"Bueh," she sighed, waving a hand dismissively. "You worry too much, Leo. The 'worse' is only if we don't find what we’re looking for."

He looked at her, then at the book. The world outside this room—the lectures, the strict schedules, the expectations—felt like a pale imitation of life. Here, in the dark, with her, everything was electric.

"The headmaster was patrolling the east wing," Leo hissed, his voice trembling. "If we get caught, Elena, it’s not just detention. It’s expulsion. Or worse."

As his hand touched the cover, the "zip" of static electricity didn't just sting his fingertips—it raced through his entire body. The room vanished. The library vanished. There was only the light, the heat, and the sudden, terrifying realization that once you find what's hidden, you can never truly go back to the light.