g from my collarbone across my shoulder and down my chest. I pressed both hands agai

r. My vision blurred as the black mark kept gr

e had vanished, but her calm expression disappeared the insta

s it?"

wall, and a deep bell echoed through the train. Once. Twice. Then a th

there yet,"

are

t academy I had ever seen, its ancient towers disappearing into the mist while stone bridges floated between buildings that shouldn't have been connected. Hundreds of

one became unbearable. Someone

beneath my skin like twisted branches. Students began backing away, their voice

owd like wildfire. Not cu

Six men walked out together. Nobody needed to tell me who they were. The students im

ver, authority radiating from him without effort. Professor Kael. The third looked younger than the others, almost gentle until I noticed the sadness in his eyes. Professor Lucian. The fourth wore an amused smile that

They simply stared a

step backward. Not from

uld return,"

plied sharply

nd Rhys wasn't smiling anymore. Wren stared at me with unsettling

y spoke. "When

ive minu

ouched

ha

the qu

on

owed. "That's

ing you t

lling to say what they were all thinking. Ethan stepped for

looked

said again. "

ed his attention t

r. He came

hardened. "The invitat

my pocket. "It literall

sion crossed it. He handed the letter to Wren, then to Ashgrave. Each

this," Ashgra

either," K

did I," W

up. "So who

silence was worse t

e letter. "The inv

ha

my did not

the pain. "You t

meone wants

s me here!" I shouted.

s trembling hand, fighting to keep my voice steady.

ned. "This academ

't a st

admi

cann

hy

les exist f

itterly. "S

Ethan's hand tightened. "You l

ward, but Kael raised a hand

my head. "No

could stop them. "If you

ectly at me. "You c

ought I had heard

ve the academ

ead through the students. Expelled before classes ha

zed my hand

eased, not even Ashgrave. They looked afraid. Afraid of me, afraid o

ump in my throat.

ngerously calm. "This

my broth

ck. I stepped in front of Ethan, refusing to let them get near

d beneath our feet, and stone cracked across the courtyard. A deafening roar ex

ard the oldest tower, and A

o.

he academy. This one

, every classroom, and every stone wall. It was so

d Child ha

the first time since I had arrive