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"First-years lower lecture rooms." I say.

Mara looks at me. "Good." Then she's gone. No discussion. No Chief. No Rhyven. No time.

"With me!" I move. They follow. Thank gods.

The first explosion was nothing compared to the second. Stone cracks somewhere above. Dust rains from the ceiling. Someone falls. I grab the back of Lena's coat before she gets trampled. "Keep moving."

"What was that?"

"I don't know." Honest. Useful.

We reach the central intersection. Smoke is already entering from the western passage. Inside. Smoke inside the Academy. No. "Lower route." I turn.

Three students are coming toward us from the opposite direction. One is bleeding heavily from the face. "Don't go west!" He shouts. "Gate's open!"

"I know."

"No—" He grabs my arm. "Something's inside."

A scream cuts through the passage behind him.

Not human. Maybe. Then a body hits the wall.

Hard. The students freeze. Fuck.

"LOWER ROUTE. NOW." They move. Good.

The horn stops. For half a second— silence.

Then the Academy erupts.

Magic flashes through the western corridor. Bright white. Someone shouts. Glass breaks. A figure comes through the smoke. Human. I think. Male.

Academy clothes. No. Village clothes. His eyes—white. Completely.

He runs at us. Too fast.

"DOWN!" I throw the dagger before I think. It enters his throat. He falls. Fast. No dramatic pause. No strange magical death. Body. Floor. Blood. Red. Human. Nobody moves. Including me. Oh gods. I just— No. Later. "Move." My voice barely works. I pull the dagger free. Warm blood over my hand. Don't look. "Move!" They move.

The second one comes from the stairs. White eyes.

A woman. She lifts one hand. Something black-white moves around her fingers. Magic. Wrong.

"Lena, ward!" Lena reacts. Her ward goes up badly.

Too thin. The magic hits. The ward cracks. I reinforce. Left hand. Not dominant. Doesn't matter.

Pressure slams through my arm. My shoulder screams. Hold. Hold. "Back!"

The first-years retreat. The woman's magic hits again.

Ward fails. Fine. We already moved. That's the point.

Don't defend every inch. Protect people. Give ground.

I release the ward. Grab Lena. "Run." We do.

The lower lecture rooms should be safe. Should. Nothing means anything anymore.