a's

ways began t

eath a sky so dark it swallowed everything around her. There were no

endle

sil

y h

t it did little to chase away the uneasy feeling settling deep in her chest. Something was wrong. Sh

he hea

cr

oed across th

ld her

der this time, and the ice

lse qu

red, taking a ca

lutel

reaching through glass. Panic tightened around her chest. She spun in a slow circle, searching the

drifted thr

o

st g

sl

eath c

something about it hinted at a

d her na

, the ice

en surface before she could move. She stumbled backward,

as fa

swallowed her, the voice

nd.

olted

er ribs. Morning sunlight spilled through the dormitory window, painting golden streaks across the wooden floor. Outside

to control her breathing. It had only been a dr

ore broke

ard the other s

impossible. One arm hung over the edge, her blanket had somehow ended

bli

ed while she was asleep, and sh

gged at her lips

had managed to

he dream lingered in her mind more stubbornly than usual. It wasn't the fi

elt sh

os

st r

ess of a new school, new people and a new life. She held on to that explanation because

hall line wondering if it was socially a

d the entire wa

ld him she was alle

bli

ho

e g

t gi

from th

t st

king and stared a

u even l

ed, just

N

ud

hon

as though making a ve

what your

ve se

ad across P

re fu

I'm

solutel

forward before Poppy could

enchanted lanterns floated overhead, glowing warmly despite the bright sky outside. Every table was crowded. Some students laughed ove

eople Isla under

ade it halfway across the room, someone called Poppy's name. Then someone el

ow everyon

s though it were

t y

... con

that as a c

different people. She remembered exactly one name. Mostly b

le, looked com

athing, laughing with people she'd only met yes

't help adm

ced that she wasn't sure she'd remember h

ugh the dining hall. Conversations quie

hed into

're h

n't need

Frost

Frost

d one another and made their way toward the serving area. They didn't seem to

the group was C

y, Poppy had

ore attractiv

larity, and good looks without seeming to struggle for

of his teammates said. Then, al

es met

faded from

ame quiet intensity as yesterday, as though he

ad never met him. She was sure of it. So why did h

pian's shoulder, draw

ment p

ning hall returned

ing that something had just happ

s started ten

al Th

r more exciting tha

cal energy channels, then moved on to magical history before finishing with a long list of classroom r

t doing mu

ercise, however,

announced, "you'll demonstra

ugh the room as students t

flickered abo

f wind danced

ter floated before

extrao

drew too mu

, reminding herself to breathe. She didn't need to impress anyon

m, spinning slowly before drifting th

ridge gave an

y go

lite smile, though she couldn't hel

e years ago, she could have covered the entire classroom in ice without breaking a sweat. Now she cel

versations filling the corridor with liveliness. Isla le

ment, everythi

temperatu

h her coat so suddenly

ordinary chi

s sha

ld

settled deep b

oked a

to notice. Students kept talking, laughing, and hurr

htened in

he hea

sl

gined it. She turned quickly. There was no one behin

ce came

r thi

nd

lse qu

't like t

was

new s

t the voic

it knew exact

d gently on

hard she nearly

ho

d at her wi

u o

f to smile, though

m f

n't look

ke you've se

were somethin

the dormitory window with an o

to study for alm

ng the impo

refused to stay on magical theory for long. They always wandered back to the strange whispers, the dream

it mad

not havi

e lights from the academy shimmered against the frozen

mo

e edge of the la

as standi

ctly

g the d

ng her

h her body as she sl

ure did

't l

t loo

her heartbeat growing louder with

lled across t

uminated the s

caught in I

taring bac

s