Page 520 of Axis of Fire

My eyes darted between the maps belonging to the other recruits and the crude sketch I'd recreated from memory on a spare sheet of paper.

The difference between them was staggering.

The maps belonging to those of us who had crossed paths with the demons contained far more empty checkpoints—as if someone had deliberately tried to delay our arrival at Point Z.

The fatal Point Z.

During the badge ceremony, I'd learned something else.

Only our two small groups had encountered demons.

None of the other top-ranked recruits had.

How had they managed to bring together exactly us?

The people who spent the most time together.

The mages whose abilities complemented one another almost perfectly.

The more I thought about it, the more convinced I became that it had all been part of a conspiracy.

But whose?

Was it Harold Moss?

Or was this the work of the Novers—those we were forbidden to accuse, though nothing could stop me from doing exactly that in my own mind?

And why had Rosalie been placed on our team when she hadn't even been selected for the top class?

Then, quietly but with alarming certainty, a thought slipped into my mind.

Either the administration of Istmond was working with the enemy...

Or one of our strongest mages was Harold's agent.

And there was a very real chance it was someone I spoke to every single day.

Illariana Arden's POV

The next morning, the notice board in the dormitory was covered with group assignments and the day's schedule.

As it turned out, the academy had formed two classes of top-ranked students, and I felt an immediate wave of relief when I saw that Stasia and I had been placed in the same group.

"So," Aars said, making me jump, "they searched the entire labyrinth and found Harold Moss's seal near Morod's Temple."

I flinched at the sudden sound of his voice, earning an irritated look in return.

I'd almost forgotten how his slit-pupiled eyes narrowed whenever he looked at me with unmistakable disapproval.

"Aars," I said quietly, "would it kill you to warn me before you appear?"

"With your abilities, you should always be on guard." He snorted. "Now listen carefully."

He pointed a clawed finger inches from my nose before drifting back to give us a little space.

"After the Selection ended, Istmond's administration began investigating the area. Unofficially, by the way. No idea why."

To be honest, I had no idea why Aars was telling me any of this in the first place.