Lyra's POV
The morning brought with it an unwelcome surprise. A crisp white envelope bearing the official Alpha Academy seal waited beneath my door. My hands trembled slightly as I unfolded the formal letterhead, recognizing the precise penmanship immediately. Alaric had summoned me to his office, but this time he had signed it with cold formality. The elegant script of "Headmaster Thornevale" stared back at me from the bottom of the page.
I clutched the letter against my chest and glanced toward my roommate. Poppy was still buried beneath her blankets, making soft snoring sounds that would have made me smile under different circumstances.
"What's wrong?" Poppy mumbled without opening her eyes, somehow sensing my distress.
I held up the paper, though she couldn't see it. "Alaric wants to see me." I paused, feeling the weight of the formal signature. "The headmaster wants to see me."
"That sounds serious." Poppy's voice was muffled by her pillow. "What time is it anyway?"
