《The Shadow Beneath the Ivy》


 Chapter 1: Lost Roommate

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    The rain battered the gothic arches of Oakwood University like a relentless fist, drumming against the stained-glass windows of Haverford Hall. Inside, the air smelled of damp stone and old books, a scent that clung to everything in this ancient dormitory. Ava Grey pulled her sweater tighter around her slim frame, her boots squeaking on the polished hardwood floor as she climbed the narrow staircase to the third floor. Her art portfolio bounced against her hip, a comforting weight after a long day in the studio. She was ready for a quiet night: a cup of tea, her sketchbook, maybe some music to drown out the storm. But the moment she pushed open the door to Room 312, that plan evaporated.


    The room was wrong. Not messy¡ªLily, her roommate, was a neat freak who alphabetized her textbooks¡ªbut wrong. The bed on Lily¡¯s side was unmade, the crisp white sheets twisted into a knot, as if she¡¯d leapt out in a hurry. A single pillow lay on the floor, its corner stained with something dark. Ava¡¯s stomach tightened. She stepped inside, her breath catching as the door creaked shut behind her. The desk lamp flickered, casting jagged shadows across the walls, and she noticed a scrap of paper on Lily¡¯s pillow. It was torn, the edges jagged like it had been ripped in a struggle. Three words stared up at her in Lily¡¯s loopy handwriting: Don¡¯t look for me.


    Ava froze, her fingers hovering over the note. The storm outside roared louder, a gust rattling the windowpane, but all she could hear was the thud of her own pulse. Lily had been fine yesterday¡ªchatty, laughing about her bio exam, planning to meet her boyfriend later. She¡¯d even left a sticky note on Ava¡¯s sketchbook: Borrowed your red pencil, hope you don¡¯t mind! That note was still there, stuck to the desk, but now it felt like a relic from another life. Ava¡¯s eyes darted around the room. Lily¡¯s phone was gone. Her backpack, usually slung over the chair, was missing too. But her coat¡ªthe bright yellow one she wore everywhere¡ªhung on the hook by the door, dripping wet.


    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t leave without her coat,¡± Ava muttered, her voice barely audible over the rain. She crossed the room in three quick steps, her fingers brushing the damp fabric. It was soaked, as if Lily had been out in the storm not long ago. A shiver ran down Ava¡¯s spine, sharp and cold. She wasn¡¯t prone to panic¡ªyears of living with uncertainty had taught her to stay calm¡ªbut this wasn¡¯t normal. Lily didn¡¯t just vanish. People didn¡¯t vanish.


    Or did they? Oakwood had its whispers. Every fall, the upperclassmen swapped stories over coffee in the quad: students who¡¯d dropped out without a word, disappeared into the sprawling campus like ghosts. The administration always had excuses¡ªstress, family emergencies, transfers¡ªbut the rumors lingered. Ava had heard them too, late at night in the common room, when the lights were low and the wind howled through the ivy-covered walls. A girl last year, vanished after midterms. A guy two years ago, last seen near the old chapel. She¡¯d always dismissed it as gossip, the kind of tales bored college kids spun to feel alive. But now, standing in the half-empty room, those stories didn¡¯t feel so far-fetched.


    She grabbed her phone from her pocket, fumbling with the screen as rain streaked the window behind her. Her thumb hovered over Lily¡¯s contact¡ªLily Parker, Bio Nerd Extraordinaire¡ªand she hit call. It rang once, twice, then went straight to voicemail. Lily¡¯s chipper voice filled the silence: ¡°Hey, it¡¯s me! Leave a message, or don¡¯t, I probably won¡¯t check it anyway!¡± Ava ended the call, her breath shallow. She tried again. Same result. A third time, just to be sure, but the outcome didn¡¯t change. The phone was off, or dead, or somewhere Lily couldn¡¯t answer.


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    ¡°Okay, think,¡± Ava said, pacing the small space. Her boots left faint wet prints on the floor. She needed to do something¡ªcall someone, find someone. The campus police? No, they¡¯d laugh her off; it hadn¡¯t even been a day. Lily¡¯s boyfriend, Matt? Maybe he knew something. But Matt was a senior, always busy with his frat, and Ava barely had his number. She stopped pacing and stared at the note again. Don¡¯t look for me. It sounded like a plea¡ªor a warning. Either way, it made her skin crawl.


    She sank onto her own bed, the springs creaking under her weight, and pulled her portfolio onto her lap. Drawing always steadied her, ever since she was a kid hiding from the chaos of her mother¡¯s disappearance. That mystery had never been solved¡ªher mom walking out one night, leaving nothing but a half-finished painting and a note that said I¡¯ll be back. She never was. Ava had spent years sketching that moment, trying to fill in the blanks her memory couldn¡¯t. Now, with Lily gone, the old ache flared up again, sharp and familiar. She flipped open her sketchbook, her fingers trembling as she reached for a pencil. Maybe if she drew, she could make sense of this.


    The pencil moved before she told it to, scratching across the page in quick, jagged strokes. She didn¡¯t know what she was drawing¡ªjust let her hand take over, the way it sometimes did when her mind was too loud. The storm outside faded, the room narrowing to the paper in front of her. Lines became shapes: a figure in the dark, cloaked in shadow, standing over something crumpled on the ground. A splash of red¡ªblood?¡ªspread beneath it, stark against the graphite. Ava¡¯s throat tightened as the image took form. It wasn¡¯t Lily, not exactly, but it felt like her. Like danger. Like a warning she couldn¡¯t quite grasp.


    She dropped the pencil, her breath hitching. The sketch stared back at her, rough and unfinished, but alive with menace. She¡¯d had these moments before¡ªflashes of intuition that spilled onto the page, hints of things she couldn¡¯t explain. Her therapist called it trauma, her art professor called it talent, but Ava didn¡¯t have a name for it. All she knew was that it scared her, and it was never wrong.


    A knock at the door jolted her upright, the pencil rolling off the bed and clattering to the floor. She shoved the sketchbook under her pillow, her heart hammering. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± she called, her voice sharper than she meant it to be.


    ¡°Maintenance,¡± came a gruff reply. ¡°Heard there¡¯s a leak up here.¡±


    Ava hesitated, then crossed to the door and cracked it open. A man in a gray jumpsuit stood in the hall, his face shadowed under a baseball cap. He smelled of cigarette smoke and wet earth, and his eyes flicked past her into the room. ¡°You got a problem?¡± he asked, his tone flat.


    ¡°No,¡± Ava said quickly, her grip tightening on the doorknob. ¡°Everything¡¯s fine.¡±


    He didn¡¯t move, just stared at her for a beat too long. ¡°You sure? Looks like you¡¯re alone tonight.¡±


    Her stomach dropped. She hadn¡¯t told anyone Lily was gone¡ªnot yet. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she repeated, forcing a smile. ¡°Thanks for checking.¡±


    He grunted, then turned and shuffled down the hall, his boots heavy on the stairs. Ava shut the door and locked it, her hands shaking as she slid the deadbolt into place. She didn¡¯t know why, but that encounter felt off, like a puzzle piece that didn¡¯t fit. She glanced at Lily¡¯s coat again, then at the note, then at the sketch hidden under her pillow. The room seemed smaller now, the walls pressing in, the storm outside a relentless roar.


    She couldn¡¯t stay here. Not tonight. Grabbing her phone and keys, she stuffed the note into her pocket and headed for the door. She didn¡¯t know where she was going¡ªmaybe the library, maybe the quad¡ªbut she needed answers. Lily was out there, somewhere, and Ava wasn¡¯t about to let her vanish like her mother had. Not if she could help it.


    As she stepped into the hallway, the lights flickered, plunging the corridor into shadow for a heartbeat before flaring back to life. She didn¡¯t look back.

 Chapter 2: The Premonition in the Painting

    Ava stumbled out of Haverford Hall into the storm, the wind snatching at her sweater and whipping her dark hair across her face. The rain fell in sheets, soaking her jeans as she hurried across the quad, her boots splashing through puddles that reflected the dim glow of the campus lamps. The gothic spires of Oakwood University loomed overhead, their shadows stretching long and jagged in the flickering light. She clutched her phone in one hand, the torn note from Lily¡¯s bed crumpled in her pocket, its words echoing in her mind: Don¡¯t look for me. She couldn¡¯t shake the image of that sketch either¡ªthe shadowed figure, the blood, the sense of something terrible waiting to happen. She needed to do something, anything, to make sense of it all.


    The library was her first thought. It was open late, a haven of warmth and quiet where she could think. She pushed through the heavy oak doors, the musty smell of books and polished wood washing over her as the storm¡¯s roar dulled to a distant hum. The main hall was nearly empty, just a few students hunched over laptops or dozing in armchairs. Ava found a corner table near the back, tucked behind towering shelves, and dropped her bag onto the chair beside her. Her hands were still trembling as she pulled out her sketchbook, the damp edges of the pages curling from the rain. She flipped to the drawing she¡¯d made in the dorm, her breath catching as she studied it again. The figure seemed more menacing now, its outline sharper, as if it had solidified in the hours since she¡¯d drawn it. The red smear beneath it looked wet, almost alive.


    She didn¡¯t know what it meant, not really. These flashes of intuition had haunted her since she was nine, when her mother vanished without a trace. Back then, she¡¯d drawn a woman walking into a fog, her silhouette fading into nothing, two days before her mom left. Ava had shown it to her dad, proud of her little masterpiece, but he¡¯d gone pale and locked it in a drawer. When her mother didn¡¯t come home, he¡¯d burned the sketch, muttering about superstition. Ava hadn¡¯t stopped drawing after that¡ªshe couldn¡¯t¡ªbut she¡¯d learned to keep the strange ones to herself. They didn¡¯t always predict the future, not exactly. Sometimes they were just feelings, fears given shape. But this one felt different. It felt like Lily.


