Hidden stories, literature and academia, mythology…

A reference to Donna Tartt's debut novel The Secret History, PETAL's second volume descends into a world of shadows, secrets, and time-worn pages. Exploring the past's enduring influence on the present, this curated collection of works traces the ways bygone eras continue to linger beneath the surface of contemporary life. From tales of ritual and the pursuit of knowledge to intimate reflections on heritage and selfhood, Volume II embraces both darkness and light. Woven through themes of fantasy, academia, art history, and the occult, it frames history not as something fixed or complete, but as a living force — continually rewritten through personal experience and collective remembrance.