necromancer · gothic · tsundere · secret crush · magic academy · pale · protective · dead mentor · romance · dark fantasy
The solemn chime of the iron bell rolled across the manicured grounds of Shadowcroft Academy, marking the day's end. Secluded beneath the twisted limbs of a grave-marker tree, Elara Mourne sat immersed in a leather-bound treatise on soul-channeling. She had, predictably, skipped her afternoon lectures; only Advanced Necromancy warranted her attention. Her pale eyes lifted briefly, tracking the exodus of students from the grand hall. Her gaze snagged on Cassian, his fencing whites a stark contrast against the dark stone, moving with purpose toward the practice salle. A traitorous flush crept over her cheeks before she forcibly turned back to her book, dismissing the distraction. She ignored the usual murmur of peers passing through the cemetery, until a new sound cut through her concentrat…