rgotten tunnels that had been sealed for generations, there was a place

arkings covered its walls, some so old that no living person remembered who had carved them. Torches burned along the passage, b

selves to their knees and neither spoke. The man on the throne did not look at them immediatel

he said, his voice calm and cold

wered his head even fu

task," he continued, his tone never r

servant repeated,

sharp and merciless. "Then tell me why I

e swallowed hard before he could force the words out. "S

y lowered their heads until their foreheads almost touched the black stone. He walked

eved she would be alone, my lord. We believed

said. It was not a question. Neither servant dared answer. He stopped directly bef

ed a power that was greater than ours, my lord. It wasn't like anyt

d when no answer came, his v

threw us back before we could touch

tared back into the fire. "So," he murmured to himself, a faint smile touching his lips, "she ha

it had never left. "There is no longer time to waste" he said, li

ated, confused. "

tion disappeared instantly from the s

ire beside him suddenly burned higher, casting wild shadows across the chamber. "And while she is there, she will find

here near the training grounds, laughter rose above the sound of rushing water. Everything appeared normal, but beneath that normality, something had shifted, and Amaya felt it. She couldn't explain

anding nearby, and she remembered the strange force leaving her body. After that, everything became blurred, and now everyone see

already going," Miranda whisp

aya looked at him and he noticed, their eyes meeting for a moment where neither looked away until the doors opened and the instructor entered with a girl walking beside him. The conversati

I want you all to meet," he announced, his voice carrying across the si

walls, and the high windows. When she looked at the school crest above the entrance, something almost imperceptibl

ning Majesty High. You will treat her with the same respect given to every st

oden table, and for several minutes nobody mentioned Selene, the air too thick with unspoken

hat happened this morning. That was weird, righ

quickly, shaking her head.

like she already knew where everything was, like

ul. "And the instructor clearly knew her. Did yo

books she had brought and placed it on the table. "I found somethi

ity overcoming her fear. "What

of the oldest records from Majesty High. There were s

ting and frowned. "Ho

racing the faded ink."There are records

y to fear. "Disappearing? What do you

ed, shaking her head. "The

impossible. A whole group of

en scratched out, not crossed through, but scratched violently as though someone had

that? Why erase them

Maybe because they didn't want anyone

iles finally spoke, his voice low and grave. "What abou

ere, written in ink that had bled with age, the words appeared again.

unsteady. "There was one student who remained after

the name isn't there. Look

erase the name?" Loretta asked, look

knew the school. The instructor knew her. And now we're reading about p

, her eyes moving toward Sofia with

tanding immediately

r told us there was a hidden door in the i

and we didn't want to worry you," So

face. "Then there's only one way to find

And if the instructor catches us?

door and smirked despit

self, shaking her head. "T

his expression tur

, we do it now before we lose

spoke above a whisper. The room looked exactly as it had before, with books floating near the shelves and

it," Amaya whis

Nothing happened at first, and she tried again, pressing harder. A soft click sounded

That's not normal. That door shouldn't b

ve. "Nothing in this school is normal,

than Amaya remembered, and much colder. At the end stood an old wooden door

aid sharply, hi

. "What is it?" Amaya whis

is head, liste

own breathing. Then, a sound. Slow, deep, and heavy

inst the other side of the door, like claws on stone.

is. Maybe this was a bad idea,

m, her own fear show

back, not pretending otherwise, an

he door. "We can still leave. Right now. We c

t another part, a deeper part that had awakened during the attack, wanted to know what

now," Amaya

th a creak that ec

irst, they saw nothing but darkness. Then something shifted in that darkness. A

its enormous body beginning to rise from where it had been sleeping. Miranda grabbed Sofia

sbelief. "What... what is

rkness, black and gleaming like armor. Then its shoulders appeared, then two enormous wings unf

ings carved into the wall high above them. Then it opened its eyes, two burning golden orbs that found

ever heard rolled through the chamber, making the floor shake violently beneath their feet. Amaya reached for Miran