    She grabbed a pencil from her bag, her fingers steadying as she pressed it to a fresh page. If she could draw more, maybe she¡¯d see something useful, something to tell her where Lily was or what had happened. The library¡¯s hum faded as she worked, the scratch of graphite against paper the only sound in her world. She started with the dorm room: the unmade bed, the yellow coat dripping on its hook, the torn note. Her hand moved faster, adding details she hadn¡¯t noticed before¡ªa faint scuff mark on the floor near Lily¡¯s desk, a shadow in the window that didn¡¯t match the storm¡¯s chaos. Then the scene shifted, unbidden, to a place she didn¡¯t recognize: a stone archway covered in ivy, a rusted gate half-open, and beyond it, a figure running. Not Lily, not quite, but someone small and frantic, disappearing into the dark.


    Ava¡¯s chest tightened. She dropped the pencil, her breath ragged as she stared at the new sketch. The archway looked familiar, like something she¡¯d passed on campus, but she couldn¡¯t place it. The running figure sent a jolt of dread through her, sharp and cold. Was this Lily? Was this happening now, or had it already happened? She rubbed her eyes, the edges of her vision blurring with exhaustion and fear. She needed help¡ªsomeone to tell her she wasn¡¯t crazy, someone who could do more than draw vague warnings.


    Her phone buzzed on the table, startling her. The screen lit up with a text from Sarah, her friend from art class: Hey, you okay? You looked freaked out in studio today. Ava hesitated, then typed a quick reply: Not really. Can you meet me at the library? Something¡¯s wrong. She hit send and waited, her fingers tapping nervously against the table. Sarah was practical, grounded, the kind of person who¡¯d tell her to stop overthinking. Maybe she¡¯d have an idea, or at least keep Ava from spiraling alone.


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    While she waited, Ava pulled Lily¡¯s note from her pocket and smoothed it out on the table. The ink had smudged from the rain, but the words were still legible. Don¡¯t look for me. It didn¡¯t sound like Lily¡ªnot the bubbly girl who¡¯d dragged Ava to karaoke last month, who¡¯d stayed up late debating whether pineapple belonged on pizza. Lily wouldn¡¯t write something so cryptic, so final, unless she had no choice. Ava¡¯s mind raced, piecing together the last time she¡¯d seen her. Yesterday morning, Lily had been rushing to class, her blonde hair tied back, her bio textbook under her arm. She¡¯d mentioned meeting Matt later, something about a study date. Had she gone? Had something happened after?


    The library doors swung open, and Sarah hurried in, her red curls bouncing as she shook off her umbrella. She spotted Ava and waved, her freckled face creasing with concern as she approached. ¡°You look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost,¡± she said, dropping into the chair across from Ava. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Lily¡¯s gone,¡± Ava blurted, her voice low but urgent. She slid the note across the table. ¡°I found this in our room tonight. Her bed¡¯s a mess, her phone¡¯s off, and her coat¡¯s still there, soaking wet. I don¡¯t know what to do.¡±


    Sarah¡¯s eyes widened as she read the note, her fingers tracing the torn edge. ¡°This is creepy. Did you call her?¡±


    ¡°Three times. Straight to voicemail.¡± Ava leaned forward, her hands clasped tight. ¡°I tried the police too, but they said it¡¯s too soon, that she¡¯s probably just with her boyfriend or something. But this doesn¡¯t feel right, Sarah. She wouldn¡¯t leave like this.¡±


    Sarah frowned, turning the note over as if expecting more clues. ¡°What about Matt? Have you talked to him?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. I don¡¯t even know where he is. Probably at his frat house, but I don¡¯t have his number.¡± Ava glanced at her sketchbook, then flipped it open to the new drawing. ¡°And then there¡¯s this. I drew it just now. I don¡¯t know what it means, but it scares me.¡±


    Sarah leaned closer, her brow furrowing as she studied the sketch. The stone archway, the rusted gate, the fleeing figure¡ªthey seemed to pull her in, her silence stretching too long. ¡°This looks like the east gate,¡± she said finally, her voice hushed. ¡°You know, by the old chapel? It¡¯s locked most of the time, but people sneak through sometimes. Did Lily ever go there?¡±


    Ava shook her head, her pulse quickening. ¡°Not that I know of. But if that¡¯s where she went¡­¡± She trailed off, the implications sinking in. The old chapel was on the edge of campus, a crumbling relic surrounded by overgrown ivy and rumors of late-night parties. If Lily had been there, alone in the storm, something could have happened. Something bad.


    ¡°Okay, slow down,¡± Sarah said, holding up a hand. ¡°You don¡¯t know that¡¯s where she is. This could just be your imagination, you know how you get with your drawings. Let¡¯s try the sensible stuff first. Call campus security, see if they¡¯ll check it out.¡±


    Ava nodded, pulling out her phone again. She found the security number on the university website and dialed, her heart pounding as it rang. A bored voice answered after three rings. ¡°Oakwood Security, what¡¯s your issue?¡±


    ¡°My roommate¡¯s missing,¡± Ava said, forcing her voice to stay steady. ¡°Her name¡¯s Lily Parker. She left a note saying not to look for her, but her stuff¡¯s still in our room, and her phone¡¯s off. I¡¯m worried something¡¯s happened.¡±


    The man sighed, the sound crackling through the speaker. ¡°How long¡¯s she been gone?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, since last night maybe? I just got back and found the note.¡±


    ¡°Look, unless it¡¯s been twenty-four hours or there¡¯s clear evidence of foul play, we can¡¯t do much. Kids take off all the time¡ªboyfriend trouble, stress, whatever. Check with her friends. If she¡¯s still gone tomorrow, call us back.¡±


    ¡°But her coat¡¯s here,¡± Ava pressed, frustration creeping into her tone. ¡°It¡¯s pouring outside, and she wouldn¡¯t leave without it. Can¡¯t you at least look around?¡±


    Another sigh. ¡°We¡¯ll note it, alright? But we¡¯re not sending a team out in this weather for a hunch. Call back if you¡¯ve got something solid.¡± The line clicked dead.


    Ava lowered the phone, her jaw tight. ¡°They don¡¯t care,¡± she said, meeting Sarah¡¯s eyes. ¡°They think she¡¯s just run off.¡±


    Sarah bit her lip, glancing at the sketch again. ¡°Maybe she did. But that note¡­ it¡¯s weird. And your drawing¡­¡± She hesitated, then squared her shoulders. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but you shouldn¡¯t be alone tonight. Stay at my place, okay? We¡¯ll figure this out tomorrow.¡±


    Ava wanted to argue, to insist on doing more now, but exhaustion was creeping in, dulling her edges. She nodded reluctantly, gathering her things. As they left the library, the rain had slowed to a drizzle, but the air felt heavier, charged with something she couldn¡¯t name. She glanced back at the campus, the east gate¡¯s image lingering in her mind. Whatever had happened to Lily, Ava knew she couldn¡¯t stop looking¡ªnot yet.

 Chapter 3: The Clue in the Borrowed Book

    The drizzle had thickened into a steady rain again by the time Ava left the library with Sarah, the campus lamps casting a hazy glow through the mist. She¡¯d agreed to crash at Sarah¡¯s place, a cramped single room in the newer dorms across the quad, but sleep felt like a distant promise. Her mind churned with images: Lily¡¯s unmade bed, the soaked yellow coat, the shadowed figure in her sketch. The conversation with campus security had left a bitter taste in her mouth¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t lift a finger, not yet¡ªand Sarah¡¯s offer of a couch was kind but didn¡¯t solve anything. Ava needed answers, not a place to hide. As they crossed the slick cobblestones, her fingers brushed the crumpled note in her pocket, its edges damp and fraying. She couldn¡¯t just wait until morning.


    Sarah unlocked her door and flicked on the lights, revealing a space cluttered with art supplies and thrift-store furniture. ¡°You can take the futon,¡± she said, kicking a pile of sketchpads aside. ¡°I¡¯ve got extra blankets somewhere. Tea?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, thanks,¡± Ava murmured, dropping her bag by the door. She sank onto the futon, the springs creaking under her weight, and pulled out her phone. No new messages, no missed calls from Lily. The silence gnawed at her. She opened her sketchbook again, flipping to the drawing of the stone archway and the fleeing figure. Sarah¡¯s words echoed in her head: the east gate, by the old chapel. It was a lead, maybe, but too vague to act on in the dark and rain. She needed something concrete, something she could hold onto.


    Sarah returned with two steaming mugs, handing one to Ava before settling into a beanbag across the room. ¡°You¡¯re still freaked out,¡± she said, her green eyes narrowing as she sipped her tea. ¡°I get it, but you can¡¯t do anything tonight. Security¡¯s useless, and we¡¯re not exactly detectives.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Ava said, wrapping her hands around the mug. The warmth seeped into her palms, but it didn¡¯t touch the chill inside her. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ that note. Don¡¯t look for me. It¡¯s not Lily. She wouldn¡¯t write that, not unless someone made her.¡±


    Sarah frowned, setting her mug on the floor. ¡°You think someone took her? Like, kidnapped her?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to think.¡± Ava¡¯s voice cracked, and she took a quick sip of tea to steady herself. ¡°But she¡¯s gone, and her stuff¡¯s still there, and I keep seeing that drawing in my head. The blood, the shadow. It¡¯s like I¡¯m supposed to figure this out.¡±


    Sarah leaned forward, her curls falling into her face. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s say you¡¯re right, and something bad happened. What do we do? We can¡¯t just storm the chapel in the middle of the night. We¡¯d get caught, or worse.¡±


    Ava nodded, her mind racing. Sarah was right¡ªcharging off half-cocked wouldn¡¯t help. But sitting here, sipping tea while Lily might be in trouble, felt wrong too. She set her mug on the floor and rummaged through her bag, pulling out a textbook she¡¯d grabbed from Lily¡¯s desk on her way out of the dorm. It was a biology primer, dog-eared and stuffed with sticky notes¡ªLily¡¯s study habits in full display. Ava hadn¡¯t thought much of it when she¡¯d taken it, just a reflex to grab something of Lily¡¯s, but now it felt like a lifeline.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Sarah asked, scooting closer.


