Always.
Her shadows pull back, swirling protectively around her feet, but I’m too busy trying to keep my grin in check. Up close, she’s even more striking, all sharp edges and tightly reined-in power.
And boy what power she has. If I can feel it now, just imagine if she lets go. I mean, I’d like to be there when it happens for sure. And I mean that in only the best possible way. A shiver zips down my spine at the thought.
“Hi there!” I say, shoving my hands in my pockets like I didn’t just dramatically fall out of the sky or think some rather delicious thoughts. “I’m Finn. Welcome to Hogwarts for problem children. You must be the new shadow girl everyone’s been whispering about.”
She blinks at me, her gaze darting between me and the tower. “Did you just… jump off a fucking building?”
“More like a controlled fall. With style.” I wink, but she’s still staring at me like I might be insane.
Fair.
Before she can say anything else, I crouch down to get a closer look at her shadows. They flinch back for half a second, then one of the smaller ones wriggles forward, sniffing at my boot like it’s inquisitive as the big one tries to pull it back.
“And who are these lovely void creatures?” I ask, smirking. “The big guy here’s got CEO energy. Definitely a ‘Bob from accounting’ vibe, if Bob was made of living darkness.”
The big shadow seems to straighten, and I almost laugh.
Bob it is.
“Bob?” the girl asks, her voice flat but with a hint of something—curiosity? Amusement?
“Yeah, look at him!” I gesture. “He’s clearly running this operation.” I glance at the smaller shadow investigating my boot. “And this one? Definitely a Finnick. Trouble written all over him.”
Her lips twitch like she’s trying not to smile, and I take that as a win.
Thorne clears his throat behind us, and I reluctantly stand.
“If you’re quite finished, Mr. Veylan,” he says in that clipped tone that makes everything sound like a scolding, “Miss Draven has an orientation to attend.”
“Orientation?” I make a face. “Boring. I could give you the real tour. Best hiding spots, where the kitchen imps stash the good snacks, which professors you can prank without getting expelled...”
Her lips twitch again, and her shadows wriggle like they’re excited. Even Bob looks like he’s considering my offer.
“Mr. Veylan,” Thorne snaps, his patience clearly running thin.
“Fine, fine,” I say, backing away with my hands raised. I turn to her one last time, smirking. “But seriously. When you’re done with Thorne’s snooze-fest, come find me. The shadows will know.”
Bob straightens again, and I wink at him.
“Keep them in line, big guy.”
As I walk away, I hear her ask, “Is he always like that?”
“Mr. Veylan,” Thorne replies dryly, “is a perfect example of why chaos magic is strictly regulated.”
I grin to myself, already making mental notes.
Bob needs his own spreadsheet. For organizational purposes, of course.
Chapter 5
Kaia
The hall smells faintly of old parchment and ozone, the kind of scent that clings to places steeped in magic. Students’ voices bounce off the high ceilings, and the light filtering through enchanted windows shifts like a kaleidoscope. Shadows twist uneasily around my legs, brushing against the marble floor like restless waves. Four massive banners dominate the walls, each representing a faction: Light's radiant sunburst on white, Shadow's crescent moon wrapped in darkness, Elements' intertwined elemental symbols, and Sorcery's tome surrounded by glowing runes. The banners seem alive with magic—Light's cloth shimmers with inner radiance, Shadow's ripples like liquid night, Elements' symbols pulse with raw power, and Sorcery's runes shift and change as I watch.
Mouse stays perched on my shoulder, his glowing violet eyes scanning the crowd. The energy in the air is overwhelming—too many people, too many bright lights and flashes of magic sparking in the corners of my vision.
