"Starting tomorrow," Marrow said, "all bonded students will be required to register with the administration. This will involve a brief interview, a magical stability assessment, and a standard blood sample. Just to ensure everyone remains safe."
"Blood sample?" I hissed. "Is he joking?"
"He's cataloging us," Lucien said, his voice ice-cold. "He wants genetic data. He wants to knowhowthe bonds work."
"It is a new era for Northcrest," Marrow concluded, spreading his arms wide. "An era of transparency. Of safety. Of... purity."
The word hung in the air, sharp and ugly.Purity.
"If you have nothing to hide," Marrow said, his smile returning, "you have nothing to fear. Dismissed."
He walked off stage to scattered, polite applause. Most of the students looked confused. Some looked worried. But I noticed a group in the front row—mostly high-status Shifters and wealthy Warlock heirs—clapping enthusiastically.
ThePurists.
"We need to leave," Rhett said abruptly, standing up. "Now. Before I throw a chair at him."
We pushed our way out of the pew, moving against the flow of students. The air in the Hall felt stifling now, thick with the scent of anxiety and Marrow's oppressivenothingness.
We burst out into the cool spring air of the Quad, gasping like divers surfacing for air.
"Did you hear him?" Kai paced in a tight circle, running his hands through his hair. "'Purity'? 'Unchecked magic'? He sounds like a villain in a bad YA novel! Except he has a budget and a dental plan!"
"He's smart," Lucien said, leaning against a stone pillar. He looked pale, his eyes distant. "He didn't attack us. He framed it as safety. If we refuse to register, we look dangerous. If we register, we hand him our blood."
"We're not giving him our blood," Rhett stated flatly. "I don't care what the policy is. No one takes blood from my mate."
"We might not have a choice," I said, my stomach churning. "If we get expelled, we lose our protection. The campus wards keep the Brotherhood out. If we leave..."
"We're open targets," Rhett finished grimly.
"Guys!"
Ivy came sprinting across the grass, her electric blue hair flying behind her. She was clutching a bag of pretzels and looking breathless.
"I missed it!" she panted, skidding to a halt in front of us. "Did he say anything evil? Did he twirl a mustache? Why does everyone look like someone kicked a puppy?"
"He's creating a registry," I told her. "For bonded students. Mandatory blood tests."
Ivy dropped a pretzel. "Ew. Why? Is he a vampire?"
"No," Lucien said. "He's a bureaucrat. Which is worse."
"And he talked about 'Purity'," Kai added. "And 'Unchecked Chaos'."
"Hey!" Ivy looked offended. "Iamunchecked chaos! That's my brand!"
"Exactly," Rhett said. "Which means you're on his list too, Ivy. Even without a bond."
Ivy swallowed, her bravado faltering for a second. She looked over her shoulder, where students were pouring out of the Assembly Hall. Among them, I spotted a tall, broad-shouldered figure in a grey uniform.
Officer Jason Stone.
He was standing near the steps, watching the students disperse with a hawk-like intensity. His arms were crossed over his chest, stretching the fabric of his uniform in a way that was objectively impressive, even if he was the enemy.
He saw us.
His amber eyes locked onto Ivy. He didn't smile. He didn't scowl. He just... watched.
