Page 350 of Axis of Fire

“Thank you,” I replied.

“But I'd rather not.”

A defensive edge slipped into my voice.

Noticing the way she flinched, I softened my tone.

“I don't really like talking about those things.”

Gia nodded and returned to her bed.

“Do you want me to leave the lamp on?”

“No.”

I stared into the darkness beyond the window.

“That's okay.”

Because deep down, I already knew.

Sleep wasn't coming back tonight.

Chapter 35

It wasn't even eight in the morning, and my roommates and I were already being marched toward an unknown destination.

Naturally, Joelle was leading the way.

She had been the one to wake us up and drag us out of bed for the first meeting between the strongest class and Draksen Ardevayne.

“I still can't believe they stuck me with babysitting duty this year,” she muttered through clenched teeth.

Meanwhile, my attention drifted to her appearance.

More specifically, to her dark plum-colored blazer.

It reminded me of the two boys I'd seen on my very first day here—the ones who had practically torn the sky apart with lightning.

Their blazers had been dark blue.

The question had been bothering me for a while, so I finally asked it.

“The Academy has twelve classes,” Joelle began with an exaggerated theatrical sigh as we crossed a perfectly manicured lawn toward the main academic building.

“Eleven of them are tied to the elements of the Eleven Worlds and the Zodiac signs. The twelfth class is considered mixed and admits only the strongest students.”

She paused briefly.

“Each class has its own color and blazer. Every year, the strongest class gets to vote on its color. Whatever wins becomes the official color for that year.”

“And you're in the strongest class?” Gia asked, struggling slightly to keep up with our pace.

Joelle didn't so much as glance back, let alone slow down.

“Yes.”

The answer came immediately.