LILA'S POV
The dorm room felt smaller than usual. The walls seemed to close in, like they were squeezing the air out of me.
I sat on the edge of my bed, heart pounding so loud I was sure Asher, who was reading a novel on his bed, could hear.
Kade was making my life hell. Every day, every moment, he found some way to make me feel like I didn’t belong. Like I was a mistake. Like I was a target.
I tried to keep my head down, but it wasn’t working.
The worst part? I couldn’t tell anyone—not truly. Not here. Not in this place where secrets were weapons and trust was a luxury.
And now, as if things couldn’t get worse, the academy announced a new test.
A wilderness survival test.
My stomach twisted.
The announcement came over the loudspeakers in the common hall, but I heard about it bef
