A massive explosion erupted somewhere to the north, a boom that shook the ground and rattled her teeth.
The shimmering boundary of the exam zone flashed a violent, angry red.
Grace stopped. For one impossible second, she could not process what she was seeing. The ward shattered. It cracked like glass, then dissolved into glittering dust.
What's happening?! Thought Grace frantically. Is this a part of the exam? No, the Academy wouldn't destroy the barrier, no matter what.
This was not part of the exam. Not in the scrapped version. Not in any version.
A red burst of energy tore through the air above her head. Grace ducked instinctively. The attack passed close enough that a wave of heat and a foul, cloying wrongness scraped across her senses.
Demonic energy. Her blood turned cold.
