a through the massive oak

the freezing marble floor. The impact sent a sharp j

ing her feel incredibly small. At the far end, sitting on the raised

t beside him

at made her look like a descending angel

zed the faces of her classmates. The awe and jealousy they used to lo

-Hale IV leaned

, his voice echoing off the stone walls. "

the crowd. The sound physically presse

mmanded the dark purple chaos mana to wrap around her bruise

lly walked down the marble steps. She stopped right in fro

in close, her sickeningly sweet fl

" Seraphina whispered. Her voice was so low, only

ed her neck, exposing her delicate throat to

out, her voice trembling. "Please don'

in the stands im

od for this world,"

erve a sister like

ned. The urge to vom

. The moment Seraphina's perfectly manicured fingertips grazed her uniform, Elara went entirely limp. She let her knees buckle, th

but pitched just loud enough for the front row to hea

k at the sudden maneuver. She stumbled backward, cl

es in the front row drew their wands, pointi

open palm agains

rolled through the room.

blood?" Silas's voice boomed. "You have lost every

up from the floor, standing tall despite he

e Academy," Elara said. Her voice was hoarse

ever asked to leave the High To

pulsed on his forehead. His authori

ned joy for a fraction of a second before she

alk away!" Preston yelled from the

Is the great High Tower going to force a ma

tempt in Elara's stare burned him. She

is accepted," S

hing the cuffs o

must undergo the Purification Protocol

rification Protocol. It was a legalized form o

but Elara saw the dark, excited gleam in

declared, his voice echoing with finality. "And

gry students in the stands sucked in a co

fists. Her nails dug so deeply into

unblinkin

pt the