Zully shook Yvaine hard.
"Wake up."
Yvaine groaned and buried her face in the pillow. "Five more minutes."
"Yeah, and five more minutes will be enough for us to get punished. Girl, get your ass off the bed. The principal wants everyone in the auditorium in thirty minutes."
Yvaine sat up slowly and rubbed her eyes. Her whole body ached. Her head too. She hated mornings like this. Hated routines like this.
Zully clapped her hands in her face. "Up, up. On your feet. Nyx will be here soon. Let's go shower before the queue is impossible."
Yvaine dragged herself off the bed, grabbed her towel from her corner. "It'd be nice if we had bathrooms in our rooms. Like the other dorms."
Zully snorted. "That can only happen if we're Silverwolves, Frosthowls, or one of those big dogs."
"It's not fair," Yvaine muttered.
"You've been here for over a month. You should be used to it by now. Come on."
They left the room together, walking down the hall. Other students were already rushing out, towels over shoulders, some half-asleep, some cranky.
When they reached the bathroom, the line was already long.
Yvaine groaned, dragging her feet. "You've got to be kidding me."
It finally got to their turn. Yvaine stepped out of the bathroom, hair damp, towel clutched around her.
"That was the fastest shower I've ever had," she muttered.
"Me too," Zully said, shaking water out of her curls.
They hurried back to their room, dressed quickly, and joined the wave of students heading to the auditorium.
The hallway buzzed.
Students whispered about last night—the silver light that shot into the sky, the seers and dusk wolves falling into a trance, teachers chanting like them. No one knew what they had seen.
Yvaine leaned closer to Zully as they walked in. "Maybe Veylor and Ed will tell us what they saw?"
"We'll have to wait till they get here," Zully said.
They slipped into the auditorium and found seats near the back. Yvaine kept a few spaces open for the rest of their group. The room was loud, voices bouncing off the walls.
Nyxara arrived first with Veylor and Elyan. Ed trailed in after.
Veylor dropped into a chair. "You won't believe what I saw in my vision—"
Before he could continue, Nyx shot Yvaine a glare. "Where the hell were you last night? You had us worried."
Yvaine raised her brows. "Wow. Dark and gloomy Nyxara actually worried about me."
Elyan cut in with a sharp look. "Seriously, Yvaine. Even Caelan was worried."
Yvaine opened her mouth to reply, but the stage lights flickered.
Principal Myrrin appeared in the center of the platform. She cleared her throat once. The entire room went silent instantly.
Her voice was calm but had that hint of strictness.
"Students. What happened last night was not ordinary. The silver light. The trances. It may mean there has been a shift in the balance of magic. Until the council can investigate further, you must all be careful. From this moment, no use of powers is allowed."
The room erupted into whispers.
"To enforce this," she continued, raising her hand, "every student will receive a power bracelet after this meeting. These bracelets are enchanted. They will notify us immediately if anyone disobeys. More importantly, you will experience a rebounce of your own magic. And it will hurt."
Gasps filled the air. Students looked at each other in shock.
"It is for the good of everyone," Myrrin said. "Please cooperate until we understand the nature of the silver light. Thank you. You may now head to your classes. The bracelets will be waiting at the entrance. Wear them. Have a nice day."
She vanished on the spot.
The room broke into loud murmurs again.
Yvaine sighed. "I don't even have powers, so the bracelets are useless for me."
Nyx cursed under her breath. "Good thing I've got knives."
They stood and followed the crowd out, the press of voices and complaints filling the halls as everyone scattered toward their classes.
_____
Dinner came fast. The whole day had gone with students making up stories about what the seers saw.
Elyan rubbed his wrist. It was red.
"I only wanted to heal the dying plant."
Zully laughed. "You forgot about the bracelet, didn't you?"
They all sat at their usual spot.
Veylor pulled out his sketchpad. He opened it. A dragon spitting fire.
"This," he said. "I saw this in my vision."
Nyx frowned. "Dragons are extinct. So what does this mean?"
Zully leaned in to look. "It could mean anything."
Veylor sighed. "I wish I could already interpret visions."
Ed walked up to the table. Veylor snapped the sketchpad shut so quick it surprised everyone. They all looked at him.
Ed sat. "I've gone around asking the other seers and some dusk wolves what they saw. We all saw the same thing. Fire raining from the sky. I couldn't see further, and it wasn't just me." He turned to Veylor. "That's what you also saw?"
"Yes," Veylor said quickly. "That's what I saw. I wonder what it means."
Yvaine stared. Why did he lie?
They ordered food and started eating.
Nyx rolled her eyes. "Don't look now, Yvaine. Lucien's behind you."
What the hell did he want now?
"Hello, Yvonne," Lucien said.
Yvaine ignored him and kept eating.
He reached for her arm. Nyx pulled a knife. "Stay back, Lucien."
Lucien laughed. "Or what? I just want to talk to her."
Yvaine dropped her fork and turned. "About what?"
Now the whole cafeteria was watching.
Lucien smirked. "Now that I have your attention, don't you think you owe me some appreciation?"
"Lucien, please," Zully said. "We don't want trouble."
"Neither do we, brown sugar," Erykxen said, winking at her.
Zully glared at him.
Yvaine stood. "And what exactly am I thanking you for?"
Lucien grinned. "For saving you last night. Clothing you when you got naked and threw yourself at me."
What?
"You son of a bitch," Yvaine snapped. "I never threw myself on you."
"But you were naked," Lucien said.
Her friends stared at her. The cafeteria buzzed with murmurs.
"That's not what happened!" Yvaine shouted. "I'd rather offer myself as a burnt sacrifice to the Moon Goddess than throw myself at you."
Lucien reached for the bundle Erykxen held. "Then explain why I have this."
The murmurs grew louder.
Yvaine tried to grab it, but Lucien pulled back. "Not so fast, Yvonne."
"You're a liar," she hissed. "I hate you."
Valtira clapped. "Aren't you just a slut? Trying to seduce my Lucien?" She turned to the crowd. "Yvaine is a slut."
She started chanting it. Others joined slowly.
Yvaine's body shook.
Ed stood. "You're going too far, Lucien."
"Damn these stupid bracelets," Nyx snarled.
Zully grabbed Yvaine to lead her away. Yvaine shoved her off. Her eyes flashed. Pain surged. The bracelet shocked her. She collapsed.
Lucien squatted. "Look how lowly you are."
Something broke inside her. Pain shot through her whole body. Like something was trying to come out.
Nyx shook her. "Yvaine? Are you okay?"
Yvaine's fingers bent into claws. Her clothes ripped. The bracelet snapped.
Zully screamed. "She's shifting. Oh goddess!"
Gasps filled the cafeteria. Yvaine screamed, twisting in pain.
Caelan burst in. He saw her writhing. His curse mark burned hot at his back.
"Mate" His wolf growled inside him.
Someone whispered, "She's… she's a Silverwolf. A huge one."
Yvaine's wolf rose, trembling. Its eyes met Lucien's. He stepped back.
The wolf howled, shaking the hall. Then bolted out, crashing tables and chairs on its way.
"Yvaine!" Caelan called and went after her. Yvaine's other friends followed too.