Page 529 of The Academy of Blood & Shadow

We play. One round. Badly. Nobody laughs much. Still. Normal enough.

At nine twelve, Nyra beats Cassian. He accuses her of conspiracy. She smiles. Good.

At nine nineteen, the first sound begins. Low.

So low I think at first it's a dragon. I look toward the ceiling. The cards stop. The sound continues. Not roar. Not rumble. A horn. Deep. Continuous.

Nobody moves. Because nobody recognizes it. That's the first thing that scares me. We've learned every alarm. Fire. Breach. Missing student. Dragon distress. Council lockdown. Village warning. Medical emergency. Every bell. Every horn. Every signal. Not this one. The sound vibrates through the stone. Long. Low. Unbroken.

Cassian stands. "What the fuck is that?"

I don't know. Nyra doesn't either.

Doors open throughout the corridor. Students step out. Professors appear. One runs past. Actually runs.

Professor Neris comes around the corner. Stops.

Her face— No.

"What is that?" I ask. She doesn't answer. "Neris."

Her eyes move toward me. "The wards."

My stomach drops. "What about them?"

She looks toward the western windows.The horn keeps sounding. One endless note. Then—

"They're open."

Chapter Sixty-three

RHYVEN'S POV

Vyrael is furious with me. I know before we clear Elarion's northern ridge. Not because he tells me.

He does. Repeatedly. But I know before that. His wings are too sharp through every downward stroke.

His body rigid beneath me. Tail cutting hard through the air. Every movement carries irritation. No. Not irritation. Fury. Ancient, controlled fury. Directed entirely at me. Fair.