ily

ed into my bones by the ti

ran beneath my skin, reminding me that the device I depended on was no longer reliable. I pre

d others showing off small bursts of magic. A few looked nervous. Most loo

t here

lower vault and steal th

napping in the wind. Behind him, the mountain rose into a w

marker flag from the summit shrine, and return before sunset. You may use your ab

wept over

ail to return, the academy

nts laughed

rang across

in three minutes. All initiates are to pr

bout the sudden change. I joined the movement, keeping my head down and m

es. That wa

he terrain as we moved, searching for the western ledge I'd noticed on the academy map. If

ar snow, strengthen their boots, or pull themselves over slippery rock

e wind

t across the trail, turning the world white. The clouds above us twisted into a dark spiral

ordinary mou

a person before morning. But this storm felt different. The wind seemed to circle

rose ah

students behind him scattered, shoving past one another to avoid f

the main path before

toward it, keeping one hand against the cliff wall as the

oot

d across the frozen surface without finding a hold. The

wall of ice. Pain shot through my shoulder. For several seconds, I

he bottom of a narrow ravine. The storm roared somewhere

broken, though my shoulder throbbed. My jam

muttered. "

teep. Every time I found a foothold, loose snow

eard a l

fr

was large, with a body that seemed to blend into the shadows arou

careful ste

ead, revealing a mouth fil

lowed. Metal scrap

dden beneath a dark hood. A rune-carved blade rested in one gloved h

n't look surpr

began to

ose on both sides and the creature blocked the only clear p

rking jammer, and no idea who had b

figure lifte

beneath my f

powerful w