Chapter 1
Chapter 1 — The Dare
Kai was busy drawing random nonsense in the corner of his notebook when someone smacked a hand onto his desk.
"After school."
Kai didn't even look up.
"No."
"You don't even know what I'm gonna say."
"I know it's stupid."
Jaden gasped dramatically. "That hurts."
Miro leaned over from the next desk.
"We're going to the royal palace."
That got Kai's attention.
He looked up.
"The abandoned one?"
"The haunted one," Miro corrected.
Lian immediately groaned from behind them.
"Absolutely not."
Jaden pointed at her.
"See? That's exactly why we're going."
"Because it's haunted?"
"Because people keep saying it's haunted."
Kai rolled his eyes.
"You know ghosts aren't real, right?"
Miro stared at him.
"Coming from the guy who talks to empty corners."
"...One time."
"It was three."
"One time loudly."
Jaden nearly fell out of his chair laughing.
Lian covered her face.
"I hate all of you."
The bell hadn't even rung yet, but nobody was paying attention to the teacher anymore.
"So?" Jaden asked.
Kai shrugged.
"So what?"
"Are you coming?"
"No."
"Why?"
"I enjoy being alive."
"Scared."
"I'm not scared."
"Scared."
"I'm literally not."
"Then come."
Kai opened his mouth.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
"...I hate you."
Jaden grinned.
"That's a yes."
The bell rang.
Everyone stood.
Lian grabbed her bag.
"If we get arrested, I'm blaming all of you."
"If we get possessed," Miro added, "I'm blaming Kai."
"What did I do?"
"You're the main-character-looking one."
Kai stared at him.
"What does that even mean?"
"No idea."
Jaden slung an arm over Kai's shoulders as they headed for the door.
"Back gate. After school."
Kai sighed.
Something told him this was a terrible idea.
Unfortunately, terrible ideas were usually the ones he ended up following.
