The final night bled quietly into morning. When dawn came, the Magnus estate stirred with a soft, nervous energy. Today was the academy entrance exam—the day that would decide the future of Asher's cousins.
The courtyard, still scarred from the day before, stood silent now, washed in pale gold light. Asher arrived first, as always. He wore his training coat loosely, hands clasped behind his back, eyes distant as if already thinking several steps ahead.
The cousins came soon after, dressed in the academy's recommended combat uniforms—polished, clean, and far too formal for the kind of battles they had fought here. Maxwell and Sylens adjusted the straps of their swords; Amanda's whip was coiled at her hip, faint sparks still running through it; Lia carried her bow slung across her back, while Sophia's shield gleamed with a new polish.
