WILLA
I shivered, wrapping my arms around myself.
It had nothing to do with the frigid air in the hearing room but everything to do with the three people seated before us.
The academy committee and disciplinary team.
Headmaster Alaric was the only face I recognized.
They sat on a raised platform behind a long rectangular table, leaning toward one another as they argued in low voices. I couldn’t make out their words, but I didn’t need to.
The expressions on their faces said enough. Disapproval. Frustration. Judgnt.
After what felt like forever, they finally looked up. Every single one of them. And their eyes landed on .
I swallowed, rubbing my damp palms together before smoothing them over my skirt, forcing myself to take a steady breath as I glanced around.
I wasn’t alone.
There were fifteen of us in total, all lined up for violating the rules, excluding Eric, Kol, and Lance, who were noticeably absent.
The others shifted uneasily, avoiding the committee’s gaze, their discomfort obvious, and for a mont, I found a strange sense of relief in knowing I wasn’t the only one afraid.
"Nas have already been recorded," a voice said, breaking the silence.
My stomach twisted as I looked toward the speaker. The deputy head. At least, that was what the large naplate in front of her suggested.
She adjusted her round glasses down the bridge of her nose, her dark brown eyes fixed on us with sharp focus.
"We will not waste ti repeating them," she continued, her tone precise and unforgiving.
"Ugh," Verah muttered under her breath beside . "This old bat."
I glanced at Verah just in ti to see her wrinkle her nose before rolling her eyes, clearly unimpressed by whatever judgnt was about to be passed.
I let out a quiet sigh, wondering if I should feel the sa way, because this wasn’t even my world to begin with.
Yet with everyone mistaking for Elyse and the bond tying here, it felt like it had already beco mine whether I liked it or not.
And the truth was, I had never stood before any disciplinary panel like this before.
Back at my old school, I had been invisible at best and a target at worst, always the one being pushed around, never the one causing trouble.
A throat clearing snapped out of my thoughts. Rick Robinson, an enforcer who looked about the sa age as Headmaster Alaric.
He lifted a sheet of paper closer to his face as though his glasses weren’t enough, squinting despite the bright lighting in the room.
"You were all aware of the curfew," he said, his voice low and rough, the kind that made my skin crawl.
He paused, clearing his throat again before continuing in the sa grating tone. "And yet, you chose to leave the academy grounds."
No one spoke.
A few heads dipped lower, soone behind sniffled softly, and beside , Verah tightened her grip on my arm, her manicured nails digging in just enough to sting.
"No points lost, please... no, please," she whispered repeatedly under her breath, like she could will it into existence.
"It wasn’t just that," another voice cut in, cooler and far more controlled. Headmaster Alaric. "There was an unauthorized gathering in a dangerous territory and a fight."
I winced inwardly as I felt every eye in the room shift toward .
"We could go through each of you individually," Headmaster Alaric continued, his tone almost casual, as though he wasn’t furious and could let us off easily, but I knew better.
The way he had spoken to us last night had already promised punishnt, even if he hadn’t said it outright.
"But I don’t believe that’s necessary," he added, his gaze sweeping over us again. "You made this decision together, and you will take responsibility the sa way."
My fingers curled slightly under the hem of my blazer.
"Effective imdiately," he said, "each of you will lose one hundred points."
A ripple of reactions spread through the room, sharp inhales, a muffled curse, soone whispering shit under their breath.
I looked at him through my lashes, but he didn’t acknowledge any of it.
"You will remain under probation," he continued. "Any further violation, no matter how small, will not be t with another warning."
Silence settled again, heavy and suffocating, though it only lasted a few seconds.
"For now," he said, "you are dismissed."
Relief swept through the room almost imdiately. Students began to move, so already turning toward the door like they couldn’t get out fast enough.
"A hundred points," Verah mumbled, pointing to herself, then to . "Another hundred...that’s two hundred. Hopefully, it’s us alone. We’ll survive."
She gave a hopeful smile.
I gave a small nod, even though I didn’t fully understand how the point system worked yet. I took a step toward the exit with her.
Then his voice stopped . "Not you."
I stopped abruptly, my breath catching in my throat as my body locked in place.
Slowly, I turned back.
Headmaster Alaric was already watching , and not just him, the enforcer and the deputy head had their eyes fixed on as well.
I couldn’t bring myself to et their gaze.
It felt as though they were stripping away every layer of defense I had built, trying to look straight through , to uncover every lie I had buried deep inside.
My gut turned uneasily.
I shifted my weight from one foot to the other. My fingers instinctively reached for the pendant at my neck as I began to twist it between them.
It didn’t take long before I sensed it. A presence behind . Not one. Three. They were here.
Nyra stirred within , and a strange warmth rushed through my body, unfamiliar yet intense. And I couldn’t tell if it was her influence or the boys’ presence affecting the sa way it had the night before.
Whatever it was, it grew stronger with every passing second.
The back of my neck tingled, sending a wave of heat throbbing through my veins, spreading through my entire body before settling low.
Every part of my body tightened in response.
I pressed my thighs together, cursing under my breath as the warmth intensified. Liquid...no, my freaking pussy juice!
I could feel it threatening to slide down my leg.
My gaze dropped briefly to my legs, to the black thigh-high socks that disappeared beneath my skirt, and for once, I was grateful I had chosen them instead of sothing shorter.
Another strange feeling crept over ... Kol. He was right behind .
I went rigid.
I didn’t dare turn to look at him. After everything that had happened last night, that alone could spark another problem.
"Five steps apart, Mr. Archer," Headmaster Alaric said, his voice firm.
Kol let out a low grunt, muttering sothing under his breath that I couldn’t quite catch, but he didn’t move. I could still feel him behind , his presence too close, too intense to ignore.
A knot ford in my stomach.
Headmaster Alaric’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Five steps, Archer," he repeated, his jaw tightening.
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