Page 251 of The Academy of Blood & Shadow

"Now." No argument. We go.

Students fill the courtyard when we arrive. Not chaos. Nothing at Varethia becomes chaos anymore. Wings assemble. Chiefs call names. Professors move between formations. Lanterns everywhere. Rainwater shines across the stones.

Nyra finds me first. She catches both my arms. "You're here."

I blink. "Yes."

"Where's Cassian?" She asks.

"Here." He steps around me.

Nyra closes her eyes briefly. Relief. Then opens them. "It's another student."

My stomach drops. "Who?"

"I don't know."

Caelen appears across the courtyard. Finds me. I know the exact moment he does because his shoulders loosen. He doesn't come over. He's working. Chief. But he sees me. That's enough.

Then Rhyven emerges from the eastern corridor. A roster in one hand. Speaking to Maelis. His gaze moves across the crowd. Once. Fast. Then stops on me. Only for a moment. Something passes between us. Here. Yes. Then he's moving again.

Attendance begins. Different Wings. Different lists. Names answered one after another. Then Dawn Wing reaches the students who passed us on patrol. I know before the silence finishes. The vampire answers. The human doesn't. Caelen looks up from the roster. "Lysa Mareth." Silence. Again. "Lysa Mareth." Nothing.

The vampire beside her empty place looks confused. Then frightened. "She was with me." Every head near them turns.

Caelen steps forward. "When?"

"Patrol." My blood goes cold. Cassian looks at me. East Seven. The girl. The smile. Rain.

"What happened?" Caelen asks.

"I don't know." The vampire's voice begins shaking. "We reached Marker Nine. She said she needed to check the lower inscription because it looked muddy. I turned around."

"For how long?"

"I don't know. Seconds. Maybe twenty."

"And?"