It wasn't an accident. It was a test. He had triggered the boy's surge just to see what I could do. To see if I could stop him.
And I had shown him exactly what he wanted to see.
I wasn't just a battery. I was a circuit breaker.
Marrow smiled, a small, knowing thing.
"See you at the hearing, Ms. Arden," he said softly.
He turned and walked away.
The students parted for him, terrified. But as I walked toward Stone, head held high, I saw something else in their eyes.
Not fear.
Hope.
They had seen me stop the drain. They had seen someone stand up to the void.
The War had begun. And for the first time... we had a champion.
10
The citation I had received from Dean Marrow was polite. It was printed on heavy cream cardstock with gold embossing, requesting my presence in the Headmaster's Office at 5:00 PM for a "Disciplinary Review."
It looked like a wedding invitation. It felt like a summons to the gallows.
"I'm going in with you," Rhett said for the hundredth time. He was pacing the length of the hallway outside the Administration building, wearing a groove into the stone floor. "I’ll shift. I’ll eat his desk. I don't care."
"You can't," I said, adjusting my blazer. I had dressed for war today—my "armored" look. Black boots, dark jeans, and a leather jacket that smelled like Rhett. "The summons was specific. 'Lina Arden. Alone.' If you come in, he wins. He sees us as volatile."
"Wearevolatile," Kai snapped. He was leaning against the wall, shredding a paper cup with his nails. "He threatened you, Lina. He set up that attack in the Quad just to test you."
"I know," I said. "And I passed. Or failed, depending on how you look at it."
Lucien stepped forward. He placed a hand on my shoulder. His touch was cold, grounding.
"He wants something," Lucien said softly. "If he wanted to expel you, he would have done it on the Quad. He wants a conversation. Listen to him. Find out the price."
"And then?" I asked.
"And then come back to us," Lucien said. "And we will decide if we pay it. Or if we burn the bank down."
I took a deep breath. "Okay. I'll see you on the other side."
I turned and walked through the heavy double doors.
The Dean's office was vast. It was situated at the very top of the central tower, with floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a panoramic view of the campus below. The sun was setting, casting long, bloody shadows across the room.
Dean Marrow sat behind a desk made of glass and chrome. It was stark, modern, and completely devoid of clutter. No photos. No papers. Just a single, pristine apple sitting in the center.
"Ms. Arden," he smiled, not standing up. "Punctual. I appreciate that."
I didn't smile back. I walked to the chair opposite him and sat down.
"Dean Marrow. Am I being expelled?"
He laughed—a dry, rustling sound. "Expelled? Heavens, no. Why would I expel my most promising student?"