    ¡°Lily¡¯s bio book,¡± Ava said, flipping through the pages. ¡°She was always scribbling in it. Maybe there¡¯s something here¡ªsomething she was working on, or someone she was meeting.¡±


    Sarah raised an eyebrow but didn¡¯t argue, peering over Ava¡¯s shoulder as she turned the pages. Most of the notes were mundane: diagrams of cell structures, reminders for quizzes, a doodle of a smiling frog. But near the back, tucked between two chapters on genetics, Ava found something different. A library slip, yellowed and creased, peeked out from the binding. She slid it free, her pulse quickening as she read the faint print. It was a borrowing record from the Oakwood Library, dated two weeks ago, for a book titled The Ivy Codex: A History of Secret Societies at Oakwood University.


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    Ava¡¯s breath caught. ¡°This isn¡¯t a bio book,¡± she said, holding up the slip for Sarah to see. ¡°She borrowed this from the library. Why would she need a history book about secret societies?¡±


    Sarah took the slip, her fingers brushing the faded ink. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s for a project? Or her boyfriend¡¯s into weird stuff? Matt¡¯s in that frat¡ªDelta whatever¡ªthey¡¯re always doing creepy rituals.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Ava said, but her mind was already spinning. Secret societies. The rumors about Oakwood flashed back: students disappearing, the administration brushing it off. She¡¯d always thought it was nonsense, exaggerated tales to spook freshmen, but this slip felt like a thread pulling her deeper into the mystery. ¡°I need to find this book,¡± she said, standing abruptly. ¡°It¡¯s a clue. Lily wouldn¡¯t check this out for no reason.¡±


    ¡°Whoa, hold on,¡± Sarah said, grabbing her arm. ¡°It¡¯s almost midnight, and the library¡¯s closing soon. You¡¯re not going back out there alone.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t be alone if you come with me,¡± Ava countered, a faint smile tugging at her lips. She didn¡¯t expect Sarah to agree¡ªshe was the cautious one¡ªbut she had to try. ¡°Please. I can¡¯t sit here all night wondering. If this book¡¯s got something about where Lily went, I need to know.¡±


    Sarah groaned, rubbing her temples. ¡°You¡¯re insane, you know that? Fine, but we¡¯re quick about it. In and out, no heroics. And if we get caught, I¡¯m blaming you.¡±


    ¡°Deal,¡± Ava said, relief washing over her. She grabbed her bag, shoving the textbook and sketchbook inside, and followed Sarah back into the rain-soaked night. The library wasn¡¯t far, just a five-minute walk, but the campus felt different now¡ªdarker, quieter, the shadows stretching longer under the dripping trees. Ava¡¯s boots splashed through puddles as she kept pace with Sarah, her mind fixed on that title: The Ivy Codex. It sounded ominous, like something out of a ghost story, and she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that it held answers.


    They reached the library just as the lights dimmed, the clock above the entrance ticking toward eleven. A tired-looking student worker was stacking books near the desk, barely glancing up as they slipped inside. ¡°Closing in ten,¡± he muttered, his voice muffled by a yawn.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be fast,¡± Sarah promised, nudging Ava toward the stacks. ¡°Where do we even start? History section?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, probably,¡± Ava said, scanning the signs above the aisles. She led the way to the history shelves, her fingers trailing along the spines as she searched for anything with ¡°Ivy¡± in the title. The air smelled of dust and leather, the silence broken only by the faint hum of the heating system. She moved quickly, her eyes darting from book to book, until Sarah hissed from the next row.


    ¡°Over here,¡± Sarah whispered, holding up a slim volume bound in dark green cloth. The gold lettering on the spine read The Ivy Codex. Ava¡¯s heart leapt as she took it, her hands trembling slightly. It was heavier than she¡¯d expected, the pages yellowed and brittle, as if it hadn¡¯t been touched in years.


    ¡°Let¡¯s check it out and go,¡± Sarah said, glancing toward the desk. But Ava was already flipping through it, her curiosity overriding caution. The table of contents listed chapters on Oakwood¡¯s founding, its early scandals, and¡ªthere, near the end¡ªa section titled ¡°The Order of the Ivy: Myths and Mysteries.¡± Before she could read more, something slipped from between the pages and fluttered to the floor.


    Ava knelt to pick it up, her breath hitching as she unfolded it. It was a handwritten note, not in Lily¡¯s loopy script but a tighter, more precise hand. The ink was fresh, black and sharp against the paper: Meet me at the chapel. Midnight. Bring the book. No signature, no date, just those words staring up at her like a challenge.


    Sarah leaned over her shoulder, her voice a tense whisper. ¡°What the hell is that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Ava said, her mouth dry. She checked her phone¡ª11:47. Thirteen minutes until midnight. The chapel wasn¡¯t far, just beyond the east gate, but the timing felt too perfect, too staged. ¡°Someone wanted Lily to see this. Maybe she did.¡±


    ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s a trap,¡± Sarah said, her eyes wide. ¡°Ava, we¡¯re not going. This is crazy.¡±


    Ava didn¡¯t answer right away. She folded the note and slipped it into her pocket, her mind racing. The chapel matched her sketch¡ªthe stone archway, the rusted gate. If Lily had gone there, if this book had drawn her into something dangerous, Ava couldn¡¯t ignore it. But Sarah was right: walking into the unknown at midnight was reckless. She needed a plan, not a midnight gamble.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take the book and figure it out tomorrow,¡± she said finally, closing the cover. ¡°But I¡¯m not letting this go.¡±


    Sarah nodded, visibly relieved, and they hurried to the desk to check it out, the student worker barely glancing at them as he scanned the barcode. As they stepped back into the rain, Ava clutched the book to her chest, the note burning a hole in her pocket. She didn¡¯t know who¡¯d written it or why, but one thing was clear: Lily hadn¡¯t vanished on her own. And Ava was going to find her, whatever it took.

 Chapter 3: The Clue in the Borrowed Book

    The drizzle had thickened into a steady rain again by the time Ava left the library with Sarah, the campus lamps casting a hazy glow through the mist. She¡¯d agreed to crash at Sarah¡¯s place, a cramped single room in the newer dorms across the quad, but sleep felt like a distant promise. Her mind churned with images: Lily¡¯s unmade bed, the soaked yellow coat, the shadowed figure in her sketch. The conversation with campus security had left a bitter taste in her mouth¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t lift a finger, not yet¡ªand Sarah¡¯s offer of a couch was kind but didn¡¯t solve anything. Ava needed answers, not a place to hide. As they crossed the slick cobblestones, her fingers brushed the crumpled note in her pocket, its edges damp and fraying. She couldn¡¯t just wait until morning.


    Sarah unlocked her door and flicked on the lights, revealing a space cluttered with art supplies and thrift-store furniture. ¡°You can take the futon,¡± she said, kicking a pile of sketchpads aside. ¡°I¡¯ve got extra blankets somewhere. Tea?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, thanks,¡± Ava murmured, dropping her bag by the door. She sank onto the futon, the springs creaking under her weight, and pulled out her phone. No new messages, no missed calls from Lily. The silence gnawed at her. She opened her sketchbook again, flipping to the drawing of the stone archway and the fleeing figure. Sarah¡¯s words echoed in her head: the east gate, by the old chapel. It was a lead, maybe, but too vague to act on in the dark and rain. She needed something concrete, something she could hold onto.


    Sarah returned with two steaming mugs, handing one to Ava before settling into a beanbag across the room. ¡°You¡¯re still freaked out,¡± she said, her green eyes narrowing as she sipped her tea. ¡°I get it, but you can¡¯t do anything tonight. Security¡¯s useless, and we¡¯re not exactly detectives.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Ava said, wrapping her hands around the mug. The warmth seeped into her palms, but it didn¡¯t touch the chill inside her. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ that note. Don¡¯t look for me. It¡¯s not Lily. She wouldn¡¯t write that, not unless someone made her.¡±


    Sarah frowned, setting her mug on the floor. ¡°You think someone took her? Like, kidnapped her?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to think.¡± Ava¡¯s voice cracked, and she took a quick sip of tea to steady herself. ¡°But she¡¯s gone, and her stuff¡¯s still there, and I keep seeing that drawing in my head. The blood, the shadow. It¡¯s like I¡¯m supposed to figure this out.¡±


    Sarah leaned forward, her curls falling into her face. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s say you¡¯re right, and something bad happened. What do we do? We can¡¯t just storm the chapel in the middle of the night. We¡¯d get caught, or worse.¡±


    Ava nodded, her mind racing. Sarah was right¡ªcharging off half-cocked wouldn¡¯t help. But sitting here, sipping tea while Lily might be in trouble, felt wrong too. She set her mug on the floor and rummaged through her bag, pulling out a textbook she¡¯d grabbed from Lily¡¯s desk on her way out of the dorm. It was a biology primer, dog-eared and stuffed with sticky notes¡ªLily¡¯s study habits in full display. Ava hadn¡¯t thought much of it when she¡¯d taken it, just a reflex to grab something of Lily¡¯s, but now it felt like a lifeline.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Sarah asked, scooting closer.


    ¡°Lily¡¯s bio book,¡± Ava said, flipping through the pages. ¡°She was always scribbling in it. Maybe there¡¯s something here¡ªsomething she was working on, or someone she was meeting.¡±


    Sarah raised an eyebrow but didn¡¯t argue, peering over Ava¡¯s shoulder as she turned the pages. Most of the notes were mundane: diagrams of cell structures, reminders for quizzes, a doodle of a smiling frog. But near the back, tucked between two chapters on genetics, Ava found something different. A library slip, yellowed and creased, peeked out from the binding. She slid it free, her pulse quickening as she read the faint print. It was a borrowing record from the Oakwood Library, dated two weeks ago, for a book titled The Ivy Codex: A History of Secret Societies at Oakwood University.


