. "Come on, I’ll go with you. Victor can stay with Patricia and wait for the ambulance."

Eddie’s head snapped up, his jaw clenched. “You stay with her. Victor can take us back.”

Victor’s expression didn’t change, but something flickered in his eyes. Eddie didn’t trust him. Not now. Maybe not ever.

Mr. Sweet hesitated but then nodded. “Alright. Victor, escort the students back to camp.”

Victor said nothing, but the look he gave Eddie was unreadable.

Eddie knelt down beside Patricia one last time, squeezing her hand gently. “I’ll be back,” he murmured before standing and following the others out of the room.

Eddie threw one last glance over his shoulder as they left the dimly lit room. Patricia still lay motionless on the cold stone floor, her breathing shallow. Mr. Sweet knelt beside her, his expression tense.

Victor stepped forward, his hands clasped behind his back. “Let’s not waste any more time. Follow me.”

Eddie clenched his jaw but forced himself to move, his feet heavy as he walked behind Victor. The others followed suit, their energy drained. The castle’s corridors were eerily quiet, the only sounds being their footsteps echoing off the stone walls.

“This doesn’t feel right,” KT whispered, keeping close to Eddie.

“It’s not right,” Fabian muttered. “Victor’s hiding something.”

Eddie exhaled sharply. “Oh wow, shocker. Victor being shady? Never would’ve guessed.”

Alfie let out a nervous laugh. “Yeah, next you’re gonna tell me the sky is blue.”

Amber, still clutching Alfie’s arm, shivered. “It’s not funny. Patricia screamed. Something happened in there, and Victor is acting like he misplaced his glasses, not like someone vanished and then mysteriously collapsed.”

Eddie kept his gaze locked on Victor’s back, his mind racing. He wanted nothing more than to spin on his heel and run back to Patricia, but he knew his dad wouldn’t let anything happen to her. Still, every step away from her felt wrong.

“Did you see the weird cloak she was wearing? And what she was laying on?” Fabian whispered.

“Some kind of altar,” KT said quietly.

“You think it has something to do with the ritual the wall was talking about?” Eddie asked.

“I do.” Fabian’s voice was tense. “The question is if it worked...”

As they exited the castle, the group collectively inhaled the fresh air, though the tension still sat heavy in the air.

Victor turned to face them. “Now, let’s return to the campsite in an orderly manner. We-”

“Where were you?” Eddie cut in sharply.

Victor blinked. “Excuse me?”

Eddie took a step forward. “Where were you when Patricia went missing? You weren’t with us, and you said you weren’t in that castle the whole time.”

Victor’s lips pressed into a thin line. “I was ensuring the area was safe.”

“That’s a convenient way of saying you disappeared,” Alfie muttered.

Victor ignored him. “If you’re suggesting I had something to do with this, I advise you to rethink your accusations.”

“Oh, I’ve thought about it plenty,” Eddie snapped. “You’ve been acting shady since the moment we got here. And now Patricia-” He inhaled sharply, forcing himself to stay calm. “Whatever happened, you were around for it.”

Victor exhaled through his nose. “Believe what you want, Mr. Miller. My priority is getting you all back safely.” He turned sharply and began walking. “Move along.”

Eddie exchanged glances with Fabian and KT. Neither looked convinced, but for now, they had no choice but to follow.

As they walked, the trees seemed taller, the shadows longer, and the feeling in Eddie’s gut only worsened.

The walk back to the campsite was tense. No one spoke much, but the silence was anything but comfortable. The only sounds were the crunch of leaves beneath their feet and the occasional rustle of the wind through the trees. Eddie’s hands curled into fists at his sides.

Amber clung to Alfie’s arm, muttering about how much she hated the woods. Alfie kept shooting glares at Victor’s back, while Fabian and KT exchanged quiet, worried glances.

It wasn’t until they finally reached the clearing that Victor stopped walking. “The bus should be arriving shortly,” he announced stiffly.

Jerome, Mara, and Joy were already there, sitting on a log.

“And? Did you find her?” Joy asked, immediately rushing toward them.

“We did,” KT reassured her.

“Well? Where is she?” Jerome asked.

“She was unconscious when we found her,” Fabian informed them. “Mr. Sweet is with her right now, waiting on the ambulance.”

“Unconscious?” Mara’s face twisted in concern. “What happened to her?”

“We don’t know,” Eddie shrugged.

Before anyone could say more, the distant rumble of an approaching bus broke the silence. Mr. Sweet must have made good on his word to cancel the trip.

Eddie clenched his fists, exhaling sharply before climbing onto the bus with the others.