Whispers of Worlds Beyond: A Series - Chapter 97

Chapter 97: Spying Chapter 97: Spying The rest of the morning passed in a blur of lectures and practical lessons, but none of the boys were truly focused on their studies.

Aiden, Adrian, and Sevan kept their eyes on Emmeranne, waiting for the moment she would slip away.

But she didn’t.

She attended every class, spoke when necessary, and responded to the professors without hesitation.

There was no suspicious behavior, no sneaking glances, no hurried movements.

If she had any idea they were watching her, she didn’t show it.

By the time lunch arrived, Aiden was starting to think this would be harder than he anticipated.

“Maybe she’s laying low,” Sevan muttered as they sat down at their usual table.

He stabbed his fork into a piece of roasted chicken, but his focus was elsewhere.

“If Lopt suspects her, she might know she’s being watched.” Adrian, sprawled in his seat with a goblet of juice in hand, raised an eyebrow.

“So what?

We wait?” Aiden shook his head.

“No.

If she’s hiding something, she won’t be able to keep it up forever.” His eyes drifted back to Emmeranne’s table, where she was eating with Ivara, Amihan, and Morrigan.

“We just need to be patient.” Adrian groaned.

“Great.

Love that.” They kept observing her as the day dragged on, but Emmeranne remained as unreadable as ever.

When the final class ended, the three went outside and sat by the fountain in the Botanical Garden.

“She has to leave at some point,” Sevan said.

“She always does.” Adrian smirked.

“So we follow her, right?” Aiden nodded.

“Let’s not be obvious.

Act normal, stay casual.” “Casual is my specialty.” Adrian replied.

Sevan snorted.

“You’re the least casual person I know.” They waited.

It wasn’t until the sun had fully set that they finally saw her move.

Emmeranne left the common area quietly, walking with her usual composed stride.

The three of them exchanged glances and followed, keeping their distance.

She moved through the dimly lit corridors, then outside into the cool evening air.

The campus was mostly empty, the sky above a deep navy with stars beginning to flicker into view.

Then she turned toward the forest.

Aiden’s heart quickened.

This is it.

They kept trailing behind her, sticking to the shadows, careful not to make a sound.

Emmeranne was silent as she moved deeper into the trees, her footsteps barely rustling the fallen leaves.

Then, without warning, she stopped.

The boys froze.

For a moment, she stood there, perfectly still.

Then, slowly, she turned her head- just enough for them to see the faintest hint of a knowing smirk on her lips.

Aiden’s stomach dropped.

She knew.

Before any of them could react, Emmeranne vanished into the trees.

Aiden barely had time to blink before a voice spoke behind them.

“What are you three up to?” Adrian let out a very undignified yelp and nearly tripped over himself.

Sevan whirled around so fast he almost smacked Aiden in the face.

Aiden, to his credit, merely stiffened- though his heart was racing and felt like it would explode any moment.

Standing just a few steps behind them was Emmeranne, her arms crossed, her dull brown eyes staring at them with quiet amusement.

Aiden’s mind reeled.

She was just ahead of us.

How-?

“You-” Adrian pointed at where Emmeranne had been just moments ago.

“You were-how-?” Sevan exhaled sharply.

“Did you forget she had teleportation?” he muttered.

“Very observant,” Emmeranne replied dryly.

“Now, are you going to explain why you’re following me, or should I assume the worst?” Aiden met her gaze, searching for any trace of hostility, but there was none: just an unsettling calm, as though she already knew what they were going to say.

Adrianforced a grin.

“Following you?

Us?

No, no, no, that’s crazy.

We were just, uh, enjoying a nice evening stroll.” Emmeranne raised an eyebrow.

Sevan cleared his throat.

“Right.

A casual walk in the dark.

Near the forest.” “With all three of you?” she asked, voice neutral.

Adrian nodded.

“Absolutely.

Just three mates out for a friendly-” “Stalking session,” she finished for him.

Adrian’s grin faltered.

“…That’s not the word I’d use.” Emmeranne tilted her head, unconvinced.

“So, should I take this as a sign that I need to start watching you three now?” Aiden didn’t react, but he could feel the tension crackling in the air.

This wasn’t just banter; she was letting them know she knew.

Aiden remained silent, his gaze locked onto Emmeranne’s impassive expression.

Her eyes gave nothing away, but her presence alone set his nerves on edge.

“You haven’t answered my question,” she continued, her voice cool.

“What exactly are you three doing out here?” Adrian straightened his posture, brushing imaginary dust off his jacket.

“That’s a good question,” he mused, tilting his head as if he were pondering the meaning of life itself.

“What are we doing here, Aiden?

Sevan?” Sevan, who was much less inclined to humor their predicament, crossed his arms.

“Trying not to get caught.” “By who?” Emmeranne pressed.

Aiden exhaled.

He could already see where this was going.

The last thing he wanted was to let her in on their meeting with Lopt, but she was too perceptive.

Dodging the question would only make her more suspicious.

Adrian, however, didn’t seem the least bit concerned.

“Alright, fine,” he said, raising his hands in surrender.

“You caught us.

We were out for some fresh air, and maybe…just maybe….

we were doing a little exploring.” “Exploring.” “Yes.” “In the middle of the night.” “Yep.” “By sneaking around.” “Would you believe we took a wrong turn?” Aiden and Sevan both turned to look at Adrian with identical expressions of disbelief.

Emmeranne, however, didn’t react.

Instead, she let out a quiet sigh and glanced past them, as if scanning the darkness for something- or someone.

“You met with Lopt, didn’t you?” Sevan inhaled sharply, Adrian’s grin flickered for half a second, and Aiden felt a rush of cold settle over him.

This time, Aiden spoke first.

“Why would you think that?” Emmeranne’s gaze flickered to him, looking clearly unimpressed.

Or that’s how he thought it looked like.

“Because I saw you.” Aiden tensed.

“I saw you sneak out of the dorms,” she continued.

“And I saw you enter the abandoned classroom.

I could’ve followed, but I didn’t need to.” Adrian let out a low whistle.

“You sure do get around, don’t you?” She ignored him.

“So, what did he want?” Aiden hesitated.

He didn’t trust Emmeranne, but he also knew that lying outright wouldn’t work.

Emmeranne was many things, but foolish wasn’t one of them.

Adrian, to Aiden’s great annoyance, decided to take the lead again.

“Oh, nothing major.

Just an invitation to his exclusive super-secret club of mischief-makers.” Sevan elbowed him.

“Why are you telling her?” “Oh, relax,” Adrian huffed.

“She obviously already knows half of it.

May as well confirm the other half.” Emmeranne hummed thoughtfully.

“And what does Lopt want in return?” Aiden glanced at Sevan.

Sevan glanced at Adrian.

Adrian just grinned.

“Well,” Adrian said, stretching his arms, “he did mention something about you.” For the first time, Emmeranne’s expression shifted-just slightly.

“Me?” “Oh, yeah,” Adrian said.

“Wanted to know where you were the night of the murder.” A heavy silence settled between them.

Emmeranne’s expression didn’t waver, but something in her posture changed.

Something subtle it was hard to spot at first.

But…

Aiden saw it.

Sevan saw it.

Adrian definitely saw it.

And then, just as quickly, it was gone.

“I see,” she said, her voice carefully measured.

Aiden didn’t miss the way her fingers twitched ever so slightly, the way her gaze briefly flickered to the forest beyond.

She was hiding something.

And at that moment, the three of them knew…

She had something to do with Savion’s murder.