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    Ava¡¯s breath caught. ¡°This isn¡¯t a bio book,¡± she said, holding up the slip for Sarah to see. ¡°She borrowed this from the library. Why would she need a history book about secret societies?¡±


    Sarah took the slip, her fingers brushing the faded ink. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s for a project? Or her boyfriend¡¯s into weird stuff? Matt¡¯s in that frat¡ªDelta whatever¡ªthey¡¯re always doing creepy rituals.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Ava said, but her mind was already spinning. Secret societies. The rumors about Oakwood flashed back: students disappearing, the administration brushing it off. She¡¯d always thought it was nonsense, exaggerated tales to spook freshmen, but this slip felt like a thread pulling her deeper into the mystery. ¡°I need to find this book,¡± she said, standing abruptly. ¡°It¡¯s a clue. Lily wouldn¡¯t check this out for no reason.¡±


    ¡°Whoa, hold on,¡± Sarah said, grabbing her arm. ¡°It¡¯s almost midnight, and the library¡¯s closing soon. You¡¯re not going back out there alone.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t be alone if you come with me,¡± Ava countered, a faint smile tugging at her lips. She didn¡¯t expect Sarah to agree¡ªshe was the cautious one¡ªbut she had to try. ¡°Please. I can¡¯t sit here all night wondering. If this book¡¯s got something about where Lily went, I need to know.¡±


    Sarah groaned, rubbing her temples. ¡°You¡¯re insane, you know that? Fine, but we¡¯re quick about it. In and out, no heroics. And if we get caught, I¡¯m blaming you.¡±


    ¡°Deal,¡± Ava said, relief washing over her. She grabbed her bag, shoving the textbook and sketchbook inside, and followed Sarah back into the rain-soaked night. The library wasn¡¯t far, just a five-minute walk, but the campus felt different now¡ªdarker, quieter, the shadows stretching longer under the dripping trees. Ava¡¯s boots splashed through puddles as she kept pace with Sarah, her mind fixed on that title: The Ivy Codex. It sounded ominous, like something out of a ghost story, and she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that it held answers.


    They reached the library just as the lights dimmed, the clock above the entrance ticking toward eleven. A tired-looking student worker was stacking books near the desk, barely glancing up as they slipped inside. ¡°Closing in ten,¡± he muttered, his voice muffled by a yawn.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be fast,¡± Sarah promised, nudging Ava toward the stacks. ¡°Where do we even start? History section?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, probably,¡± Ava said, scanning the signs above the aisles. She led the way to the history shelves, her fingers trailing along the spines as she searched for anything with ¡°Ivy¡± in the title. The air smelled of dust and leather, the silence broken only by the faint hum of the heating system. She moved quickly, her eyes darting from book to book, until Sarah hissed from the next row.


    ¡°Over here,¡± Sarah whispered, holding up a slim volume bound in dark green cloth. The gold lettering on the spine read The Ivy Codex. Ava¡¯s heart leapt as she took it, her hands trembling slightly. It was heavier than she¡¯d expected, the pages yellowed and brittle, as if it hadn¡¯t been touched in years.


    ¡°Let¡¯s check it out and go,¡± Sarah said, glancing toward the desk. But Ava was already flipping through it, her curiosity overriding caution. The table of contents listed chapters on Oakwood¡¯s founding, its early scandals, and¡ªthere, near the end¡ªa section titled ¡°The Order of the Ivy: Myths and Mysteries.¡± Before she could read more, something slipped from between the pages and fluttered to the floor.


    Ava knelt to pick it up, her breath hitching as she unfolded it. It was a handwritten note, not in Lily¡¯s loopy script but a tighter, more precise hand. The ink was fresh, black and sharp against the paper: Meet me at the chapel. Midnight. Bring the book. No signature, no date, just those words staring up at her like a challenge.


    Sarah leaned over her shoulder, her voice a tense whisper. ¡°What the hell is that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Ava said, her mouth dry. She checked her phone¡ª11:47. Thirteen minutes until midnight. The chapel wasn¡¯t far, just beyond the east gate, but the timing felt too perfect, too staged. ¡°Someone wanted Lily to see this. Maybe she did.¡±


    ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s a trap,¡± Sarah said, her eyes wide. ¡°Ava, we¡¯re not going. This is crazy.¡±


    Ava didn¡¯t answer right away. She folded the note and slipped it into her pocket, her mind racing. The chapel matched her sketch¡ªthe stone archway, the rusted gate. If Lily had gone there, if this book had drawn her into something dangerous, Ava couldn¡¯t ignore it. But Sarah was right: walking into the unknown at midnight was reckless. She needed a plan, not a midnight gamble.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take the book and figure it out tomorrow,¡± she said finally, closing the cover. ¡°But I¡¯m not letting this go.¡±


    Sarah nodded, visibly relieved, and they hurried to the desk to check it out, the student worker barely glancing at them as he scanned the barcode. As they stepped back into the rain, Ava clutched the book to her chest, the note burning a hole in her pocket. She didn¡¯t know who¡¯d written it or why, but one thing was clear: Lily hadn¡¯t vanished on her own. And Ava was going to find her, whatever it took.

 Chapter 4: First Encounter with Ryder

    The rain had softened to a faint patter by morning, leaving the Oakwood University quad slick and shimmering under a gray sky. Ava hadn¡¯t slept much on Sarah¡¯s futon, her mind tangled with the note from The Ivy Codex and the image of the chapel gate from her sketch. She¡¯d slipped out early, leaving Sarah a quick text¡ªGone to grab coffee, back soon¡ªand headed for the campus caf¨¦, The Grind, a cozy spot tucked between the science building and the library. She needed caffeine, clarity, and a plan. The book rested heavy in her bag, its weight a constant reminder of the mystery she¡¯d stumbled into. Lily was out there, somewhere, and Ava couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that time was slipping away.


    The caf¨¦ buzzed with the usual morning crowd: bleary-eyed students clutching laptops, professors murmuring over papers, the hiss of the espresso machine cutting through the chatter. Ava ordered a black coffee, her hands fidgeting with the strap of her bag as she waited. She found a table near the window, the glass streaked with raindrops, and pulled out The Ivy Codex. The handwritten note from last night sat beside it, its words stark against the crumpled paper: Meet me at the chapel. Midnight. Bring the book. She¡¯d missed the midnight deadline, but the chapel loomed in her thoughts, a destination she couldn¡¯t ignore. She flipped open the book, skimming the chapter on ¡°The Order of the Ivy,¡± her eyes catching on phrases like secret rites and hidden influence. It sounded like a conspiracy theory, but the note made it feel real.


    She was halfway through a paragraph about a rumored initiation when a shadow fell across her table. Ava glanced up, startled, and found a guy standing there, tray in hand, his dark eyes fixed on her book. He was tall, broad-shouldered, with a leather jacket slung over a gray hoodie and a jawline that looked carved from stone. His hair was damp, curling slightly at the ends, and he carried himself with a quiet intensity that made her sit up straighter. ¡°Mind if I sit?¡± he asked, his voice low but clear, cutting through the caf¨¦¡¯s noise. ¡°Place is packed.¡±


    Ava hesitated, her fingers tightening on the book. She didn¡¯t know him, and after last night¡ªthe maintenance man¡¯s odd stare, the note¡ªshe wasn¡¯t in a trusting mood. But the caf¨¦ was full, every table claimed, and he didn¡¯t look threatening, just¡­ observant. ¡°Sure,¡± she said finally, nodding at the empty chair across from her. ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    He dropped into the seat with a casual grace, setting his tray down: a coffee, black like hers, and a bagel he didn¡¯t touch. ¡°Interesting read,¡± he said, tilting his head toward The Ivy Codex. ¡°Not exactly light morning material.¡±


    Ava¡¯s stomach flipped. She slid the book closer to herself, her thumb pressing against the spine. ¡°It¡¯s for a project,¡± she lied, her voice steadier than she felt. ¡°History class.¡±


    He raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. ¡°History, huh? You don¡¯t strike me as the secret-society type. Most people grab that book for the thrill, not the grade.¡±


    Her pulse quickened. He knew what it was¡ªknew more than he should. She studied him, searching for a clue to his angle. His hands rested on the table, strong and calloused, like he worked with them, not just studied. A faint scar traced the edge of his knuckles, barely visible under the caf¨¦¡¯s warm light. ¡°And you?¡± she asked, deflecting. ¡°What¡¯s your excuse for knowing it?¡±


    ¡°Curiosity,¡± he said, leaning back in his chair. ¡°Name¡¯s Ryder, by the way. Ryder Carter. Engineering major, fourth year. I¡¯ve seen you around¡ªart building, right?¡±


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    Ava nodded, surprised he¡¯d noticed her. She wasn¡¯t exactly memorable, always tucked in the back of the studio with her sketchbook. ¡°Ava Grey,¡± she said, her guard still up. ¡°Second year. How do you know the book?¡±


    ¡°Picked it up once,¡± Ryder said, taking a sip of his coffee. ¡°Oakwood¡¯s full of stories¡ªhalf of them nonsense, half worth a listen. That one¡¯s got some wild stuff about the Ivy group. Ever hear the rumors?¡±


    She shook her head, though she had¡ªwhispers from Chapter 1, about students vanishing, the chapel¡¯s eerie reputation. She didn¡¯t want to tip her hand, not yet. ¡°Just skimming it,¡± she said, keeping her tone light. ¡°Sounds like a ghost story.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it is,¡± Ryder said, his eyes locking on hers. ¡°But ghost stories start somewhere. You look like you¡¯re digging for more than a grade, though. Something up?¡±


    Ava froze, her coffee halfway to her lips. He was sharp¡ªtoo sharp¡ªand she didn¡¯t know if that was good or bad. She set the mug down, buying time, and decided on a half-truth. ¡°My roommate¡¯s missing,¡± she said, watching his reaction. ¡°Lily Parker. She left a weird note yesterday, and her stuff¡¯s still in our room. I found this book on her desk, thought it might mean something.¡±


    Ryder¡¯s smirk faded, his posture shifting slightly, like a switch flipping. ¡°Missing how?¡± he asked, his voice dropping an octave. ¡°When did you last see her?¡±


    ¡°Yesterday morning,¡± Ava said, the words tumbling out now that she¡¯d started. ¡°She was fine¡ªrushing to class, talking about meeting her boyfriend later. Then I got back last night, and she was gone. Bed messed up, phone off, coat still there. And this note said don¡¯t look for me.¡±


