Page 8 of Alchemy of Souls

Eloise Belrose.

Chaos erupts in the room, students all talking at once. Faculty attempt to gain control of the situation and the High Mages trade glances of disbelief.

Since the creation of the discernment spell, no one,no one ever, has gotten anything except the image of their assigned guild. It’s impossible. The spell is an assessor of talent, a magical measuring tape. I’m not destined for a life in Guild Eloise, for fuck’s sake.

But you know what else is impossible? Someone messing with the discernment spell in the middle of her test, only to produce a jack-in-the-box version of herself over my head two hours later. Eloise clearly did something, and I want to know what.

It only takes a fraction of a second to locate Eloise in the crowd. And her panic is so strong that I can taste the cloying scent of burnt tires in the back of my throat.

“Silence!” my uncle’s voice booms, and his command contains enough power that my jaw tightens without my permission.

The room instantly transforms from disorder to complete stillness.

“Reset the spell,” my uncle says, and the High Mages drop the gossamer lights to the floor in a puddle around my feet.

The Mages reactivate the spell, my uncle included, and it swirls. But this time it doesn’t bother flirting with the symbols of the Gifted. It goes straight for the throat.

It once again forms an image of Eloise Belrose.

Who is now threatening to ruin everything. After years of plotting and planning, she’s put every damn thing I’ve worked for in danger.

CHAPTER 5Eloise

The entire auditorium turns to me in unison. But however confused my classmates are, I’m more so.

I have no idea why my face is floating above Grayson’s head. And the longer I stare at my likeness, the more off-kilter I feel.

Grayson zeros in on me and his broad shoulders tense. “What did youdo?” Grayson’s voice projects across the auditorium, and now I’m frustrated.

He thinksIdid this? But really, it’s much worse than that. One glance around the room tells methey all do.

“I didn’t do anything,” I respond, lifting my chin and convincing no one.

“Eloise Belrose,” the High Chancellor says. “Return to the stage.”

“Eloise,” Maggie breathes, and it feels like a warning, like she’s telling me to run without actually saying the words.

I rise from the bench, Maggie’s eyes reflecting my own fear. But I have no choice. There’s no disobeying. And with every step down the aisle, Grayson’s searing gaze never wavers.

Naomi glares at me and I hear “cheater” being whispered as I step up onstage.

“Cast again,” the Chancellor says.

I stare at him. “I’m sorry?”

The Chancellor’s tone turns sharp. “Step into the spell and castagain.”

“I didn’t do anything to that spell,” I reply.

Chancellor Stone’s eyes narrow. “I will not repeat myself.”

My lips are suddenly dry and my heart pounds in my ears.

Grayson steps aside as the discernment spell falls to the floor by my feet.

It’s no surprise that when I call my magic, it doesn’t come in a smooth stream. Instead, it’s unwieldy, like the loping rotation of a flat tire. Magic is sensitive to emotion, and I can’t seem to override mine.

If something goes wrong here I’ll get assigned to Labor, which I can’t refuse. Refusing means leaving the wards, and the Lawless would kill me in a heartbeat.