Even the floating candles seemed to pause overhead.
Professor Kenna regarded me for several long seconds.
Then, softly—dangerously softly—she said, “The Fates have never once concerned themselves with human expectations of worth, Miss Cordoza.”
Lightning split the skies of Asgarheim outside the tower windows.
And for one strange impossible moment—I felt like the realm itself was listening.
Chapter 1-Amrin
Oh gods—my mother was going to kill me.
Not literally.
Probably.
But the look she would give me?
That might be worse.
I stared down at the parchment in my hands, the bold, unmistakable mark at the top bleeding into my vision like an accusation.
An F.
Not subtle.
Not ambiguous.
Not salvageable.
Just a clean, definitive failure.
My fingers tightened around the edge of the exam as I exhaled slowly through my nose, willing myself not to crumple it then and there.
Around me, other grad students were already gathering their things—some chatting, some laughing, some already moving on with their lives like failure wasn’t something that clung to you.
Like it didn’t follow you home.
Or sit at your family’s table and stare at you while you pretended not to see it.
“That’s it, everyone. Class is dismissed.”
Professor Franco’s voice cut through the noise, and I didn’t move.
Not right away.
I stayed seated, shoulders drawn in, as though making myself smaller might somehow lessen the weight pressing down on my chest.
It wouldn’t.
It never did.
Because this wasn’t new.
This wasn’t unexpected.
This was… consistent.
