Chapter 1 The Letter
Chapter 1
As I opened my mail, I couldn’t believe my eyes—I’d been accepted into university. It was amazing news. On the very last day of college, I found out I’d got into the one I’d dreamed of attending. I knew I’d have to move into the student dorms, but this place had the best academic records in the country, and I just knew it was exactly where I needed to be. I headed into college with a huge smile on my face. I’d already completed five years of secondary school followed by two years of college, and now I was looking forward to the next three years at university. If only everything else in my life could be this perfect, I thought.
“So, who among you will be moving on today?” our tutor asked. The whole class cheered excitedly. We were all heading in different directions—some going straight into jobs, others moving on to higher education like me.
After saying my goodbyes to friends and teachers, I began walking home. It was already getting dark. Being foolish, I decided to take the shortcut through a narrow alleyway. Suddenly, a hooded figure stepped out in front of me and launched an attack. I tried desperately to get away, but I was trapped.
Then out of nowhere, another man jumped between us. He was around five foot nine, with pale skin, striking green eyes, and long dark brown hair. In his hand he held a sword, and he immediately began fighting off my attacker. There was something wild and predatory in the way the first man looked at me—as if he wanted to do more than just hurt me—as he finally turned and ran off.
My rescuer knelt down beside me.
“Beatrix—are you alright?” he asked.
“I’m fine,” I said, still shaken. I looked at him in confusion. “How do you know my name?”
“I’m Lynx,” he said. He reached out and took my hand. “You’re bleeding.”
He leaned forward as if to lick the wound, and I quickly pulled my hand away.
“Sorry—I was only trying to help,” he said.
“Thanks… goodbye, Lynx,” I said, and hurried away.
I walked home feeling terrified and completely shocked. What on earth just happened? Who was that attacker… and who exactly is Lynx? I wondered.
Once I got inside, I rushed upstairs to my room and cleaned myself up. I tried to calm down, telling myself that by tomorrow I wouldn’t even be here anymore—I’d be at Deadly Nightshade University, far away from this place and from the series of attacks that had been targeting young women lately.