    Ryder leaned forward, his elbows on the table, his gaze intense. ¡°You call security?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and the police,¡± Ava said, frustration creeping in. ¡°They said it¡¯s too soon, that she¡¯s probably just off somewhere. But it doesn¡¯t add up. Then I found that slip in her textbook, for this book, and last night¡­¡± She hesitated, then pulled the handwritten note from her pocket and slid it across the table. ¡°This was inside.¡±


    He picked it up, his fingers careful as he read it. ¡°Meet me at the chapel. Midnight. Bring the book,¡± he murmured, his brow furrowing. ¡°You go?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Ava said, shaking her head. ¡°Found it too late¡ªalmost midnight already. My friend Sarah talked me out of it. But it¡¯s the chapel, Ryder. I drew something last night, before I found the note. A gate, someone running. It matches.¡±


    His eyes flicked up to hers, sharp and searching. ¡°You drew it? Like, saw it?¡±


    ¡°Kind of,¡± she said, her cheeks warming. She didn¡¯t want to sound crazy, but he wasn¡¯t laughing yet. ¡°I get these¡­ feelings sometimes. They come out when I draw. It¡¯s not exact, just impressions. But this felt real.¡±


    Ryder didn¡¯t blink, just studied her for a long moment. Then he set the note down, his voice calm but firm. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong to be worried. Lily¡¯s not the first to vanish around here. My dad was a cop¡ªretired now¡ªbut he worked a case like this years ago. Students dropping off, no trace, school covering it up. Never solved it.¡±


    Ava¡¯s heart thudded against her ribs. ¡°You think it¡¯s connected?¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± he said, his jaw tightening. ¡°Chapel¡¯s a weird spot¡ªold, locked up most of the time, but people sneak in. If she went there last night¡­¡± He trailed off, then met her gaze again. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t go alone. Not with this.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to,¡± Ava said quickly, though she¡¯d considered it. ¡°But I can¡¯t just wait. Security won¡¯t help, and I don¡¯t know who else to ask.¡±


    Ryder leaned back, his coffee untouched now, his expression unreadable. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± he said after a beat. ¡°Tonight, after dark. We check the chapel, see if there¡¯s anything to your drawing. No charging in blind¡ªjust looking.¡±


    Ava blinked, caught off guard. She didn¡¯t know him, not really, but there was something solid about him, a steadiness that made her want to say yes. ¡°Why would you do that?¡± she asked, her voice soft. ¡°You don¡¯t even know me.¡±


    ¡°Call it a hunch,¡± he said, a ghost of a smirk returning. ¡°And I don¡¯t like loose ends. If Lily¡¯s in trouble, someone¡¯s got to care. Might as well be us.¡±


    She held his gaze, weighing her options. Sarah would freak out¡ªHe¡¯s a stranger, Ava!¡ªbut Sarah wasn¡¯t here, and Ryder¡¯s offer felt like a lifeline. He knew the campus, knew the rumors, and if his dad had been a cop, maybe he knew how to handle this. ¡°Okay,¡± she said finally, her voice steady. ¡°Tonight. Meet me here at eight?¡±


    ¡°Eight,¡± he agreed, standing and grabbing his tray. ¡°Bring the book. And that drawing, if you¡¯ve got it. Might mean more than you think.¡±


    He walked off before she could reply, blending into the crowd with an ease that left her staring after him. Ava sipped her coffee, her mind buzzing. Ryder Carter¡ªengineering senior, son of a cop, and now her unexpected ally. She didn¡¯t know what to make of him, but for the first time since finding Lily¡¯s note, she didn¡¯t feel alone.


    Outside, the rain picked up again, tapping against the window like a warning. Ava tucked the book and note back into her bag, her resolve hardening. Tonight, she¡¯d face the chapel¡ªand whatever waited there¡ªwith Ryder by her side.

 Chapter 5: Nighttime Break-In at the Library

    The sky over Oakwood University had darkened to a bruised purple by eight o¡¯clock, the rain replaced by a biting wind that rustled the ivy clinging to the campus buildings. Ava stood outside The Grind, her breath fogging in the cool air, her bag slung over one shoulder. Inside it were The Ivy Codex, the crumpled note from Lily¡¯s bed, the handwritten chapel message, and her sketchbook¡ªeverything she¡¯d gathered since last night. Her stomach fluttered with nerves, but beneath that was a quiet resolve. She¡¯d told Sarah she was meeting a study group, a flimsy lie Sarah hadn¡¯t questioned, and now she waited for Ryder, the stranger who¡¯d somehow become her lifeline in this mess.


    He arrived right on time, his leather jacket catching the glow of a nearby lamp as he crossed the quad. His strides were long and purposeful, his hands tucked into his pockets, and when he reached her, he gave a brief nod. ¡°Ready?¡± he asked, his voice low, his dark eyes scanning her face.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ava said, adjusting her bag. ¡°You sure about this? We¡¯re not exactly supposed to be sneaking into places after hours.¡±


    Ryder¡¯s lips quirked into a half-smile, the first real hint of warmth she¡¯d seen from him. ¡°Not my first late-night adventure. We¡¯ll be fine. Chapel¡¯s the goal, but you said something about the library first, right?¡±


    Ava nodded, pulling out The Ivy Codex. ¡°This book¡ªLily borrowed it two weeks ago. That note about the chapel was inside, but I didn¡¯t get a chance to read it properly last night. There¡¯s a map mentioned in the ¡®Order of the Ivy¡¯ chapter, something about hidden spots on campus. I think it¡¯s tied to where she went.¡±


    Ryder took the book, flipping it open to the marked page with a practiced ease. His brow furrowed as he skimmed the text, then he handed it back. ¡°Makes sense. If she followed that note, the chapel¡¯s the spot. But a map could tell us more¡ªwhy there, what¡¯s waiting. Library¡¯s got the resources to figure it out. Let¡¯s move.¡±


    They crossed the quad in silence, the wind tugging at Ava¡¯s sweater as they approached the library. Its gothic facade loomed against the night sky, the windows dark except for a faint glow near the entrance. Closing time had been hours ago, but Ava had noticed earlier that one side door, near the staff parking lot, was often left unlocked¡ªcareless janitors or lazy students, she wasn¡¯t sure. She led Ryder around the building, her boots crunching on gravel, until they reached the door. She pressed her shoulder against it, and to her relief, it gave way with a soft creak.


    ¡°Nice call,¡± Ryder murmured, slipping inside after her. He moved like he belonged there, his steps silent on the tiled floor, and Ava followed, her heart pounding. The library smelled of dust and old paper, the air still and heavy. Dim security lights cast long shadows across the shelves, turning the familiar space into something alien, almost menacing.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the map section?¡± Ryder asked, keeping his voice low as they crept past the circulation desk.


    ¡°Back corner, near the archives,¡± Ava whispered, pointing toward a hallway lined with glass cases. ¡°They¡¯ve got old campus plans there¡ªblueprints, historical stuff. If there¡¯s a map tied to the Ivy group, it¡¯ll be there.¡±


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    They moved quickly, sticking to the edges of the room where the shadows were thickest. Ava¡¯s pulse raced, every creak of the floorboards making her flinch, but Ryder stayed calm, his presence steadying her. She couldn¡¯t tell if he was fearless or just good at hiding it, but either way, it kept her moving. They reached the archive section, a maze of tall shelves and locked cabinets, and Ava scanned the labels: Campus Development 1800s, Architectural Records, Student Organizations. She stopped at the last one, her fingers brushing a dusty binder labeled Oakwood Societies, 1900-Present.


    ¡°Here,¡± she said, pulling it free. She set it on a nearby table, the thud of it landing louder than she¡¯d intended, and winced. Ryder shot her a look¡ªhalf warning, half amusement¡ªthen leaned in as she opened it. The pages were brittle, filled with typed reports and grainy photos of students in robes, their faces blurred by time. Ava flipped through, her eyes catching on a section titled The Order of the Ivy: 1920s Expansion. Below it was a folded sheet, yellowed and taped shut.


    Ryder reached for it, his scarred knuckles brushing her hand as he peeled the tape away. ¡°Careful,¡± he said, unfolding it with a gentleness that surprised her. It was a map, hand-drawn in faded ink, showing Oakwood¡¯s layout from decades ago. Familiar landmarks stood out¡ªthe library, the quad, the chapel¡ªbut there were differences too: paths that no longer existed, buildings marked demolished, and, near the chapel, a small symbol. A circle with an ivy leaf inside, circled in red.


    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Ava breathed, her finger tracing the symbol. ¡°The Ivy group. That¡¯s where the note wanted her to go.¡±


    Ryder nodded, his jaw tightening. ¡°Chapel¡¯s got a basement, old storage or something. Locked up now, but this map shows an entrance¡ªside door, off the east gate. Bet that¡¯s our spot.¡±


    Ava pulled out her sketchbook, flipping to the drawing of the gate and the fleeing figure. The archway matched the map¡¯s outline, the rusted gate a perfect fit. ¡°This is it,¡± she said, her voice trembling with excitement. ¡°Lily must¡¯ve found this too. She went there.¡±


    Before Ryder could reply, a beam of light sliced through the darkness, sweeping across the shelves. Ava froze, her breath catching as footsteps echoed from the main hall. ¡°Security,¡± Ryder whispered, grabbing her arm. ¡°Under the table, now.¡±


    She dropped to her knees, sliding beneath the table as Ryder followed, his shoulder pressing against hers in the cramped space. The binder and map stayed above them, open and exposed, and Ava¡¯s stomach twisted. If they were caught¡­ she didn¡¯t want to think about it. The footsteps grew closer, a flashlight beam dancing across the floor, and a gruff voice muttered, ¡°Swear I heard something.¡±


    Ava held her breath, her heart hammering so loud she was sure the guard would hear it. Ryder¡¯s hand brushed hers, a silent reassurance, and she gripped it without thinking, his calloused fingers steady against her trembling ones. The light lingered, sweeping over the table¡¯s edge, then moved on, the footsteps fading toward the front of the library. Ava exhaled shakily, her grip on Ryder loosening as the danger passed.


