Adeline and Mila stood in silence inside one of the chamber halls, the faint hum of arcane wards resonating faintly through the stone walls. The school grounds—normally alive with chatter and footsteps—felt eerily still, as if the building itself were holding its breath.
By East's command, they had been ordered to remain here. No one else had questioned it—too distracted by the chaos unfolding elsewhere. No one had even realized the two apprentices were missing from the front lines.
It was both a blessing and a curse. They were safe, yes. But they were also left behind.
East's parting words still lingered in Adeline's ears. "Stay here. When Silvermist returns, you will help her. She will need you."
Help her? From what? And when?
Neither of them knew what had happened to Silvermist after the simulation. Neither knew why the other apprentices had been sent into the human realm to search for someone. East hadn't told them, and they hadn't dared to ask.
