The academy loomed out of the mist like a watchful beast.
Stone towers pierced the pale sky, their silhouettes sharp against the fading night. As Glosh crossed through the gates, she felt it immediately—the shift. The forest had welcomed her. The academy measured her.
Every step echoed too loudly on the stone path. Every scent lingered too long. She could smell old magic soaked into the walls, the metallic tang of wards woven centuries ago, the faint fear clinging to students who had passed through before her.
She slowed, fingers curling at her sides.
Beside her, Cael moved with unhurried confidence. He said nothing, but his presence grounded her, a steady pull that kept the chaos inside her from spilling over. When she faltered, he noticed instantly.
“You’re holding too much in,” he