    ¡°Close one,¡± he said, his voice a low rumble beside her. ¡°We¡¯ve got what we need. Let¡¯s get out.¡±


    They crawled out, Ava grabbing the map and stuffing it into her bag with the book. She left the binder open¡ªbetter to make it look like a careless student than a break-in¡ªand followed Ryder back to the side door. The wind hit them hard as they stepped outside, the night air sharp against her flushed cheeks. They didn¡¯t stop until they were halfway across the quad, hidden by the shadow of a towering oak.


    Ava caught her breath, clutching her bag. ¡°That was insane,¡± she said, a shaky laugh escaping her. ¡°But we got it. The map¡ªit¡¯s real.¡±


    Ryder grinned, a rare, full smile that softened his sharp edges. ¡°Told you we¡¯d be fine. You¡¯re not bad at this sneaking-around stuff, Grey.¡±


    She smiled back, the tension easing from her shoulders. ¡°Guess I¡¯m learning. You¡¯re pretty good yourself, Carter.¡±


    ¡°Years of practice,¡± he said, his tone light but his eyes serious. ¡°Chapel¡¯s next. That basement entrance¡ªif Lily went in, there¡¯ll be signs. You still in?¡±


    Ava nodded, her resolve firming. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m not stopping now. She¡¯s my roommate¡ªmy friend. If she¡¯s there, I need to know.¡±


    Ryder studied her for a moment, then dipped his head in agreement. ¡°Tomorrow night, then. After dark. We¡¯ll need gear¡ªflashlights, maybe a crowbar if the door¡¯s locked. Meet me at the caf¨¦ again, same time.¡±


    ¡°Deal,¡± Ava said, her voice steady despite the adrenaline still coursing through her. She felt lighter, somehow, like the map was a key unlocking more than just the chapel. Ryder¡¯s presence helped too¡ªhis calm, his confidence. She didn¡¯t know him well, but she trusted him, and that was enough for now.


    As they parted ways, Ryder heading toward the engineering dorms and Ava back to Sarah¡¯s, she glanced at the map one more time. The ivy symbol stared back at her, a quiet promise of answers¡ªor danger. She¡¯d find out soon enough.

 Chapter 6: The Phone in the Chapel

    The wind howled through the bare branches of Oakwood University¡¯s east campus as Ava and Ryder approached the chapel, its silhouette stark against the moonless sky. The night was colder than the last, the air biting at Ava¡¯s fingertips as she adjusted the straps of her backpack. Inside were the essentials Ryder had suggested: a flashlight, a small crowbar borrowed from Sarah¡¯s art supplies, The Ivy Codex, and her sketchbook. Ryder carried a similar load, his leather jacket zipped tight, a flashlight tucked into his pocket. They¡¯d met at The Grind at eight, just as planned, and now, with the campus quiet except for the rustling leaves, they stood before the east gate¡ªthe rusted archway from Ava¡¯s drawing and the map they¡¯d found last night.


    Ava¡¯s stomach churned with a mix of dread and determination. The gate loomed ahead, its iron bars pitted with rust, the ivy symbol from the map etched faintly into the stone above. She glanced at Ryder, his jaw set as he studied the lock. ¡°You sure about this?¡± she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, the wind snatching at her words.


    ¡°Too late to back out now,¡± he said, pulling the crowbar from his bag. ¡°Map says the basement entrance is around the side. If Lily was here, we¡¯ll find something. Ready?¡±


    Ava nodded, shoving her hands into her pockets to hide their trembling. She wasn¡¯t sure what she expected¡ªLily, alive and waiting? A clue to her whereabouts? Or something worse? The sketch of the fleeing figure haunted her, its red smear vivid in her memory. She followed Ryder as he wedged the crowbar into the gate¡¯s lock, his muscles tensing under his jacket. With a sharp grunt, he twisted it, and the lock gave way with a metallic snap, the gate creaking open just enough for them to slip through.


    The chapel grounds were overgrown, weeds tangling around their boots as they moved toward the building. The structure itself was a relic¡ªcrumbling stone walls, stained glass shattered in places, the steeple leaning slightly as if tired of standing. Ava¡¯s flashlight beam danced across the facade, catching on the ivy that climbed the walls, thick and wild. Ryder led the way to the right side, where the map had marked a basement door. They found it half-hidden behind a gnarled bush, its wooden surface warped and splintered, a rusted padlock hanging loose.


    ¡°Looks like someone¡¯s been here,¡± Ryder said, crouching to inspect it. He tapped the padlock with the crowbar, and it fell apart, clattering to the ground. ¡°Not locked. Just for show.¡±


    Ava¡¯s pulse quickened. ¡°Lily?¡± she murmured, peering at the door. It was ajar, a sliver of darkness visible beyond. She clicked off her flashlight, letting her eyes adjust, and pushed the bush aside. The air smelled damp and earthy, tinged with something metallic she couldn¡¯t place.


    Ryder stood, his hand on the door. ¡°Stay close,¡± he said, his tone firm but not harsh. He pulled it open, the hinges groaning in protest, and stepped inside, Ava right behind him. The basement stairs descended into shadow, narrow and uneven, the walls slick with moisture. Ava switched her flashlight back on, the beam cutting through the gloom as they climbed down. The air grew colder, heavier, pressing against her chest with every step.


    At the bottom, the space opened into a low-ceilinged room, its stone floor littered with debris: broken bottles, cigarette butts, scraps of paper. Old wooden crates lined the walls, some splintered, others sealed shut. Ava swept her light across the room, her breath catching as it landed on something small and shiny near the far corner. She moved toward it, her boots crunching on glass, and knelt to pick it up. Her fingers closed around a phone¡ªLily¡¯s phone, its glittery pink case unmistakable, the screen cracked but intact.


    ¡°Ryder,¡± she called, her voice tight with excitement and fear. ¡°It¡¯s hers. Lily¡¯s.¡±


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    He was at her side in an instant, taking the phone from her trembling hands. He pressed the power button, and to Ava¡¯s surprise, the screen flickered to life, the battery icon blinking red at 3%. ¡°Still works,¡± he muttered, swiping to unlock it. No passcode¡ªjust Lily¡¯s style, always too trusting. The home screen loaded, cluttered with apps, but Ryder tapped the messages icon first.


    A single unsent text glowed on the screen, timestamped yesterday at 11:58 p.m.: Help me. IVY. Ava¡¯s stomach dropped, the word searing into her mind. She¡¯d seen it before¡ªon the map, in the book¡ªbut here, in Lily¡¯s desperate plea, it felt alive, menacing. ¡°She was here,¡± Ava said, her voice shaking. ¡°Right before midnight. She tried to send this.¡±


    Ryder scrolled up, but the rest of the thread was empty, no replies, no earlier messages. ¡°IVY,¡± he repeated, his brow furrowing. ¡°Same as the symbol. The Order of the Ivy¡ªit¡¯s real, and she ran into it.¡±


    Ava stood, clutching her flashlight like a lifeline. ¡°She¡¯s alive,¡± she said, more to herself than to him. ¡°She has to be. If she was here, texting¡­¡± Her words faltered as her light caught something else¡ªa dark smear on the floor near where the phone had been. She stepped closer, her beam steadying on it, and her breath hitched. Blood, dried and rust-colored, streaked across the stone in a faint arc, as if something¡ªor someone¡ªhad been dragged.


    Ryder saw it too, his jaw tightening. ¡°Not good,¡± he said, crouching to examine it. ¡°Could be hers. Could be someone else¡¯s. Either way, she didn¡¯t leave on her own.¡±


    Ava¡¯s knees weakened, the room tilting around her. She¡¯d wanted proof, a sign Lily was out there, but this¡ªthis was too much. The blood matched her sketch, the red smear she¡¯d drawn without knowing why. ¡°We have to find her,¡± she said, her voice rising. ¡°Now, Ryder. She could be hurt, or¡­¡±


    ¡°Hold on,¡± he said, standing and gripping her shoulder. His touch was firm, grounding her. ¡°We will. But we can¡¯t rush this. Whoever did this, they¡¯re still around. We need to be smart.¡±


    Before she could argue, a sound cut through the silence¡ªa sharp rustle, like fabric brushing stone, from the stairs they¡¯d come down. Ava¡¯s flashlight swung toward it, catching nothing but shadows, but the noise came again, closer now. Ryder grabbed her arm, pulling her behind a stack of crates, his body tense beside hers. ¡°Someone¡¯s here,¡± he whispered, his breath warm against her ear. ¡°Stay quiet.¡±


    Ava nodded, her heart slamming against her ribs. She clicked off her flashlight, plunging them into darkness, and pressed herself against the crate, Ryder¡¯s shoulder solid against hers. Footsteps echoed down the stairs, slow and deliberate, accompanied by the faint clink of metal¡ªa belt buckle, maybe, or keys. A beam of light swept the room, brighter than theirs, and a low voice muttered, ¡°Thought I saw something move.¡±


    The light danced across the crates, inches from their hiding spot, and Ava held her breath, her hand instinctively finding Ryder¡¯s. His fingers closed around hers, steady and warm, a silent promise they¡¯d get through this. The footsteps stopped, the beam lingering on the blood smear, and the voice growled, ¡°Damn kids. Always leaving a mess.¡±


    Ava¡¯s mind raced. That voice¡ªit wasn¡¯t the security guard from last night, but it carried the same rough edge, the same disdain. Was this maintenance again, or something worse? The man stepped closer, his boots scuffing the floor, and Ava caught a glimpse of him through a gap in the crates: tall, broad, his face shadowed under a cap, a flashlight in one hand and something glinting in the other¡ªa knife? She couldn¡¯t tell, but the sight sent a chill down her spine.


    Ryder shifted slightly, his grip tightening on her hand, and she knew he¡¯d seen it too. ¡°When I move, run for the stairs,¡± he whispered, so low she barely heard it. ¡°Don¡¯t look back.¡±


    She wanted to protest, to say she wouldn¡¯t leave him, but the man was too close, his light sweeping toward them again. Before she could decide, Ryder lunged, shoving a crate forward with a crash that echoed through the basement. The man cursed, stumbling back, and Ryder was on him, tackling him to the ground in a blur of motion. ¡°Go!¡± he shouted, his voice sharp over the scuffle.


