“Same.” I shrug and look at Wylder. “Have you ever noticed you can be underwhelmed and overwhelmed, but you can’t just be ‘whelmed’? What’s that about?”
He blinks at me and, for the first time, he cracks a smile. “I’m not sure, but it’s worth giving some thought.”
Amber’s nose wrinkles like I’ve got stank on me. “Do you think this is a joke? You get that you’re a mistake, right? You’re a total newb and your bloodline is tainted and marked. I’ll give you a hint… That’s not good. Nobody wants you here.”
“And are you the nobody you’re talking about?” I ask.
Amber’s gaze narrows dangerously on me, her bright hazel eyes flaring with fury. “Do you know who you’re talking to? I’m more than a girl from your high school, loser. I’m an Emberwood Elite.”
I laugh. “Trust me. I know exactly who I’m talking to. A superficial, insecure cow who cares more about her family name and status than who someone is and what they have to offer. You’re a petty little girl who resorts to insulting and tormenting everyone you think is beneath you so you can feel good about yourself. And as for being an Emberwood Elite—newsflash, beotch—I am too.”
Fallon gasps, and if Amber could incinerate me with just her glare, I’d be the Arcana version of the Burning Man.
But before she can respond, the man at the desk clears his throat.
“If you’ll excuse us, ladies. We have a session to begin.” His voice carries unexpected weight for his willowy frame. As Amber and Fallon reluctantly exit, he turns to me. “Ms. Hallowind, please join the others.”
I take the empty seat at the end of the row as Wylder leans against the wall behind us.
The instructor approaches. Up close, I notice his skin has a faint blue undertone, and when he blinks, I glimpse a second translucent eyelid.
“For those who haven’t met me, I’m Dr. Thorne.” He smiles, revealing teeth just slightly sharper than normal. “I’m a selkie and the Academy’s magical physician. I specialize in affinity therapy and magical unbinding.”
A girl with dark hair streaked with blue and green raises her hand. “So when do we get started? I need my wolf out like, yesterday.”
Dr. Thorne regards her with patient eyes. “Ms. Wolcott, as I’ve explained, we don’t simply ‘let the wolf out,’ as you put it. Your case, like everyone else’s here, requires careful handling.”
He moves to the center of our half-circle. “In cases where powers have built up, whether naturally from a late transition or forcibly from a binding, the biggest danger is for the powers to simply be set free all at once. The resulting magical backlash could harm you and others.”
“So, you’re not going to release my wolf?” The girl looks panicked. “I’m here to wolf out. If I don’t?—”
Dr. Thorne holds up a hand. “I said we can’t simply set them free, not all at once. If I do my job right, your powers will be freed in phases, like layers of an onion. Once a week, depending on your progress, you will start your day with me, and I will peel away another layer of the problem energy.”
He produces a crystal orb that shifts colors as it passes near each of us. When it hovers over me, it flares a deep midnight blue with pinpricks of light.
“Interesting,” he murmurs, making notes. He proceeds down the line, announcing each student’s status.
“Chen, Malcolm: Suppressed Affinity, Water, Stable.”
“Wolcott, Sera: Bound Transformation, Lycanthropy, Unstable.”
“Nguyen, Tristan: Latent Affinity, Earth, Stable.”
“Gonzalez, Elena: Dual Affinity, Metal, Unstable.”
Then he returns to me. “Hallowind, Poppy: Bound Affinity, Spirit, Provisional.”
I sense more than hear Wylder’s sharp intake of breath. When I glance back, his brow is pinched, and his entire frame has gone rigid.
I turn to Dr. Thorne. “What does provisional mean?”
“It means there’s much more to assess. I’ll work with you first, then if I need to circle back, I can give you more time atthe end, if necessary.” He turns to the whole group and gestures toward the door. “All of you, come with me.”
Wylder pushes off the wall, following as Dr. Thorne leads us through a side door and up a winding staircase. We emerge into a tower room where the walls are made of clear crystal that refracts sunlight into rainbows across the floor.
“This is the Destiny Spire,” Dr. Thorne explains. “It’s one of the few places where we can safely remove magical blocks without risking you being overwhelmed or affecting the surrounding area. Miss Hallowind, if you will.”
He directs me to stand in the center of an intricate pattern etched into the floor. Wylder waits with the other students by the door. They all look as nervous as I feel, and I briefly wonder if I’m being sacrificed as a guinea pig.
