VEILBORN

FAKE DRILL AND THE HEADMISTRESS.

CHAPTER 3: Fake Drill and The Headmistress.

Setting: Drill Grounds, Level 2.

The Drill Grounds were supposed to be safe.

Illusions only. Fake monsters. Ash Tier students practiced without dying.

Professor Varric lined us up. “Today: combat illusions. You hide, you dodge, you survive. No casting unless you’re attacked.”

I planned to hide. Rule #1: No attention.

I climbed the rafters above the arena. From there I could see Level 3. The Obsidian Spire.

They were there. Observing for the Circle.

White-silver hair. Runes faint. The Ice Prince.

Big earth guy. Quiet.

Fire guy, smirking, leaning on railing.

Copper hair and gray eyes. His shadow, standing too close to him.

Ember Fang.

They weren’t supposed to interfere. Just watch and report.

Below, Ash Tier students cast sparks at illusion goblins.

Then the air tore.

Not illusion purple. Real black. A c***k opened in the arena floor.

A real Wispwraith fell out. Child-sized, no eyes, needle teeth. It shrieked and launched at a girl who froze.

Panic. Real panic.

Professor Varric moved, but too far.

From the rafters I saw the Ice Prince sigh. Like this was annoying.

He dropped 30ft from Level 3 to Level 2. Landed without sound. Ice spread from his boots.

“Everyone back,” he said. Two words. Whole arena heard.

The big earth guy dropped down next. Stone wall slammed up. Fire guy snapped fingers, flame line cut arena in half. Copper-haired girl spun illusions to trap the wraith.

Efficient. Cold. Practiced.

The wraith went for the frozen girl.

I dropped from rafters. Landed in a roll. Grabbed training staff. Swung. Hit wraith as teeth went for girl’s throat.

Black mist. Gone.

Silence.

60 Ash Tier students staring. Professor Varric staring.

And the Ice Prince staring.

He walked over slow. Glacier eyes. Runes dimming. Looked at staff. At empty palms. At my breathing.

Then he scoffed. One short, sharp sound. Like I was pathetic for thinking a staff would help.

He didn’t speak. Didn’t thank me.

He turned to Varric. “Arena wards failed. Fix them. Ash Tier is dismissed.”

Three words more than usual.

Then he looked at me. One second. Assessing. Like he’d just confirmed I was lying about being weak, but still not worth his time.

He climbed chains back to Level 3. His shadow followed, glaring at me. Fire guy winked. Big earth guy nodded once.

Then they were gone.

Professor Varric checked the girl. “She’s fine. You. Null girl. Stay.”

I stayed. Knees shaking.

The drill ended. Students filed out, whispering about me.

Then the air went cold. Not Kael-cold. Authority-cold.

Headmistress Selene appeared on the platform. Silver hair, black dress, eyes that had seen kingdoms burn. She didn’t walk. She arrived.

“Report,” she said to Varric.

He told her everything. The ward failure. The wraith. The Ash Tier girl with a staff.

Selene’s eyes slid to me. Gray, sharp, seeing too much.

She walked down the line. Stopped at the top students. “You. Good reflexes. You. Adequate. You. Average. Try harder.”

Admonishments. Praise. Cold, fair, Powerful.

Then she stopped in front of me.

“You,” she said. “Ryn Vale. Ash Tier. Null reading.”

I said nothing.

“You hid in the rafters,” she said. “You dropped down. You used a staff, not magic. You saved a student.”

“Yes, Headmistress,” I whispered.

“Nulls don’t have reflexes like that,” she said. Quiet, but everyone heard. “Nulls don’t run toward danger.”

I stared at the stone floor.

“Come with me,” she said. “Now.”

Not a question.

I followed her off the platform, legs numb. Behind me I heard Mira whisper, “What’s going to happen to her?”

I didn’t look up at Level 3.

But I felt it. Glacier eyes watching from the Obsidian Spire.

He saw everything.

And he still thought I was just a rat.

Perfect.