24. Frankie

Chapter 24

Frankie

My heart’s going a million miles an hour, and my hands are shaking so badly I can barely pick up my stuff. It’s like my body’s screaming at me to run, but my brain’s stuck in some kind of terrified loop. The urge to escape, to put as much distance between myself and the remnants of that otherworldly encounter, is overwhelming.

Frankie from two years ago would run, and my legs itch to do just that, but I don’t.

Instead, I dart to my dorm room, my feet barely touching the ground. My thoughts spiral like a maelstrom, each memory of the shadow realm a jagged shard cutting through my sanity. The familiar corridors of the dorm twist and warp in my vision as reality itself seems to bend under the weight of what I experienced. Am I losing my mind, or has the world truly changed?

An ache beats at the sides of my temples, sharp then dull.

I burst through my door, hurling my things inside with reckless abandon. They scatter across the floor, a physical manifestation of my chaotic thoughts.

The promise I made to Tori about lunch flits through my mind. Lunch feels like a distant dream now, as foreign as the realm I just witnessed.

What I need is... God, I don’t even know. Understanding? Comfort? Oblivion?

My heart’s going a mile a minute, and I’m pretty sure I’m going to puke. What the hell just happened? One minute, I’m facing down the mean girls, and the next, I’m in some cosmic horror show. In broad daylight. On campus.

I’m in over my head.

My eyes dart to the clock on the wall, its hands seeming to mock me as they point to nearly eleven. Bishop is teaching, Dorian is with Professor Blackwood, and Tori’s in class. The people I’d normally turn to are out of reach.

I know I should seek out Leo or Matteo, but the thought of explaining what just happened... How do you put an experience that defies reality itself into words?

My forehead thuds against the door as I try to gather my thoughts, but they are like mercury, slipping through my mental fingers every time I try to grasp them. My heart races, drowning out coherent thought.

Fuck it.

I turn on my heel and walk out of the dorm, my movements mechanical. The hallway seems to stretch and warp around me, echoing the surreal experience I just had. Every face I pass feels like it’s turned toward me.

Snippets of conversation reach my ears, each one a dagger of paranoia.

“I swear I just saw her do it...”

“There’s no way...”

“The goddess herself...”

Nausea roils in my stomach, threatening to overwhelm me. I quicken my pace, desperate to escape the suffocating atmosphere of the dorm. The chilly January air hits me like a slap as I burst outside, but I don’t stop. I can’t stop. My feet carry me forward, driven by an instinct I can’t name, until the whispers fade and only the cacophony of my own thoughts remains.

I don’t even realize where I’m going until I’m standing in front of the guys’ locker room. Crap. I’m looking for Leo and Matteo. When did they become my go-to for supernatural emergencies? I know they are here—their pre-lunch gym routine with the team is a fact I’ve absorbed without realizing it.

I stand frozen, indecision paralyzing me. Do I go in and brave the sanctuary of masculinity in my desperate state? Or do I stand here, looking like a lost soul until they emerge?

The decision is made before I consciously realize it. I push the door open, steeling myself for whatever lies beyond.

Holy crap, the smell hits me like a truck—sweat, Axe body spray, and something that might be moldy socks. Guys are everywhere, half naked and totally unbothered by my presence. I feel like I’ve stumbled into some bizarre social experiment.

My eyes struggle to adjust to the dimmer light, scanning the room with desperate intensity. The space feels alien and forbidden, a realm not meant for me. Everywhere I look, I see flesh—muscular bodies in various states of undress, moving with casual confidence in this male domain. A few heads turn in my direction, and eyebrows rise in surprise or confusion. I feel their gazes like physical touches, but I push past the discomfort, driven by a need greater than social niceties.

My heart leaps when I spot a familiar head of hair in the far corner. Leo’s back is to me, his lean frame bent slightly as he talks to Matteo. They are both still in their workout clothes, their T-shirts clinging to sweat-dampened skin. For a moment, I freeze, suddenly unsure. What am I doing here? What can I possibly say?

It’s too late for second thoughts. Leo turns, his eyes widening as they land on me. “Frankie?” His voice carries a mix of surprise and concern, tinged with his usual warmth. “What are you doing in here? Is everything okay?”

I open my mouth to respond, but the words stick in my throat like tar. The room suddenly feels too small, too crowded. The whispers I thought I’d left behind in the dorm seem to have followed me, ghostly murmurs at the edge of my hearing. My hands begin to tremble, and I clench them into fists to hide the shaking.

