Jace
The smell of burning sage and candle wax drifted through the West Courtyard as I crossed the stone steps. A thin mist curled around the carved wolf statues lining the walkway, making them look like silent sentinels glaring into the dark. Students laughed and murmured in small groups.
It was the Halves' monthly ritual night. Bullshit theatrics, if you asked me. Half these kids couldn't conjure a matchstick spark if their lives depended on it, but here they were, chanting fake oaths under the full moon for clout.
My jaw clenched as I moved past a group of juniors holding candle trays. I needed to find Alex and drag her out before she did something reckless again. She always liked these gatherings too much – the attention, the power play, the subtle way everyone bowed to her.
