JASON
The smell council chamber still clung to me like smoke, but the second I crossed the courtyard and spotted them under the old oak tree, my pulse slowed.
Reed had sprawled across the grass, Sienna was half on top of him with the board balanced between their knees, Evie sat cross-legged with her wild hair tied back, and Lori—my Lori—was leaning forward, grinning like she’d already won whatever game they were playing.
Dice clattered against the board, laughter spilled out in bursts, and for a moment the entire academy melted away as if there were no gods-damned Council waiting for me to screw up.
Reed spotted me first and shot both arms in the air. “Look who finally crawled out of the cave! Mr. Mystery himself!” he shouted, voice echoing across the quad.
Sienna smacked his che
