The auditorium lights were dim,and what was happening within Apex Simulator 2.0 flared to life on a holographic monitor on the stage. All around our squad were the other first-year squads.
They leaned forward, their whispers buzzing loud as the House Gauntlet was broadcast for us.
Excitement thrummed through me at the fact of finally being able to witness one at the academy. Dad and Pops never let me since only students and staff were permitted on campus, but they talked about it all the time.
Last year, Tibby was so pumped after watching it.
But now, I could finally see it for myself.
I mean, I’d watched it from home in the past, but it was a completely different experience being here.
It wasintense.
It had dwindled down to House of Fortitude against House of Arcane.
And my brother was on fire.
Literally.
Phoenix flames blazed from Tibby’s wings, curling up into a storm of gold light that scorched through every single spell House of Arcane students tried to throw at him. He melted their shields and blew through their wards, opening them up for his squad to attack.
The crowd and I gasped when he set the entire field ablaze and walked through it like a badass. His black hair threaded with green lowlights glowed, and his green eyes burned brighter than the fire he commanded.
The siren triplets, who had been in another year-one squad, were cheering him on, and I figured they weren’t that bad if they were supporting Tibby so much.
“Go, Tibby!” I shouted, even though I knew he couldn’t hear me.
I had to cheer on my big brother.
“You’re so cute when you’re being a cheerleader,” Slater gushed, kissing my cheek.
“She is, isn’t she?” Zuko agreed, grinning at me.
I rolled my eyes, ignoring the heat rising on my cheeks, and continued to cheer him on.
“Tobias Bloodwyne,” someone breathed behind me. “That’s your brother, right?”
“Sure is,” I answered gleefully as Tibby demolished three senior Arcane House members at once with a blast of flames that cracked their barriers into rubble.
When the simulator cut and the students walked into the auditorium, House of Fortitude stood victorious, solely because of my brother.
The cheers echoed as the houses filed in. First-years around me were already buzzing about how next year that’ll be us, if we survived the placement exam, that was.
“Enjoy it while it lasts,” I teased as Tibby found me while the rest of the house members spilled into the auditorium. “Because next year, I’ll totally beat you.”
Tibby smirked, his green eyes gleaming. “Not if you’re in my house to help me.”
“True,” I admitted with a wicked grin. “Bloodwynes will take over.”
He nudged me with his shoulder. “Don’t get cocky, Roo.”
“Me?Never.” I cackled.
“Are you ready for house placement?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said, sharper than I meant to. My stomach had been knotted for weeks leading up to it, but Tibby didn’t need to know that.
It was like my instincts were screaming at me that something bad was about to happen. I knew without a doubt that I was more qualified to be an agent than half of the supernaturals here, but there was something in my gut that said something was wrong.
