Chapter 7 Becoming Neighbors with Kane

Evelyn's POV

My heart was pounding so hard it felt like something inside me was trying to break free. This feeling was strange and restless, rising from somewhere deep. My body ached sharply, my skin burning—I couldn't find the breath to speak.

Forcing myself through the pain, I slapped Kane's chest hard. "Kane — put me down..."

"Just hold on a little longer." Kane's voice came from just above me, his pace quickening.

But I was beyond caring. My body acted on its own — I shoved him away with everything I had.

Kane hadn't anticipated the move — his balance shifted sharply. He folded his golden wings quickly and brought us down fast, landing steadily on the open ground near the Starflame Tower dorms.

Before I could find my footing, a voice cut across the open ground. "Evelyn, so you're the one getting all tangled up with that freak from the Phoenix Clan?" A senior boy in a black robe stood at the front of a group, several others fanned out behind him.

Before I could react, Kane stepped in front of me, putting himself between us. His right palm ignited with golden-red flames again, and even standing behind him, I could feel the force of it pressing against the air.

I grabbed his wrist quickly. My own voice came out hoarse and strained: "I can handle this."

Water was still dripping from my body, but the burning sensation was almost unbearable. I had no idea how much longer I could keep this together.

"In that case, then you can both..."

Before the boy could finish, my body lurched — as though something that had been held back had finally broken loose.

Then, a strange force tore through me, moving with the current of my blood. Every sound sharpened at once — I could even hear the heartbeat of the boy across from me, each pulse cutting through the air.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my hands glowing faintly — semi-transparent shapes flickering at my fingertips, there and gone.

"You... you..." The senior boy's finger trembled as he pointed at me, words failing him.

The people across from me were clearly scared by my state and scrambled away, and I didn't even have time to say a word.

Once it was just the two of us, the tension drained slowly from my body, and the strange force receded.

"Evelyn..." Kane walked from behind me to my side, his eyes locked on me.

He looked like he wanted to reach out and touch me, but his hand stilled before it got there.

"Thank you." Kane let his hand fall.

"You saved me — I'm the one who should be thanking you!"

I still had no idea what had just happened — what had come over my hands, or why they had returned to normal.

A breeze moved through, and the cold of it settled on my skin.

"Let's go back to the dorm.'' I was the one to break the silence.

I quickened my pace. Kane followed behind me without a word.

Soon we arrived at my room, and Kane stood at the door waiting for me.

I leaned against the door. My heart was still beating faster than it should — even though the discomfort had passed.

After a moment I moved toward the closet for clean clothes — and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My clothes were clinging to my body, my hair was wet against my cheeks, but my hands looked ordinary again.

I went to the magic wardrobe. As though sensing what I needed, it offered a beige hoodie and loose jeans.

I changed quickly and dried my hair with a towel. Even knowing there was nothing to hide, I deliberately pulled the hoodie sleeves down to cover my hands tightly.

I opened the door. Kane was still leaning against the wall, his silver-white hair still dripping — entirely unbothered. His gaze immediately turned to me.

"Let's go eat." I said with a smile, and fell into step beside him.

There weren't many people in the cafeteria at this time. I collected my food and found my usual corner.

Kane glanced at my plate, frowned slightly, and reached over to place a piece of steak onto it.

I looked up at him, but he just kept his head down eating, expressionless.

"Kane... I hesitated. Thank you. For earlier."

I took off a pendant from around my neck — a rough black stone engraved with ancient runes I had never been able to decipher.

"This is for you." I handed him the stone pendant.

Kane paused, looking at the stone — but he didn't move to take it.

"This is a magic stone my grandpa got for me. Although I don't know exactly what it does, but he said it would protect me. Now I'm giving it to you, hoping it'll keep you safe the way it kept me safe." I held his gaze as I said it.

"No." Kane shook his head, his eyes still averted, his voice quieter than usual.

"I'm giving it to you because I really want you to have it. Just take it. If you hadn't saved me earlier, I probably wouldn't be sitting here at all." I kept my tone light — but I caught a flash of something in his eyes. Panic!

Kane hand closed around the pendant. A moment passed — as though he was making a decision. ''Thank you,'' he said quietly.

He looped it around his neck and tucked the pendant carefully inside his clothes.

By the time we left the cafeteria, the sky had darkened fully.

We walked back to the dorm together — but when I turned toward my room, it was gone.

In its place, a new door had appeared — positioned directly next to Kane's.

The nameplate on the door still had my name carved on it: Evelyn.

"What's this?" I turned to Kane, genuinely thrown.

Kane shrugged, still expressionless. But maybe this was better, in this strange school, he was the only person who made me feel safe.

When I pushed the door open, the room inside was arranged exactly as I would have chosen. I looked back at Kane, "Want to come in and watch a movie?"

Kane's hand stilled on the doorknob. His deep golden eyes fixed on me. He crossed toward me in a few deliberate strides, and that sense of pressure came again, making me instinctively step back.

"Do you know what you're doing?" His voice was quiet — but the weight in it was unmistakable.

"I'm inviting you to watch a movie." I could hear the slight unsteadiness in my own voice. My fingers had found the hem of my hoodie without me realising.

The pressure from Kane intensified. He leaned down slightly, staring into my eyes, "Don't casually let unfamiliar men into your private space, especially at night."

"But you're not unfamiliar!" I looked down, my protest coming out smaller than I intended.