Matteo’s gaze sharpens, his athlete’s instincts picking up on my distress like a shark scenting blood in the water. Without a word, he grabs a nearby towel and drapes it over my shoulders. The unexpected gesture of protection nearly undoes me.

“Hey,” he says softly, his tone measured and calm as always. He guides me toward a more secluded area near the showers, where the sound of running water provides a buffer against curious ears. “What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

A hysterical laugh bubbles up in my chest at his choice of words, but it emerges as a choked sob. If only it had been just a ghost. How do I even begin to explain the cosmic horror I witnessed?

Leo moves closer, forming a protective barrier between me and the rest of the locker room with his body. His voice is low and urgent but still carries a hint of his usual playfulness. “Frankie, talk to us. What happened? Did someone try to hurt you? Because if they did, I swear I’ll turn them into a human pretzel.”

Despite my fear, I find myself smiling weakly at Leo’s attempt at humor. It’s so quintessentially him, trying to lighten the mood even in the face of the unknown. I draw in a shaky breath, the scents of their familiar aftershaves grounding me slightly.

“I... I did something,” I whisper, my voice barely audible over the shower’s white noise. “Something impossible. Something terrifying.”

Their expressions grow more concerned. Matteo’s hand tightens on my shoulder slightly, a reassuring pressure.

“Hey,” Leo says, his goofy grin replaced by a look I’ve never seen on him before. “Whatever crap you’re dealing with, we’ve got your back. Okay?”

Safe. The word echoes in my mind, a concept that feels foreign after what I experienced, but as I stand here, surrounded by the solid presence of these two friends, I feel something inside me begin to uncoil. The words start to come, hesitant at first, then in a rush.

“It was Amanda and Chloe,” I begin, my voice trembling. “They confronted me, and I tried to defend myself, but then...”

I pause, searching for words to describe the indescribable. How do you explain tearing open the fabric of reality to two people who’ve never seen beyond its veil?

Leo and Matteo exchange another glance, their faces hardening at the mention of Amanda and Chloe, but there’s something else there too—a flicker of fear, perhaps? Or is it anticipation?

“Then what, Frankie?” Matteo prompts gently, his voice barely above a whisper, his analytical mind clearly working to process the information.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself. “Then I opened a door to somewhere else. Somewhere... impossible.”

The words hang in the air, heavy and ominous. Leo and Matteo exchange glances again, their expressions a mix of confusion and growing alarm. The background noise of the locker room seems to fade away, leaving us in a bubble of tense silence.

“Somewhere impossible?” Leo repeats, his voice low and cautious, a far cry from his usual jovial tone. “What do you mean, Frankie?”

I close my eyes, trying to find the right words. When I open them again, I see both boys watching me intently, their bodies tense, as if ready for action.

“I opened a freaking portal to the shadow realm,” I blurt out, the words tumbling over each other. “Like, one minute I’m about to get my ass handed to me by the Plastics, and the next, bam! Shadow central. In the middle of campus. During lunch hour. Because apparently my life wasn’t complicated enough already.”

Matteo’s sharp intake of breath is audible. Leo’s eyes widen, a flicker of something passing across his face.

“That’s not possible,” Matteo says, but his voice lacks conviction. His brow furrows in concentration as he tries to reconcile this new information with his existing knowledge. “We can’t open a portal to the shadow realm from here. We have to drop in. It’s?—”

“Impossible,” I finish for him. “I know, but it happened, and that’s not even the worst part.”

I start to shake again, the memory of what came next threatening to overwhelm me. Leo’s hand finds mine, squeezing gently. The warmth of his skin anchors me, giving me the courage to continue.

“She was there,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. “Nyx. The goddess herself.”

The effect of my words is immediate. Leo’s hand tightens on mine to the point of pain. Matteo takes a step back, his face pale.

“Nyx?” he repeats, disbelief coloring his tone. “You saw... You spoke to Nyx?”

I nod, unable to form words. The memory of those fathomless eyes, that voice that seemed to resonate through the very fabric of reality, sends a shiver down my spine.

“What did she say?” Leo asks, his voice tight with tension, all traces of his usual lightheartedness gone.

I swallow hard, trying to recall the exact words through the haze of fear and adrenaline. “She said... She said I have the power to bridge worlds. That it’s a rare gift, but also dangerous.”

The boys exchange another loaded glance. There’s something in their eyes I can’t quite read—a mixture of fear, awe, and something else that looks almost like... hunger.

“Frankie,” Matteo says slowly, “do you understand what this means?”

