KAI'S POVThe light, the sound, ....it didn't just end; it collapsed.I came back to a world defined by three things: a low, ringing silence in my ears, the acrid scent of ozone and burning plaster, and the unyielding pressure of Zara’s hand still locked in mine.She’s here. She’s safe.My alien hybrid body was resilient. Despite the dizziness, I was on my feet instantly, shielding her with my body as the fine dust of pulverized ceiling rained down.The study room was ruined. The door had been ripped off its hinges, and a massive crack split the far wall, exposing the skeletal wiring beneath. Through the opening where the door once stood, I saw chaos: students scrambling, injured werewolves howling, and a thick column of black smoke rising somewhere from the academy's east wing, the direction of the mating-selection courtyard.“Zara, are you hurt?” I kept my voice low, a deep rumble meant to soothe.She shook her head, her hand trembling in mine. Her eyes were wide, dark voids reflect
Read more