Page 523 of The Academy of Blood & Shadow

"Lena." She looks at me immediately. "Response group with me. Toren, count." He starts. "Mira, find out who doesn't have weapons." She moves.

"Joss, boots." He looks down. He has one. I stare. "How."

"I was sleeping."

"Find the other one."

"Right."

Good. Tasks. Tasks are useful.

Mara comes down behind me. "Listen." The room quiets. Mostly. "At approximately five twenty this morning, East Residence reported a missing first-year." Voices immediately start. Mara raises hers.

"Quiet." They stop. "The student was last confirmed present at approximately eleven thirty last night."

"Who?" Someone asks.

Mara pauses. "Tavian Merrow." I know the name. Not well. Tide. First-year. Quiet. Dark hair. Sat two rows behind Cassian in manifestation theory. Fuck.

"Was he alone?" Someone asks.

"No." There. The room changes. Everyone knows why that matters. Mara continues. "He shared the room with two other students." Silence. "They were present throughout the night."

"How?" Someone whispers.

Mara ignores it. "Until we know more, nobody moves alone."

A bitter laugh comes from somewhere behind me. "We already weren't." Mara's expression tightens. Exactly.

"Response procedures remain active." She continues.

"Second-year command is coordinating with faculty. First-years stay within assigned groups unless directed otherwise." Her eyes find mine. "Vaelith."

"Yes."

"Your seventeen stay together."

"Understood."