I shake my head, feeling lost and overwhelmed. “I don’t understand any of this. I didn’t mean to do it. I was just trying to protect myself from Amanda and Chloe, and then suddenly?—”

“No,” Leo interrupts, his voice gentle but firm. “What Matteo means is... do you understand how powerful you are? To be able to open a portal to the shadow realm and speak with Nyx herself... That’s beyond anything we’ve ever heard of.”

I blink, taken aback by his words. “Powerful? But I can’t control it. I didn’t even know I could do it until it happened.”

Matteo steps closer, his eyes intense. “But you did do it, and if you did it once...”

“You can learn to do it again,” Leo finishes, a hint of his usual excitement creeping back into his voice. “Deliberately this time.”

Their words send a chill through me. Learn to do it again? Deliberately open a portal to that terrifying realm? The thought makes me feel sick.

“I don’t know if I want to,” I admit, my voice small. “It was... It was terrifying.”

Leo’s hand squeezes mine again, gentler this time. His touch sends a warm tingle up my arm, and I find myself leaning into him almost unconsciously. “We understand,” he says softly, his breath tickling my ear. “But Frankie, this is huge. It changes everything.” I glance at Matteo, expecting to feel guilty about my reaction to Leo, but the intensity in Matteo’s eyes as he watches us makes my heart do a little flip. God, I’m in trouble.

“What do you mean?” I ask, a sense of foreboding creeping over me.

Matteo’s eyes gleam now, a mix of excitement and something darker. “It means you’re not just any shadow shifter. You’re something... more. Something special.”

The way he says special sends a shiver down my spine. There’s a suggestion to his words that I can’t quite decipher, a weight to them that feels significant.

“And that means,” Leo adds, his voice low, “that everything is about to change for all of us.”

So here I am, standing in the guys’ locker room, wrapped in a towel that’s seen better days, with Leo and Matteo looking at me like I’ve grown a second head. Maybe I have, because nothing makes sense anymore. It’s like the world’s gone sideways, and somehow, I’m at the center of it all.

I’m not sure if I’m ready for what comes next.

Leo and Matteo exchange a look, and some unspoken communication passes between them. Leo turns to me, his expression resolute, but there’s a glimmer of his usual charm.

“Frankie,” he says, his voice low but firm, “we can help you understand this power and learn to control it. Think of it as... leveling up in the most epic video game ever.”

Matteo nods, his eyes gleaming with barely contained excitement. “We’ve studied the shadow realm extensively, and we haven’t come across anything about bringing the realm here or what you are describing.”

“No,” I interrupt, shaking my head vigorously. “You didn’t see what I saw or feel what I felt. It’s not something to be toyed with.”

“But that’s exactly why you need to learn to control it,” Leo argues, his hand still holding mine. His tone is gentle, but there’s an undercurrent of excitement that he can’t quite hide. “If it happened once by accident, it could happen again. Wouldn’t you rather be prepared? Besides, think of the adventures we could have!”

I bite my lip, considering his words. The memory of the shadow realm sends chills down my spine, but the thought of it happening again, unprepared and in public, is even more terrifying, and yet, a small part of me—the part that’s always been drawn to the unknown, the part that got me into Shadow Locke in the first place—can’t help but be intrigued.

Matteo steps closer, his voice gentle but persuasive. “We’ll take it slow, Frankie. Baby steps. Just enough so you can understand your power and control it. We’ll be with you every step of the way, collecting data and analyzing outcomes. It’ll be perfectly safe.”

I look between them, seeing the determination in their eyes. Despite my fear, I feel a flicker of something else—curiosity perhaps, or the allure of the power I’d briefly touched. I think about all the times I’ve felt powerless and been at the mercy of forces beyond my control. Maybe this is my chance to take control of my own destiny.

I can practically feel the tension in the air. Leo and Matteo are looking at me like I’m some kind of superhero, but I feel more like a scared kid playing with matches. Do I really want to poke at this freaky shadow stuff again? Part of me wants to run and hide under my bed until this all blows over, but another part... well, it’s kind of excited. God, I’m so screwed.

“I... I don’t know,” I say, chewing on my bottom lip. The memory of the shadow realm makes my skin crawl, but the way Leo and Matteo are looking at me... Damn it. “This is crazy, right? Like, certifiably insane, but if I don’t figure this out, I might accidentally zap us all into the shadow realm during a pop quiz or something.” I take a deep breath. “Fine. We can try, but I swear to God, if either of you gets us eaten by shadow monsters, I’m haunting your asses for eternity.”

