I blink. “What, like a magical hazmat suit and some essential oils?”
His lips twitch, but he doesn’t smile. “It’s about control. And consent. Even temporary bonds require both. Raiden is trained. He will not harm you.”
Butwill it harm me anyway?
I don’t ask that out loud. Instead, another question pushes its way forward—the one I’ve been holding onto since the moment all of this started.
“What exactly is the Veil?”
That gets a pause. A real one.
Professor River glances at me, then continues walking, slower this time. “The Veil is a barrier between realms,” he says. “A boundary that keeps the worlds from bleeding into each other. Your world—the mortal one—is only one thread in the tapestry. There are others. The Fae realms. The Underworld. This one.”
I frown. “And this one is…what? The magical suburbs?”
His mouth twitches again. “Not quite. Think of it as a mirrored realm. Structurally similar to yours, but layered with magic. Shifters, Bloodborn, Bone witches, Veil mages—this is where our kind exist openly. Without needing to hide.”
My steps slow. “So the Veil separates them all?”
“It protects them from collapsing into each other. Portals—like the one you came through—are controlled rifts. Set paths. But when the Veil tears, that control breaks. And things that shouldn’t be here…cross over.”
Like the shadow thing in my apartment.
“And I’m the one ripping holes in it.”
He stops again, turning toward me with a more serious look. “You’re nottryingto. But yes. Uncontrolled magic—especially magic that doesn’t yet understand its origin—puts stress on the Veil. That’s why the tether exists. To contain the pressure.”
“Neat,” I say. “So it’s not just my life on the line. It’s all the realms.”
His expression is unreadable. “Now you understand the urgency.”
I nod slowly as it all settles heavy in my chest.
So, not only am I a walking magical explosion, I’m apparently the unstable wildcard between the mortal world and whatever the hell lives in the Underworld.
Awesome.
“So what do I do now?”
“Return to your dorm. You'll find what you need there. Cleanse. Center. Then meet us at the ritual chamber in one hour.”
And with that, he turns and walks away, cloak whispering behind him like the whole thing is already decided.
One hour.
And then...whatever this Veilbind is, I won’t be able to undo it, until my aura is stable. I take a slow breath, trying to steady the hammering in my chest.
Ahead, the corridor is already emptying. A glimpse of movement at the far end, Raiden’s figure retreating, shoulders squared, stride clipped. He doesn’t look back.
I press a hand to my sleeve, fingers brushing the mark. The pulse beneath my skin is stronger now, as if it knows what’s coming.
Veilbind. One hour.
My stomach twists. I know just enough now to be terrified—enough to understand that this bond is more than magical duct tape. It’sintimate.Raw. Exposing. I’ll feel him. He’ll feel me. And Raiden made it very clear he wants no part of it.
I force another breath and turn the corner and nearly collide with Nolan. He skids to a stop, wide-eyed. A wrapped sandwich and an apple are clutched in his hands.
“Lindsay!” Relief floods his face. “I—I was waiting. I wasn’t sure how long they’d keep you—so I, uh—” He holds up the food, cheeks pink. “Figured you missed lunch.”