as already mov

w feet away in the middle of the great hall, its face hidden under a heavy hood, shado

athered around its fingers, crackl

lar. There was nowhere to go. Hundreds of students were s

e moved in

nce and she fell hard against the pillar

le

his back to her, his shoulders tense. One hand

ent, nobo

iles was. He was a final year, a ranker, a leader people followed without question. His family name alone made teac

er once looked

il

ice was low, calm, but commandin

er hands shaking. "Why...

e who is trying to kill you," he said, stil

was faster than any stu

st of pure force slammed into the attacker. The entire hall shook,

almost instantly, slidi

ed from the side, his own hands glowing. "

iles and then counter-attacked. Two forces collided and

ckward several steps, his boots scraping the mar

studying him almost curiously. Then

ve doors leading outside and

t hesitate.

think. She ra

screamed behind her, but Amaya

pletely dark, the storm clouds from last night had returned and covered the

nd the old woods behind the school that was

wed the attacke

ing. She could hear them fighting inside

gh the trees, cold and furious. It was a v

me! Who

as a quiet, amused laugh t

tand what you've

idn't r

echoing. "You think you're prote

opped. Marked? W

about her," the stranger

. That w

ngerous in a way that made Amaya shiv

et them when the time comes. And when you do, you wi

rce flashed between the trees so bright A

ght had stopped. The woods we

rees were split in half. The stranger was nowhere to be seen. Only a small clo

r slippers sinking into the mud.

rk hair messy, a small cut on his cheek. W

me," he snapped. "Are you t

ning into frustration. "They said someone knows about m

econd, breathing hard. Then h

stepping closer to him. She could smell rain and something l

" Miles said quietly. "I wante

this was going to

oftened just a fraction. "I didn't know. But when that thi

elling her. "You knew something was going to happen. Yo

seemed unsure of what to

oice lower. "Because someon

y he said her name. No one

she whi

ince the first day you walked into Majesty High, you have had a target on your back

tely different reason now. She should have been scared of h

, as if he realized how close

er. Not even close. But she

Students who normally filled the corridors with laughter and conversation moved quiet

too. Something dark had entered Majesty

, his uniform torn. "Everyone to clas

Students began

Miranda, who grabb

forbidden woods? With Miles?" Miranda hissed.

t they were saying

at did t

e was listening. "They said someone cal

walking, her f

ould say more,

a was already seated at th

d. "You look like you saw a ghost. And why are you cove

Because everyone keeps saying that

d with curiosity. "Wh

side and lowered her voice. "An

m door to make sure the teacher

said something... he said 'the boss

at her for

ispered, "A

es prote

. "Miles? The Miles? The one who never talk

d, her cheeks heating up desp

nother moment with a small,

anyone could say more. Prof

"we are going further back than the

ol they knew. The towers looked older, darker, and one entire

forward. "W

rm or another for centuries. This school was not created simply to teach students how to control their a

old drawings of people using fire, w

somewhere to belong,"

ds written in a language Amaya couldn't understand. The image di

Sofia noticed

o? That part isn

" Amaya w

didn't

s of powers - Wind, Water, Earth, Blood, Metal, Sun, Moon, Sk

re were abilities that appeared only once in history.

around her pen. Her hear

rely a breath. "There was one. On

he

ries the school doesn't l

ries?" Am

students disappeared. No one knows how many because t

chill. "Who

ed. It said the missing students were last seen with so

t ti

rectly at Amaya

hem... The One

an cold. "What

lse disappeared, that person w

question, the lights flickered

l silent. Someone

ghts r

sson, a sentence had appeared. No one had wri

s, written in dr

LD NOT H

chair scraping loudly.

corridor. Slow footsteps, U

d at Sofia,

y afraid for the first time

stopped outsid

pened. No o

he classroom door be

beyond the doorway.

ly as it came, the

ned open, crea

rabbing Amaya's ha

lesson wasn't a history less