The morning air was crisp as Class A gathered in the central courtyard for exercises, sunlight glinting off polished stone. The usual chaos buzzed around me—Casian boasting, Lyra surveying the yard like a hawk, Mira floating quietly at my side—but I wasn't paying attention to them today.
Above the courtyard, a figure stood on the balcony of the tallest tower, framed by sunlight and the Angel Academy crest: Selene. Silver hair flowing, golden eyes calm yet piercing, she watched the students with quiet authority.
Something about the way she observed the yard made the noise below seem smaller, weaker, insignificant. My pulse quickened without my permission.
I moved through the crowd, aware that her gaze seemed to track me, though I never looked up directly.
A voice floated down, soft but firm. "The boy with grey eyes… unusual."
I froze. Heart skipping.
It wasn't loud—just enough for me to hear over the murmur of students—but my ears caught every word. I scanned the balcony, but she was already turned slightly, as if glancing away.
I tried to focus on the exercise, but my thoughts kept drifting. What did she mean by unusual? Was it my magic, the way I held myself, or… something deeper?
The drills began: a shifting obstacle course designed to test coordination and strategy. I fell into step with Mira naturally, guiding her gently through the hazards while keeping an eye on Casian and Lyra, who clashed with each other as usual.
Yet even as I dodged and directed, I felt it—the weight of Selene's gaze, the invisible thread tugging at the edges of the courtyard.
At one point, the wind shifted, and for a heartbeat, it felt like she was closer, standing at the edge of the warded zone. I froze mid-step. She didn't speak. Didn't move. Just watched.
By the end of the exercise, Class A had survived—not flawlessly, but functional. We had learned where the cracks were, and I had learned something new about myself: the world wasn't just watching us, it was already testing us.
Later, when I returned to the dorm, Mira glanced at me with a soft, knowing smile. "Someone is observing you," she said quietly. "Not the usual teachers."
I didn't answer. Instead, I found myself staring at the window, thinking of silver hair, golden eyes, and the quiet weight of the threads that Selene seemed to weave without touching anything at all.
Half angel. Half demon. A sin wrapped in skin and bone.
And one of the most powerful figures in the academy already knew it.