    Ava bolted, her legs trembling as she raced for the stairs, Lily¡¯s phone still clutched in her hand. She didn¡¯t look back¡ªshe couldn¡¯t¡ªbut the sounds followed her: grunts, a thud, the clatter of metal hitting stone. She reached the door, shoving it open, and stumbled into the night, the cold air slapping her face. She turned, her chest heaving, and saw Ryder burst out behind her, his jacket torn, a cut on his cheek glistening with blood.


    ¡°Run!¡± he barked, grabbing her wrist and pulling her toward the gate. They didn¡¯t stop until they were past the quad, hidden in the shadow of the library, their breaths ragged in the stillness. Ava leaned against the wall, her knees weak, and looked at Ryder. ¡°You okay?¡± she asked, her voice hoarse.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, wiping the blood with his sleeve. ¡°He got away¡ªtoo dark to see his face. But he wasn¡¯t campus security. Not with that knife.¡±


    Ava nodded, her mind reeling. She held up Lily¡¯s phone, its screen dark now, the battery dead. ¡°She was here,¡± she said, her voice trembling. ¡°And someone took her.¡±


    Ryder met her gaze, his expression hard. ¡°We¡¯ve got proof now. Next step¡¯s finding out who¡ªand where they took her.¡±


    Ava clutched the phone tighter, the blood smear flashing in her mind. They were closer, but the danger was real, and it was growing.

 Chapter 7: Ambush by the Masked Figure

    The shadows of Oakwood University stretched long and jagged as Ava and Ryder slipped away from the library, the weight of Lily¡¯s cracked phone heavy in Ava¡¯s pocket. The night air was sharp, slicing through her sweater as they moved across the quad, their footsteps muffled by the damp grass. The chapel¡¯s basement had left them with more questions than answers¡ªLily¡¯s desperate text, the blood smear, the mysterious man with a knife¡ªand Ava¡¯s mind raced to piece it together. Ryder walked beside her, his jacket torn at the sleeve, the cut on his cheek a dark line against his skin. He hadn¡¯t said much since their escape, but his silence felt deliberate, like he was calculating their next move.


    ¡°We need to charge this,¡± Ava said, pulling the phone from her pocket as they neared the science building. Its glittery case glinted faintly under a lamp¡¯s glow, the dead screen a mute witness to whatever had happened. ¡°There might be more on it¡ªphotos, calls, something to tell us where she is.¡±


    Ryder nodded, his eyes scanning the empty quad. ¡°My dorm¡¯s closer. Got a charger there. We can look it over, figure out what ¡®IVY¡¯ means.¡± He glanced at her, his voice softening. ¡°You okay? That was rough back there.¡±


    Ava managed a small smile, though her hands still trembled from the adrenaline. ¡°Yeah. Thanks for¡­ you know, getting us out. I didn¡¯t expect that.¡±


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t let you take on a guy with a knife,¡± he said, his tone light but his gaze steady. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s keep moving.¡±


    They turned toward the engineering dorms, a squat brick building on the west side of campus, its windows glowing with the soft light of late-night study sessions. Ava¡¯s boots crunched on gravel as they cut through a narrow path lined with overgrown shrubs, the wind rustling the leaves in a low, eerie hum. She clutched her bag tighter, the map and The Ivy Codex inside a constant reminder of the stakes. Lily had been in that basement, texting for help, and someone¡ªsomething¡ªhad stopped her. The thought gnawed at Ava, a mix of fear and guilt she couldn¡¯t shake.


    They were halfway down the path when Ryder stopped abruptly, his hand shooting out to grab her arm. ¡°Wait,¡± he whispered, his body tensing. ¡°You hear that?¡±


    Ava froze, straining to listen over the wind. At first, there was nothing¡ªjust the rustle of leaves, the distant hum of a dorm¡¯s heating system. Then she caught it: a faint snap, like a twig breaking underfoot, coming from the shrubs to their left. Her heart lurched, her breath catching as she followed Ryder¡¯s gaze. The shadows shifted, too deliberate to be the wind, and a figure emerged, tall and broad, cloaked in a dark hoodie. A scarf covered the lower half of his face, leaving only his eyes visible¡ªcold, unblinking, locked on them.


    ¡°Run,¡± Ryder said, his voice sharp, but before Ava could move, the figure lunged, a glint of steel flashing in his hand. A knife¡ªlonger than the one from the chapel, its blade catching the faint light as it slashed toward Ryder. He dodged, shoving Ava behind him with one arm, his body a shield between her and the attacker. She stumbled back, her bag slipping to the ground, her flashlight spilling out and rolling into the grass.


    ¡°Get back!¡± Ryder shouted, his hands up as he faced the man. The attacker swung again, the knife slicing through the air, and Ryder ducked, grabbing the man¡¯s wrist and twisting hard. A grunt escaped the scarf, low and guttural, as the two grappled, their boots scuffing the gravel in a chaotic dance. Ava¡¯s pulse roared in her ears, her hands fumbling for her phone¡ªnot Lily¡¯s, hers¡ªas she backed against a tree, her breath shallow. She needed help, security, anyone, but her fingers shook too much to dial.


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    Ryder landed a solid punch to the man¡¯s chest, knocking him back a step, but the attacker recovered fast, swinging the knife in a wide arc. The blade grazed Ryder¡¯s arm, tearing through his jacket, and he hissed, blood welling up in a dark line. Ava gasped, her hand flying to her mouth, but Ryder didn¡¯t falter. He charged, tackling the man to the ground with a force that sent the knife skittering across the path. They rolled, fists flying, the attacker¡¯s scarf slipping just enough to reveal a stubbled jaw before he yanked it back up.


    Ava snapped out of her shock, dropping to her knees to grab the flashlight. She swung it toward the fight, the beam catching the attacker¡¯s eyes¡ªwild, furious¡ªas he shoved Ryder off and scrambled to his feet. Ryder lunged after him, but the man was already moving, snatching the knife and bolting into the shrubs. Leaves rustled violently, then silence fell, broken only by Ryder¡¯s ragged breathing as he stood, clutching his arm.


    Ava rushed to his side, her flashlight trembling in her grip. ¡°You¡¯re hurt,¡± she said, her voice high with panic. Blood seeped through his fingers, staining his sleeve, and she dropped the light to dig through her bag for something¡ªanything¡ªto stop it. ¡°We need to get you to a doctor.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Ryder said, though his wince betrayed him. He pulled his hand away, revealing a shallow cut, already clotting. ¡°Just a scratch. He wasn¡¯t trying to kill me¡ªhe wanted something else.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Ava asked, her eyes darting to the path where the attacker had vanished. Her bag lay open, its contents spilling onto the grass: the book, the map, her sketchbook. Then she saw it¡ªLily¡¯s phone, still in her pocket, untouched. She pulled it out, her stomach twisting. ¡°This? He saw us with it at the chapel.¡±


    Ryder nodded, his jaw tight. ¡°Maybe. Or the book, the map. Whatever it was, he didn¡¯t want us digging deeper.¡± He bent to grab her bag, wincing again as he straightened. ¡°We need to move. He could come back with friends.¡±


    Ava gathered her things, her hands shaking as she stuffed them into her bag. The flashlight beam danced across the gravel, catching a glint of metal near the shrubs. She stepped closer, her breath hitching as she picked it up¡ªa ring, silver and heavy, engraved with a curling ivy leaf. ¡°Ryder,¡± she said, holding it up. ¡°Look at this.¡±


    He took it, turning it over in his palm. ¡°Same as the map,¡± he said, his voice grim. ¡°IVY. He¡¯s one of them¡ªwhoever took Lily.¡±


    Ava¡¯s chest tightened, the ring a cold weight in her mind. It was proof, solid and real, that the Order of the Ivy wasn¡¯t just a story in a dusty book. They were here, watching, attacking. ¡°What do we do?¡± she asked, meeting his gaze. ¡°He knows we¡¯re onto this. He¡¯ll come after us again.¡±


    Ryder slipped the ring into his pocket, his expression hardening. ¡°We charge the phone, check it tonight. If there¡¯s anything on it¡ªnames, places¡ªwe use it. Then we hit them back. My dad taught me how to track people like this. We¡¯re not running.¡±


    Ava swallowed, his resolve steadying her. She didn¡¯t know how to fight, how to track, but Ryder did, and that was enough. ¡°Okay,¡± she said, her voice firmer. ¡°Your dorm, then. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    They moved quickly, sticking to the lit paths this time, the engineering dorm looming ahead like a fortress. Ava¡¯s mind replayed the attack¡ªthe knife, Ryder¡¯s blood, the masked man¡¯s eyes. He¡¯d been fast, trained, not some random thug. And he¡¯d known they were coming from the chapel. Had he followed them? Watched them? The thought sent a shiver down her spine, but she pushed it aside. Fear wouldn¡¯t help Lily.


    Ryder unlocked his dorm room, a small space cluttered with textbooks and tools, a single bed shoved against the wall. He grabbed a charger from his desk and plugged in Lily¡¯s phone, its screen flickering as it powered up. ¡°Give it a minute,¡± he said, sinking onto the bed and peeling off his jacket. The cut on his arm was shallow, but ugly, and Ava found a towel in his bathroom, pressing it against the wound.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that,¡± he said, but he didn¡¯t pull away, his eyes softening as she worked.


    ¡°You got hurt for me,¡± she said, her voice quiet. ¡°Least I can do.¡± She held the towel there, her fingers brushing his skin, and for a moment, the room felt smaller, the air charged with something new. She looked up, meeting his gaze, and saw a flicker of something¡ªgratitude, maybe, or more¡ªbefore he glanced away.


