Three days passed.

Kyle had cleared from the infirmary, and returned to his classes.

And he was insufferable about it.

"I'm telling you," Kyle said for the third time that morning as we walked toward Professor Thorne's class, "Aria said I'm healing faster than expected. She said it's impressive."

"You've mentioned that."

"Because it's true."

"Uh-huh."

"She also said I have good bone density. That's a compliment, right?"

I sighed.

"Kyle, she was doing her job. That's what healers say."

"But she smiled when she said it!"

"She smiles at everyone."

"Not like that!"

I glanced at him.

He was grinning like an idiot, his face slightly flushed, completely oblivious to the fact that we were in the middle of a crowded hallway.

"You're hopeless," I muttered.

Kyle laughed, slinging his arm over my shoulder.

"Come on, man. You could at least be happy for me."

"I am. Thrilled."

"You don't sound thrilled."

"That's because I'm dead inside."

He snorted.

We reached the classroom and stepped inside.

The usual crowd was already there.

Marcus sat in his typical spot, surrounded by his friends, laughing at something one of them had said.

He glanced up as we entered.

His gaze landed on Kyle, and for a moment, his expression darkened.

Kyle stiffened slightly beside me, his hand tightening on my shoulder.

But Marcus just smirked and turned back to his conversation, dismissing us entirely.

Kyle exhaled slowly, his tension easing. "That was... less bad than I expected."

"Don't jinx it."

"Right. Yeah. No jinxing."

We took our usual seats in the middle section.

Kyle dropped into his chair with a satisfied sigh. "Man, it's good to be back. I was going crazy in that infirmary."

"You were there for two weeks."

"Two weeks, Jin. Do you know how boring that is?"

"You had books."

"Books are boring."

"You had me visiting."

"You're also boring."

I shot him a flat look. "Thanks."

He grinned. "I'm kidding. Mostly."

I shook my head, pulling out my notebook as Professor Thorne entered the room.

Thorne moved to the front of the class with his usual no-nonsense efficiency, setting down a stack of papers and scanning the room.

"Settle down," he said, his voice cutting through the chatter immediately.

The room fell silent.

Thorne crossed his arms. "Before we begin today's lecture, I have an announcement."

A ripple of murmurs went through the class.

"At the end of this month," Thorne continued, "you will have your first practical examination."

Practical exams?

"This will not be a written test," Thorne said. "It will be a combat scenario designed to evaluate your ability to apply what you've learned so far. Tactics. Adaptability. Survival."

Kyle leaned over, whispering, "That sounds intense."

"Yeah."

Thorne continued. "You will be divided into groups of five. Each group will be assigned a simulated mission, retrieval, defense, or elimination. You will have one hour to complete the objective."

He paused, letting that sink in.

"Failure results in a failing grade for the semester. Success improves your overall ranking."

A student near the front raised his hand. "Will we be allowed to choose our groups?"

"No," Thorne said flatly. "Groups will be assigned randomly to ensure balanced skill distribution."

Groans echoed through the room, mostly from the nobles who'd probably hoped to stack their teams with friends.

"However," Thorne added, his tone sharpening, "you will be graded individually. Your performance within the group will determine your personal score. So don't assume you can coast on your teammates' efforts."

He turned and began writing on the board.

"The exam will take place in the Eastern Forest. You will be given basic equipment, practice weapons, minimal supplies. No external assistance. You survive on your skills alone."

He turned back to face the class. "Details will be distributed next week. Until then, I suggest you prepare. Study tactics. Practice teamwork. And for gods' sake, don't do anything stupid before the exam."

His gaze swept across the room, landing briefly on Marcus, then on Kyle, then on me.

Yeah. We know who he's talking to.

Then class continued normally. I took notes.

And as bell rang.

"Dismissed," Thorne said.

The class began packing up, conversations resuming immediately.

Kyle stood, stretching carefully. "A practical exam in the forest. That's gonna be awesome."

"Or deadly."

"Same thing!"

