The classroom wasn't what Seraphina expected.
Stone benches, not golden thrones. Dim light filtered through narrow slits in the tall walls, casting soft shadows across plain wooden desks. There was no chorus of chanting or celestial fanfare—just the quiet murmur of students settling into place.
Her fingers brushed the worn edge of the desk. It felt like a real school.
Cam flopped into the seat beside her, tossing a book onto the table. "Welcome to Prophetic Foundations. Sounds fancier than it is."
She gave him a sideways glance. "Is every class like this?"
He smirked. "Depends. If Solace is in a mood, we'll either be bored or branded."
Before she could ask what that meant, the door opened.
Solace entered—tall, sharp-featured, with an expression that made everyone sit straighter. His robes were dark, trimmed with silver, but there was nothing flashy about him. Just quiet command.
He stepped up to the front without a word, letting the silence settle.
Then:
> "This class will not save you. But it may explain why you were chosen."
No greetings. No warm-up. Just that.
He wrote a single word on the board behind him: RANK.
> "Here at the Reformatory, rank determines access, trust, and how long you survive. Each of you starts somewhere. You won't stay there."
His eyes swept the room and paused, briefly, on Seraphina.
> "You are being watched. All of you. Especially those who entered... unconventionally."
A soft, knowing snicker came from the left side of the room. Seraphina didn't look.
Cam leaned in. "Ignore them."
Solace continued. "Your first task is simple. Translate the excerpt on your desk. Use whatever resources you have. Turn it in by sundown. If you can't read it—learn."
Seraphina looked down. A small slip of parchment lay on her desk, covered in strange symbols. Nothing floated. Nothing glowed. It just… waited.
For once, the magic wasn't loud.
But something about the symbols still made her pulse race.
She wasn't sure why.
Cam nudged her gently. "If you get stuck, I know a cheat sheet."
She almost smiled.
Almost.
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