The dining hall operated on a hierarchy that made Kael's stomach turn. Three distinct sections divided by velvet ropes and armed guards. The Apex section gleamed with crystal chandeliers and actual waiters. The Shadow section offered decent buffet food. And then the unranked area served processed meals on plastic trays.
Marcus grabbed two trays and handed one to Kael. "Gets better once you rank. Assuming you make it past Shadows."
"How bad is Shadow rank really?" Kael asked, playing his role of curious newcomer.
"Bad enough." Marcus lowered his voice as they found a table. "Shadows serve Apex students. Cleaning rooms, running errands, sometimes worse. The academy calls it character building."
*They call it slavery.*
Four other students joined their table—scholarship kids who'd survived the first trial. Min Park, nervous energy in every movement. David Torres, built like a boxer but defeated in posture. Sarah Chen, quiet and observant. And James Wright, who wouldn't stop talking.
"Did you see the girl with the black hair?" James was saying. "Took down six people without breaking a sweat. Someone said she's Raven Steele, daughter of the disgraced general."
"We get it," Sarah cut him off. "She's dangerous. Everyone here is dangerous."
Kael ate mechanically while cataloging information. Marcus was positioning himself as a connector. Sarah gathered intelligence. James talked too much but dropped useful details.
"What about Damien Morrison?" Min asked quietly.
The table went silent. Even James stopped mid-sentence.
Marcus answered carefully. "He's ranked first for a reason. Been here three years, never dropped below top five. His family..." He trailed off, seeing Kael's expression.
Kael had frozen with his fork halfway to his mouth. Just hearing that name—Damien Morrison, his cousin, his uncle's son—sent ice through his veins.
"You okay?" Marcus asked.
Kael forced himself to relax. "Just tired. The trial took more out of me than I thought."
"Damien doesn't interact much with lower ranks anyway," Sarah said. "He's got his own group. The Apex Elite. Ten students who basically run the academy."
*Ten students. Ten targets to study, to understand, to eventually destroy.*
"He's in his third year, right?" Kael asked casually.
"Sometimes watches the trials," Marcus said. "Last year he showed up when two legacy students tried to kill each other. Apparently he found it entertaining."
Kael's hatred was a living thing in his chest, carefully caged. Damien had been thirteen when Kael's parents died. Old enough to possibly know about the assassination.
*Does he know? Does he think about the family murdered to give him power?*
"Next trial's in two hours," David said. "Strategy and tactics. We'll be given scenarios as teams."
"Random teams or chosen?" Kael asked.
"Random. Academy's algorithm assigns you." Marcus grimaced. "Which means you might get stuck with people who want you to fail."
A commotion near the entrance drew everyone's attention. Students were standing, some bowing slightly. Kael turned to see a young woman entering with three others flanking her. She moved with absolute confidence, dark hair pulled back, training gear somehow elegant.
"That's Aria Blackthorn," Min whispered. "Rank seven."
Kael had researched Aria extensively. Orphaned at twelve when her parents died in a "lab accident." Inherited Blackthorn Pharmaceuticals at eighteen. Maintained top rankings while running a billion-dollar company.
He'd also found classified reports. The accident wasn't an accident. Her parents were murdered because their research threatened the ancient clans' monopoly on enhancement technology.
*She doesn't know. She thinks it was equipment malfunction.*
Aria's gaze swept the dining hall, pausing briefly on each table. When her eyes met Kael's, something flickered—curiosity, maybe recognition of another predator. Then she moved on, taking a seat in the Shadow section despite ranking high enough for Apex.
"She does that," Marcus said quietly. "Sits with Shadows. The clan families hate it, but she's too valuable. Blackthorn Pharmaceuticals supplies half the enhancement drugs used in training."
*Enhancement drugs. The same ones being tested illegally on lower-ranked students.*
Another piece of the puzzle. Was Aria involved, or was this happening behind her back?
An announcement chimed through the hall. "Second trial begins in ninety minutes. Report to the Strategy Center, East Wing, Level Three."
Students began filing out. Kael followed, maintaining his position as unremarkable scholarship kid. The strategy trial would reveal different skills than combat. He needed to perform well enough to avoid bottom rankings but not attract attention from Aria Blackthorn or Damien Morrison.
The Strategy Center occupied an entire floor, divided into simulation rooms. Kael entered to find two hundred students assembled—those eliminated from the first trial were excluded.
"Listen up!" Professor Cross stood on a raised platform. "You'll be assigned teams of five. Each team faces a different scenario. Your performance is individually scored and collectively measured. Cooperation is mandatory."
A holographic display activated, showing team assignments. Kael found his name assigned to Team Seventeen. His teammates appeared moments later.
Marcus Vale. Sarah Chen. And two others—a stocky young man with clan markings and a tall woman with cold eyes.
"Great," the man muttered, looking at Kael and Sarah. "Two scholarship kids. We're screwed."
"Shut up, Roland," the woman said. "Let's just pass and maintain rankings."
Professor Cross directed them to their assigned room. The scenario loaded immediately.
"Hostage situation. Corporate executive taken by rival faction. Building secured with twelve hostiles. Civilian casualties must be minimized. You have thirty minutes to plan and execute rescue."
The tactical display showed building schematics, available equipment, and dossiers on hostiles.
Roland immediately tried to take command. "I'll lead. Vale handles communications. The rest follow my—"
"No," Sarah interrupted. "Your plan puts three hostiles in our blind spot. We'd be ambushed."
Roland's face flushed. "I've been training for this my entire life. You're a scholarship—"
"She's right," Kael said quietly, studying the schematic. "But there's a better approach. The ventilation system connects here." He pointed. "Two-person insertion while three create distraction at main entrance. Hostiles split attention, we extract through the service elevator."
Marcus nodded slowly. "That could work. Minimal engagement, quick extraction."
"Who made you tactical genius?" Roland demanded.
Kael met his eyes steadily. "I'm not. I'm just looking at the problem without ego. You want to pass or prove you're in charge?"
The woman—Victoria Lang—spoke up. "The scholarship kid's plan is sound. I say we use it."
Roland nodded grudgingly.
They executed the simulation with Kael calling strategic adjustments. His military training made it simple, but he deliberately made small mistakes, let Marcus take credit for key decisions.
The simulation ended successfully. Their collective score flashed: 87 out of 100.
Perfect.
As they filed out, Marcus clapped Kael on the shoulder. "Not bad for someone who's not a tactical genius."
Kael smiled slightly. "Lucky guess."
But across the room, Aria Blackthorn was watching him again. And this time, her expression was calculating.
*She noticed. Damn it.*
The ghost had been seen. Now he'd have to be even more careful.