Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

**Aria’s POV**

As I sat in the back seat of the car, I strained to catch a whiff of the driver’s scent. He was probably one of those people who didn’t feel the need to mask their identity with potions or elixirs like I did. I had always been careful, always cautious, avoiding any chance of being recognized by anyone I might encounter.

Yet, as I inhaled deeply, hoping to detect something familiar, I found nothing. Just the sterile smell of the car’s interior and the faint scent of rain.

With a heavy heart, I turned away, instinctively clutching Lana closer to me. My heart raced, pounding against my ribcage like war drums echoing on a battlefield.

The car soon slowed to a halt, a short honk of the horn snapping me out of my daze. For a moment, my vision blurred, and I struggled to orient myself, but then I recognized the narrow path leading to the staff dorms.

“Thank you,” I managed to murmur, my voice barely above a whisper, rough and weak. It hardly sounded like my own.