    The phone chimed, breaking the silence, its screen glowing with a low-battery warning. Ava grabbed it, her heart racing as she swiped through the apps. Photos loaded first: blurry shots of the chapel basement, a rusted lock, then a clearer one¡ªa man in a hoodie, his face turned away, standing near the crates. ¡°Ryder,¡± she said, holding it up. ¡°This could be him.¡±


    He leaned in, his shoulder brushing hers as he studied the image. ¡°Timestamp¡¯s yesterday, 11:55. Right before her text. She caught him here.¡±


    Ava scrolled to the messages, the unsent Help me. IVY still at the top. Below it, an earlier draft, unsent: Matt, I¡¯m at the chapel. Something¡¯s wrong. Her breath caught. ¡°Matt¡ªher boyfriend. She was trying to tell him.¡±


    Ryder¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Then we find Matt. Tomorrow. He might know what she was into.¡±


    Ava nodded, the phone trembling in her hands. They had a lead¡ªa face, a name, a ring. But the masked man was out there, and he wouldn¡¯t stop. She glanced at Ryder, his blood on her fingers, and knew they were in deeper than ever.

 Chapter 8: The Shadow of the Society

    The fluorescent light in Ryder¡¯s dorm room buzzed faintly, casting a sterile glow over the cluttered desk where Ava sat, Lily¡¯s phone plugged into the charger beside her. The screen glowed with a faint hum, its battery inching past 10% as Ava scrolled through the photos and messages they¡¯d found. Ryder stood by the bed, peeling off his torn jacket and wincing as he inspected the shallow cut on his arm. The towel Ava had pressed against it earlier lay crumpled on the floor, stained with streaks of blood that mirrored the smear they¡¯d seen in the chapel basement. The ivy ring from the masked attacker rested on the desk, its silver surface catching the light¡ªa silent taunt, a piece of the puzzle they couldn¡¯t yet place.


    Ava¡¯s hands trembled slightly as she swiped through Lily¡¯s phone, her mind still reeling from the ambush on the path. The man¡¯s cold eyes, the flash of his knife, Ryder¡¯s blood¡ªthey replayed in her head like a loop she couldn¡¯t stop. But the phone anchored her, its contents a lifeline to Lily. She paused on the photo of the hooded figure in the chapel, timestamped just before midnight yesterday. His face was turned away, blurred by shadow, but the hoodie matched the attacker¡¯s silhouette. ¡°This has to be him,¡± she said, her voice tight. ¡°The guy who jumped us. Lily caught him right before she texted.¡±


    Ryder leaned over her shoulder, his breath warm against her neck as he studied the screen. ¡°Same build,¡± he agreed, his tone clipped. ¡°Tall, broad. Knife fits too. She was onto something¡ªsomething they didn¡¯t want her sharing.¡±


    Ava nodded, scrolling back to the unsent messages. The draft to Matt¡ªMatt, I¡¯m at the chapel. Something¡¯s wrong¡ªglowed beneath the desperate Help me. IVY. ¡°She tried to warn him,¡± she said, her chest tightening. ¡°Her boyfriend. Maybe he knows what she was doing there.¡±


    Ryder straightened, pacing the small room with a restless energy. ¡°Matt¡¯s our next stop, then. If he¡¯s got any clue what she was into, we need it. But this ¡®IVY¡¯ thing¡ªit¡¯s bigger than a boyfriend trouble. That ring, the map, the book. It¡¯s all tied to the Order.¡±


    Ava set the phone down, picking up the ring and turning it over in her fingers. The ivy leaf engraving was intricate, worn but deliberate, a symbol that echoed the map they¡¯d found in the library and the cryptic references in The Ivy Codex. She pulled the book from her bag, flipping to the ¡°Order of the Ivy¡± chapter she¡¯d skimmed earlier. ¡°Listen to this,¡± she said, her voice steadying as she read aloud. ¡°Founded in the 1920s, the Order of the Ivy was a secret society at Oakwood University, rumored to wield influence over campus affairs. Members were elite students, chosen for wealth or intellect, and bound by rituals held in hidden locations, including the chapel basement.¡±


    Ryder stopped pacing, his eyes narrowing. ¡°Rituals. That¡¯s why she was there¡ªsome kind of meeting?¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Ava said, flipping to the next page. ¡°It says they disbanded after a scandal in the ¡¯50s¡ªsomething about missing students¡ªbut rumors persisted they went underground. There¡¯s a line here: ¡®The Order¡¯s symbol, an ivy leaf encircled, marked their presence in artifacts and hidden caches across campus.¡¯ That¡¯s this ring, Ryder. They¡¯re still here.¡±


    He took the ring from her, holding it up to the light. ¡°And they¡¯re not happy we¡¯re digging. That guy didn¡¯t just stumble across us¡ªhe was waiting. They know we¡¯ve got Lily¡¯s phone, maybe the book too.¡±


    Ava¡¯s stomach twisted, the weight of their discovery settling in. She glanced at her sketchbook, still in her bag, and pulled it out, flipping to the drawing of the chapel gate. The fleeing figure, the red smear¡ªit matched the basement, the blood, the phone¡¯s desperate plea. ¡°I drew this before we found anything,¡± she said, her voice low. ¡°It¡¯s like I knew. Like it¡¯s trying to tell me something.¡±


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    Ryder stepped closer, his hand brushing her shoulder as he looked at the sketch. ¡°You¡¯ve got a gift,¡± he said, his tone serious. ¡°My dad used to say intuition¡¯s half the game in a case. Don¡¯t doubt it¡ªit¡¯s kept us ahead so far.¡±


    Ava met his gaze, a flicker of warmth cutting through her fear. He believed her, didn¡¯t think she was crazy, and that steadied her more than she expected. ¡°Thanks,¡± she murmured, setting the sketchbook down. ¡°So what now? We¡¯ve got the phone, the ring, the map. It¡¯s all pointing to this Order, but where¡¯s Lily?¡±


    Ryder sank onto the bed, his elbows resting on his knees as he rubbed his face. ¡°We start with what we know. She was in the chapel, texting for help, caught that guy on camera. The blood says she didn¡¯t leave easy¡ªsomeone dragged her out. The Order¡¯s involved, and they¡¯ve got eyes on us now. Matt¡¯s our best shot at filling in the blanks. If he doesn¡¯t know, we dig deeper¡ªtrack this IVY thing to its source.¡±


    Ava nodded, her resolve hardening. ¡°Tomorrow, then. We find Matt. He¡¯s in Delta Phi, right? Lily mentioned their parties. We can hit the frat house in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Morning¡¯s smart,¡± Ryder said, glancing at the clock¡ªpast midnight now. ¡°They¡¯ll be hungover, sloppy. Easier to get him talking. You should crash here tonight, though. That guy¡¯s still out there, and I don¡¯t like you walking back alone.¡±


    Ava hesitated, her cheeks warming at the offer. Sarah would worry, but she¡¯d lied about the study group already, and the idea of crossing campus in the dark, with a knife-wielding shadow lurking, made her skin crawl. ¡°Okay,¡± she said finally, her voice soft. ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll text Sarah, tell her I¡¯m staying with a friend.¡±


    Ryder smirked, a faint glint of amusement in his eyes. ¡°Friend, huh? Guess that¡¯s me now.¡±


    She smiled despite herself, the tension easing slightly. ¡°Guess so.¡± She pulled out her phone, typing a quick message to Sarah¡ªStaying with a friend, don¡¯t worry, see you tomorrow¡ªand hit send. The room felt smaller with Ryder so close, his presence a quiet anchor in the storm of her thoughts. She set her phone down and picked up Lily¡¯s again, its battery at 15% now, and opened the photo gallery one more time.


    ¡°There¡¯s more here,¡± she said, scrolling past the chapel shots. A blurry image loaded¡ªa group of people in hoodies, standing in a circle, their faces hidden. The timestamp was two days ago, late afternoon, and the background showed the chapel¡¯s stained glass. ¡°She was watching them before she went in,¡± Ava said, her pulse quickening. ¡°This was planned.¡±


    Ryder leaned in again, his shoulder brushing hers. ¡°Looks like a meeting. No faces, but that¡¯s the Order for sure. She must¡¯ve stumbled onto something big¡ªsomething they¡¯d kill to keep quiet.¡±


    Ava¡¯s throat tightened, the implications sinking in. ¡°She didn¡¯t just disappear. They took her because she saw this.¡± She swiped to the next photo, a close-up of a crate in the basement, its lid pried open. Inside were papers, folders, something that looked like a ledger. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± she asked, zooming in.


    Ryder squinted at the screen. ¡°Records, maybe. Names, dates. If they¡¯re trafficking something¡ªmoney, info, people¡ªthat¡¯d be the proof. She got too close.¡±


    Ava set the phone down, her hands clammy. ¡°So they¡¯re not just a creepy club. They¡¯re criminals. And Lily¡¯s caught in it.¡±


    ¡°Looks that way,¡± Ryder said, his voice grim. ¡°My dad¡¯s case¡ªthose missing students¡ªmight tie in too. He always said the school buried it, protected someone high up. If the Order¡¯s still active, they¡¯ve got power here.¡±


    Ava glanced at the ring, then at Ryder¡¯s cut, then at the phone. The pieces were falling together, a picture forming in her mind¡ªone she didn¡¯t want to see but couldn¡¯t ignore. ¡°We¡¯re not just looking for Lily anymore,¡± she said, her voice steady despite the fear. ¡°We¡¯re up against them. All of them.¡±


    Ryder met her gaze, his expression fierce. ¡°Yeah. But we¡¯ve got something they don¡¯t¡ªproof, and each other. They messed up letting us get this far. We use it, hit them where it hurts.¡±


    Ava nodded, a surge of determination washing over her. She wasn¡¯t alone in this¡ªRyder was with her, bleeding for her, fighting for her. And they had Lily¡¯s phone, the ring, the map¡ªtangible evidence of the Order¡¯s shadow over Oakwood. ¡°Tomorrow,¡± she said, her voice firm. ¡°Matt first, then we figure out how to take them down.¡±


    Ryder held out his hand, the ring resting in his palm. ¡°Deal. Get some rest, Ava. We¡¯ve got a fight ahead.¡±


    She took the ring, slipping it into her pocket, and settled onto the edge of his bed as he grabbed a blanket from a shelf. The room was quiet now, the buzz of the light a soft hum, but her mind raced with the weight of their discoveries. They¡¯d survived the night, uncovered the Order¡¯s trace, and forged a pact to keep going. It wasn¡¯t victory¡ªnot yet¡ªbut it was something solid, something worth holding onto.