se spiraled downw

e smell of ozone and clean magic faded, replaced by the heavy s

Shadow sprites. The Order's invisible spy network. Ali

t behind his desk, his fingers drumm

ckground check on the Padilla family. I want to

d sharply and

of Aethelgard was alread

apprentice dropped a vial of sulfur. "Did y

otected their egos. A noble cheating was far more believable

the stairs. She walked dow

were leaning against the wall

as Alina walked by. "Think her fancy artifact i

at her alive," t

ke water over a stone. In her past life, she had been calle

Let them think she was a cheating, powerless

a fraction of a second

Gauntlet sat heavy and stable in her core. It f

iron gate at the end of the

f people in grey rags were scrubbing massive, blood-stained

te screeched, all

othes and straight posture made her stick out like a s

ter sneered. He purposefully swung the bucket hard, sending a wa

idn't j

lided backward exactly half an inch. The

nst the stone, missing the ti

ked, confused. He opened

en't clean by sundown, nobody eats!" a

parted i

eld a clean white handkerchief over her nose. Her eyes locked onto Alina,

e pulled the assignment paper f

idn't t

girl's utter lack of fear was not just defiance; it was a direct insult. It made the other workers watch, wait, holding their breath. She had to crush

ing in close so Alina could smell her sour breath. "Down here, you

uel laughter. They were waiti

n at the muddy b

She didn't bend d

her head. She lock

etely dead. Her eyes wer

the courtyard