since the ceremony. This time, it felt as though someone had pressed a blade against the skin beneath my collarbon

s Va

esh towels stared

thing about this

y conversation stopped when I walked past. Some looked afraid, while others look

me. "...the cursed mark..." "...Ashgrave almost lost control..." "...

ur hours here, and I had becom

If they wanted to stare, th

ath. The tray slipped, hot tea splashed across my hand, and the

rl smiled without w

arly w

watch where

w

I heard you're cursed. I heard six professors stopped class because of you

as listening now, waiting to see whethe

a soaking into my uniform, then

inked.

meone..." I glanced around the

stinctively toward the professors' table, and

ven know," I

flushed. "I

told you to embarrass me." I stepped closer. "I

d. "I don't know what

N

carefully back on my tray. "If you're going to bully someo

e became u

oved m

ining hall went out, and darkness swallowed the room. Someone screamed, a c

ody

standing, and Ashgrave's eyes landed on me first, then on

happ

opened her mouth, but nothing cam

rave repeated,

whispered. "It w

" I

oked at me.

red. "Y

pushe

ly touc

pushe

nd

stop it. The entire room froze, and ev

came ice. "Report t

e. "Professo

ow

hall with tears in her eyes, and only after

you h

ice surprised me. "So

. "I asked whethe

ide su

corner of Rhys's mouth. Ash

again, but the whispers had changed. Nobody was looking at me li

Let

lone near the window. A minute later, s

h

de enemies

t colle

N

roduce th

ned a re

mated you,"

did

ell you something without

pen

smile disappeared. "...she has

re you

s voice. "She looked frighten

. Kael entered, his eyes finding me immediately, then Rhy

s Va

across the room.

me that morning. Rhys muttered under his breath, "We

s going into his office to be interrogated after defending m