I sighed, stuffing my notebook into my bag. "You realize we could end up in a group with people who hate you, right?"

"Yep!"

"And that they could sabotage you?"

"Yep!"

"And you're still excited?"

"Yep!" Kyle grinned. "Come on, Jin. Where's your sense of adventure?"

"I left it in the infirmary. Along with my will to live."

Kyle laughed, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "You're gonna be fine. We both are. You've survived worse."

Have I, though?

We filed out of the classroom with everyone else, the hallway filling with voices and the shuffle of feet.

Kyle was saying something about hoping we'd end up in the same group when someone slammed into my shoulder.

Hard.

I stumbled, catching myself against the wall.

"Shit... sorry, I—"

"Can't you see clearly, Raith?"

I looked up.

Seraphine Ashcroft stood there, her ice-blue eyes cold and sharp.

Her silver-blonde hair was pulled back in a perfect braid, not a strand out of place despite the collision. She brushed off her sleeve like I'd contaminated it.

"I..." I blinked, still processing. "I didn't—"

"Watch where you're going." She shoved past me, her shoulder hitting mine again, deliberately this time.

Then she was gone, disappearing into the crowd without a backward glance.

I stared after her.

What the hell was that?

Kyle stopped beside me, his expression confused. "Dude. What's that?"

"No idea."

I rubbed my shoulder where she'd shoved me, jaw tight.

What's her problem now?

I've barely spoken to her. Hell, I've barely looked at her.

So why does she act like I killed her dog?

"Come on," I muttered, pushing off the wall. "Let's get food."

---

The dining hall was packed, as usual.

Long tables filled with students eating, talking, arguing. The smell of bread and stew mixed with the general noise of too many people in one space.

Kyle grabbed two trays, handing me one, and we moved through the line. Soup. Bread. An apple. Water.

Then we found ourselves seats near the middle.

Kyle dug into his food immediately, still talking between bites. "So, you think we'll get paired together? For the exam?"

"Probably not. They said random."

"Yeah, but like, maybe we'll get lucky."

"We won't."

"You don't know that."

"I do."

He grinned. "Optimism, Jin. Try it sometime."

I bit into the bread, chewing slowly.

Kyle finished his soup in record time and stood, grabbing his tray.

"I'm gonna head to the training halls. Wanna come?"

"Can't. Library."

"Library? For what?"

"Research."

"On what?"

"Stuff."

Kyle raised an eyebrow. "Stuff."

"Yeah."

"You're so cryptic."

"And you're annoying."

He laughed. "Fair. Alright, I'll see you back at the dorm later. Don't stay up too late reading boring books."

"No promises."

He waved and headed off, weaving through the tables toward the exit.

I finished my food, dropped off my tray, and left.

---

The library was quieter.

Tall shelves packed with books stretched toward the vaulted ceiling. Students sat scattered throughout, some reading, some taking notes, a few asleep with their heads on the table.

I scanned the room, looking for an empty spot.

Most of the tables were occupied. Groups studying together. Solo students claiming entire sections for themselves.

Then I spotted a place where a girl sat alone at a table near the back, surrounded by stacks of books.

Her head was down, focused on whatever she was reading, a quill in hand as she made notes in a leather-bound journal.

The chair across from her was empty.

I walked over.

She didn't look up until I was standing right there.

"Can I sit here?" I asked.

She blinked, surprise flickering across her face. Then she glanced at the empty chair, then back at me.

"It's the only open spot," I added.

She hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Go ahead."

I sat down, pulling out my notebook and the book I'd borrowed earlier.

Emma went back to her reading, her quill scratching softly against the paper.

Silence settled between us.

I opened my book and started reading, letting the words blur together as my mind worked through other things.

Practical exam. Random groups. Eastern Forest.

I need to prepare. Figure out contingencies.

What if I'm grouped with people who hate me? What if they sabotage the mission?

What if—

"You're Jin Raith, right?."

I looked up.

She was watching me now, her blue eyes.

"Yeah," I said.

"I'm Emma Vale. Thank you for helping me the other day."

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