Both boys nod solemnly. “We promise,” Leo says, his voice sincere despite the excitement dancing in his eyes. “We’ll start small, in a controlled environment. No risks. Well, minimal risks. It’ll be fun!”

As I stand there, still wrapped in the towel, the enormity of what I’m agreeing to settles over me. I’m about to embark on a journey into the unknown, guided by two boys I barely know but somehow trust. The air in the locker room feels charged with possibility and danger.

“When do we start?” I whisper.

Matteo’s smile is both thrilling and terrifying, his analytical mind clearly already formulating plans. “No time like the present. Meet us at the old groundskeeper’s shed after your last class. It’s secluded and safe, perfect for what we need to do. I’ll bring some equipment to monitor the energy fluctuations.”

As I nod in agreement, the world seems to hold its breath. The mundane surroundings of the locker room fade away, and for a moment, I swear I can see the shadows reaching for me with eager tendrils. I stand on the precipice of the unknown, my heart a war drum in my chest. With Leo and Matteo flanking me like guardian angels—or perhaps beautiful demons—I prepare to take my first willing step into the abyss.

The shadow realm awaits, its darkness a siren call I can no longer ignore. I am both its master and its slave, caught in a dance of power and terror that I’m only beginning to understand.

For better or worse, my journey into the shadow realm begins today.

As we leave the locker room, the reality of what I’ve agreed to hits me like a physical blow. My steps falter, and Leo steadies me with a hand on my elbow.

“You okay?” he asks, his voice low and concerned.

I nod, not trusting myself to speak. The truth is, I’m far from okay. I’m terrified, exhilarated, and completely out of my depth, but there’s a part of me that’s thrilled at the challenge.

Matteo checks his watch. “We have about an hour before our next class. Want to grab some lunch? We can talk more about... this.” He gestures vaguely, encompassing the enormity of what we’re planning with a single wave of his hand.

“Yeah,” I reply, my voice hoarse. “Yeah, lunch sounds good.”

As we make our way to the cafeteria, I can’t help but notice how different everything looks now. The shadows seem deeper and more alive. Every dark corner holds the potential for... adventure and danger.

We find a secluded table in the far corner of the cafeteria. As I pick at my food, Leo and Matteo pepper me with questions about my experience. What did it feel like? What exactly did I see? Could I describe Nyx in detail?

I answer as best as I can, but words seem inadequate to describe the cosmic horror and beauty of what I witnessed. As I speak, I notice Matteo scribbling notes in a small notebook he produced from somewhere.

“What are you writing?” I ask, curiosity momentarily overriding my anxiety.

Matteo looks up, a hint of sheepishness in his expression. “Just some observations. If we’re going to do this, we need to be scientific about it and track everything.”

Leo rolls his eyes good-naturedly. “Always the researcher, this one, but he’s right, Frankie. The more we understand about what’s happening, the safer we can make this for you.”

I nod, grateful for their different approaches. Leo’s enthusiasm and Matteo’s methodical nature balance each other out, making me feel... if not safe, then at least less alone in this.

As lunch draws to a close, a thought occurs to me. “What about Amanda and Chloe? They saw something. What if they talk?”

Leo and Matteo exchange a glance. “Leave them to us,” Leo says, a hint of steel in his voice that I’ve never heard before. “We’ll make sure they keep quiet.”

I want to ask how, but something in their expressions stops me. There’s a lot I still don’t know about the shadow shifter world and the boys themselves, but right now, I’m just grateful to have allies in this strange new reality.

As we part ways for our afternoon classes, I feel a mix of dread and anticipation building in my chest. In just a few short hours, I’m going to try to access a realm that everyone keeps telling me is home.

Home. Something I haven’t ever really had.

“Remember,” Matteo says as we’re about to separate, his voice low and serious, “we’ve got you, but Frankie... be careful. There are things in the shadow realm that even we don’t understand—things that would love to get their hands on someone with your power.” His words send a chill down my spine, but before I can ask what he means, Leo throws an arm around my shoulders, his grin a little too bright.

“Don’t worry,” Leo says, “we won’t let anything bad happen. Probably.” He winks, but there’s something in his eyes that doesn’t quite match his carefree tone. Great. More secrets. Just what I need.

He doesn’t finish because Matteo swats him.

I can’t help but smile at his enthusiasm, even as my stomach churns with nerves. As I watch them walk away, I’m struck by how quickly everything has changed. This morning, I was just another student at Shadow Locke. Now, I’m on the brink of exploring powers that defy explanation.