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She nodded, then twirled her hair around her finger, deep in thought. Her briefcase was clutched in her other hand, and her heart bounded in her chest. I put a hand on her knee comfortingly, expecting her to push me away, but she didn’t.

“If anything happens to me,” she said, “move on. You and Clover.”

“Nothing is going to happen to you.”

“Promise me you’ll move on.”

“Yes, Professor Nygaard.”

I smiled and tucked my fingers beneath her chin, lifting her face to mine. I didn’t so much as smell her fear as I felt it. As it if were my own.

Our bond.

“Aura, if something happens to you,” I told her, “I’m not sure I’d be able to restrain myself from retribution.”

Her eyes darkened with something sinister. “Well,” she said. “In that case, you have my blessing.”

50

FERAL BORN

AURA

Irving’s irises were almost indistinct from the whites of his eyes as he stared at me from the front door of Nygaard Manor. His hooded cloak was pulled low over his forehead, the dark material cinched around his neck, and a daylight ring now on his finger. He took a step back, his lips parted, but he only stared at me with barely restrained terror and confusion.

A major part of my plan required his presence, but I hadn’t expected to immediately run into him.

“I thought …” he began. “Bellatrix said … There were rumors.”

“I know.” I held my hands up. “Listen, I’m not sure how much of the truth you know, but I can explain everything. Where are you going, anyway?”

He shook his head. “I don’t know. I keep forgetting things. Something is wrong with my memories. Gods, Aura. I don’t even remember what it was like to be human anymore.”

My heart ached for him.

“I don’t want this existence anymore. It was never for me. I was a good human. I should be at peace.”

“You should be.”

“But I’m so tired of this existence, Aura.”

“I’m sorry.” I didn’t put my arms around him. I didn’t know when whatever my mother had done to him would kick in. I wasn’t even sure what would trigger it. “What if I told you we had a chance to expose Bellatrix for who she truly is?”

He trembled at the sound of her name, and I fought the need to reach out to him. “I’d say let’s take the bitch down,” he replied.

I huffed out a nervous laugh and nodded.

My chest and stomach were tight as Magdalena parked outside the gate to the university. Sylvan stroked his knuckles across my cheek, and I startled, so he lowered his hand. Getting used to his touchy-feely nature would take a while. If I made it through this.

“I should go in there with you,” he said.

I shook my head and unlatched the suitcase atop my lap to withdraw the claw weapon. “I need to do this alone. I’ve survived her cruelty for years. I can survive this one last confrontation.”

As he started to protest, I stole the words right from his lips with a brush of mine, then I was out of the carriage. Irving had descended from his seat already, and Magdalena’s worried gaze fell on my face. “Good luck, my friend,” she said.

I nodded and pressed the claw weapon into Irving’s hands before motioning for him to follow me through the gate archway onto the university grounds. We marched down the walkway as if there was no danger that awaited us. It was oddly still. Somehow, with the enormous risk I was about to take, I expected … more. Instead, nothing was out of the ordinary—just another day at the University of the Arcane.

Until we stepped through the doors, that is. There were double the sentries than normal, all drawing their weapons the moment they gained sight of us. My fingers closed around the tranquilizer bomb at my waist. I drew the bulbous vial and whispered to Irving, “Hold your breath.”