The hall was very loud with the voices of many new students. Bright sun came through the tall windows. It looked like little magic bits were dancing in the light. Long wooden tables filled the room. Cyrene felt confused after her accident outside. She held her old bag very tightly.
Malric hit her shoulder to make her feel better.
"Do not worry," he whispered while eating a big pizza.
"First meetings are not that important. You stopped the headmaster's magic! Everyone will talk about that forever."
Cyrene tried to smile.
"Thanks, Malric. But I think I will be kicked out of school before I become famous."
She walked to a table to find a seat. As she tried to put her bag down, she heard a very cold voice.
"Excuse me. Your bag is in the way."
Cyrene looked up. A boy who looked perfect was standing there. His hair was white like the moon, and his face looked very smart. His eyes were blue like ice and felt very cold. He wore a perfect uniform. Cyrene felt messy next to him.
He was very handsome, but he was also as cold as a freezer.
"I'm sorry," Cyrene said. She put her bag under the seat quickly.
"I didn't see you."
The boy did not smile. He looked at her like she was not important.
"I am not meant to be in the way."
"Okay. I didn't mean to be rude," Cyrene said.
"It is fine," he said, but he did not sound happy. He fixed his tie.
"I am Lysander Veylor. I lead the students here. And who are you?"
"Cyrene Galehart," she said. She felt nervous.
Lysander's blue eyes got small.
"Galehart. Yes. You are the one who broke the headmaster's magic. That was a very messy thing to do."
Cyrene's face turned red.
"It was an accident!"
"Accidents happen to people who cannot control themselves," Lysander said. His voice was very cold.
Cyrene tried to stay calm.
"I am new here. I am still learning. I did not do it on purpose."
Lysander moved his head.
"This school is for following rules, not just trying things out. Especially when your magic breaks things."
He pulled out a small pen and a metal board.
"I keep things in order. When magic causes trouble, I have to write it down."
Cyrene's eyes got big. "Are you serious? A bad mark? I just got here!"
"Yes," Lysander said. He did not change his face.
"Five minutes. That is a new record for getting in trouble." He tapped his board, and a glowing sign appeared.
"A mark for using magic without care."
He showed her the board.
"But that is not fair!" Cyrene said.
"My magic just happens sometimes."
Lysander smiled a tiny bit, but it was a mean smile. "'Happens.' That is what people say when they have no control. I think your magic stops other magic. Is that true?"
Cyrene was shocked. "How do you know that?"
"Miss Galehart," Lysander said.
"I watch people. I think about what I see. When you touched that boy, the headmaster's magic died. It showed me you can stop magic, but you are not good at it yet."
He wrote more on his board. "Power: Magic Stopping. Skill: Very low."
Cyrene felt angry but also a little surprised. Lysander was very smart. He learned her secret in only five minutes. It was impressive, even if he was being mean.
"So, you are giving me a bad mark just because you think you know my magic?" she asked.
"I do not 'think.' I use facts," Lysander said.
"This school wants things to be perfect. You have not been perfect." He gave his metal board to another student.
"Your bad mark is now in the book. Try to control yourself. It would be a waste if you were kicked out of school so soon."
He looked at her one last time with his cold eyes, then walked away. He moved very slowly and perfectly.
Cyrene watched him go. She felt mad but also a bit impressed. She had been at school for ten minutes and was already in trouble. Malric was right. Lysander was like an "Ice King."
She sat back on the hard seat and looked at Malric. He was trying to build a house out of pieces of bread.
"That was not a nice hello," she said.
Malric looked up with bread on his nose.
"Yeah, Lysander is like that. He is very smart and very cold. He thinks he knows everything."
He smiled.
"Don't worry. Maybe one day you can use your magic to mess up his perfect hair."
Cyrene laughed, and her stress went away a little.
"Maybe. But I just want to stay out of trouble for the rest of the day. No more accidents."
She looked around the room. She had already met her funny friend Malric and the cold Lysander. Her power to stop magic sounded scary, but Lysander said it could be strong. Maybe it was not a curse. Maybe she could learn to use it.
As Cyrene watched Lysander walk away, she felt something strange. Her skin felt prickly, like the air before a storm. Her fingers were stinging again.
When she touched Lysander's arm earlier, her magic had jumped. But now, the feeling in her hands was different. It did not feel wild or angry. It felt cold, sharp, and very calm, just like Lysander's magic.
She looked at her hand. It felt like a tiny piece of his perfect magic was stuck to her. She wondered if her power did more than just stop magic. What if her power could copy or learn from other people's magic when she touched them?
Cyrene smiled. Lysander thought she was just a messy student who could not control herself. He did not know that her power was becoming more complicated. This school was getting very interesting.