The glass-skinned girl dug her nails deeper into my forearm.

  I let out a sharp yelp, jerking my body in an attempt to pull free.

  She spoke with a rough voice, each syllable scraping across the air like chipped stone. “I will ask you again,” she hissed, her pupilless eyes fixed on mine. “Is there a second soul inside you?”

  My heart lurched, and my voice shook. “I . . . I don’t know. What are you—” I tried to pry her hand off me, but her nails only sank deeper. My adrenaline spiked to the point where I could hear the whooshing sound of blood rushing through my ears.

  She leaned closer and I stared at my terrified face reflecting back at me in her inky eyes. “You are a twin soul,” she repeated slowly. “You are forbidden. Who performed the ritual? Who?!”

  Fern stirred at her accusatory tone.

  ‘Erik, what’s happening? What is she talking ab—!’

  Before I could respond, a large, webbed hand gripped the girl’s shoulder. Hopsander—my frog-man rescuer—stepped in, voice calm. “Galina, let him go.”

  She twisted, cursing in a language I’d never heard. Her fingers released me, and I stumbled backward, rubbing the red punctures her nails left.

  “Miss Galina, thank you for looking out for the academy,” Hopsander said. He gave me a wink, then turned back to her. “No reason to cause a scene. We’ll handle it from here.”

  Galina’s jaw tightened. “He’s a twin soul,” she spat. “Someone must—”

  Hopsander gave her a light tap on the back. “Galina, hush now. The staff will investigate. He’s with House Anu now. That means he is under your care. Let us handle the twin soul business, and you handle your duties as coleader.”

  She exhaled, frustrated. “Fine. But I’ll watch him.” She cast me one final glare and pointed her white-nailed finger at me—red at the tip from my blood. Then she turned and stalked off. The scraping of her porcelain-like limbs echoed in the stone walkway as she left.

  My arm throbbed. I pressed a hand to the small cuts, wincing at each pulse. Hopsander pulled out a gauze wrap and handed it over.

  “Sorry, lad,” he murmured, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “Are you all right?”

  I nodded. “I guess. But what was that about twin souls?”

  Hopsander lowered his voice, scanning the corridor for eavesdroppers. “We’ll discuss it later, away from prying ears. For now, keep your head low, and don’t act like you have someone living inside you. Just . . . act normal.”

  ‘Act normal? That’s what we tried, but apparently people like that girl can just . . . tell? How are we supposed to act normal? What is a twin soul? Why is it bad?’ Fern asked me.

  I swallowed, ignoring Fern and forcing a shaky smile. “Sure. I’ll do that.”

  Hopsander nodded, stepping back. “Go on. I’ll come find you after you settle in. Then we’ll talk about that friend in your head.” He gave a wink. “Don’t let Galina scare you. If you keep it under wraps, you won’t be bothered about it.”

  I mumbled my thanks and slipped away, ignoring the uneasy knot in my stomach.

  Inside the common room, I spotted Tevin and Sora standing at the back of the group of recruits. Tevin was looking around the room while Sora stood next to him, seeming unsure of what to do. Silas and Mel came up from the side and flanked them, following the group. Silas’s mechanical arm was getting all the attention from the upperclassmen, and Mel scared everyone with her scowl, which created a bubble of space around her.

  As I caught up, Mel frowned. “Where’d you run off to?”

  “Long story,” I said. “I’ll explain later.”

  Mel raised an eyebrow, but Tevin patted my shoulder. “Do you think we are going to get to eat soon?” I looked up at the big guy, who was sniffing around looking for the freshly baked bread.

  “Me too, big guy,” Mel said, slapping the back of Tevin’s belly with her hand.

  The common room had tall shelves that lined the walls, stuffed with books, scrolls, and bound texts. Plush chairs and small wooden desks dotted the central lounge, while wide glass windows opened out to the sea. The calming hush of waves drifting into the common room made the atmosphere idyllic.

  Now THIS is a dorm, I thought, remembering how my college dorm looked before I dropped out.

  Waelid jumped in front of us with a huge grin on his face. He shooed away the upperclassmen surrounding Silas so he could do greetings. “Welcome to House Anu, folks! Names, please?”

  We introduced ourselves, and he gave a nod that told me he didn’t really listen to us. “Grab a seat or check your rooms. There’s a communal dining room just beyond that door. Ol’ Mumm left us a little something to celebrate your first day. It’s an easy day today so enjoy your time—tomorrow, the real fun begins.” He gave a theatrical bow, then flitted away to greet other recruits.

  Tevin smirked. “Hope that little something is a big something. I’m starving.” He started rubbing his belly like a cartoon bear. Sora giggled softly, no doubt relieved the day’s tension might finally yield to some normalcy.

  “Last one there is a rotten goosemonkey!” Mel said, about to take off for the food.

  Then a new figure approached us, and Mel almost fell over. The girl with black hair, the one who had cowered from us earlier, blocked our path now.

  “Um, hi,” she said quietly. A fresh bandage wrapped her left arm from the vow, plus a small scratch on her cheek. “You’re also new recruits, right?” she asked, pointing at Tevin’s arm.

  Tevin nodded. “That’s us.”

  She gave an unsure smile. “I’m Luna. I—uh, come from a small village in the west of Stylos. Did you all come here together?”

  My eyebrows rose. “Nice to meet you, Luna. I’m Erik. This is Sora, Mel, Tevin, and Silas.” I gestured to each in turn. “Yeah, we journeyed through the Dark Woods together. Did your group not come that way?”

  Luna shook her head, fiddling with the edge of her bandage. “We came by boat, but a lot of them ended up in House Nin.” She paused and looked up at me curiously. “You really came with them too?”

  Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  “Uh . . . yeah?” I said, confused.

  Luna opened her mouth to say something and then noticed Silas’s mechanical arm.

  “Oh, wow. That’s . . . advanced,” she said, wide-eyed.

  Silas grinned, flexing the metal fingers. “Neat, right?”

  Mel tapped her foot. “Enough gawking. Let’s find that little something to eat, or I might pass out.” She cracked her knuckles, ignoring the scowls from a couple of older students.

  Luna had joined our group and was walking behind me and Silas. We followed the mouthwatering aroma down a short hallway into a modest cafeteria, where several round wooden tables filled the space, each set with simple metal plates. A wide door at the back presumably led to the kitchen.

  Waelid was there waiting for us as more recruits followed behind. He hopped onto a table, beaming his usual grin. “Gather round, recruits! Our beloved Ol’ Mumm—the best chef in the entire academy—left us a treat. Don’t be shy!”

  As if on cue, the door banged open. A towering bear-woman wearing a stained apron stomped in, carrying a huge metal pot that steamed with fragrant rice. She dwarfed even Tevin. Her fur was coffee brown, and her muzzle twitched with an annoyed expression.

  “Waelid,” she growled, in a gravelly old-woman voice. “Stop turning me into a sideshow. I told you I don’t do fancy welcomes.”

  He danced away, arms spread in mock apology. “I know, I know. But they’re brand new, Mumm—be gentle.”

  Ol’ Mumm snorted, eyeing us. “Hmph. Bunch of scrawny pups. Fine.” She thumped the pot onto a nearby table, then pointed to platters of grilled fish, eggs, vegetables. “Got a warm breakfast for you. Don’t expect me to fuss over you forever. If you want to survive, learn to take care of yourselves.” Then, with a grumble, she stomped back into the kitchen.

  Tevin’s eyes sparkled. “That’s . . . a bear-woman. And she cooks?”

  Waelid laughed. “Yes, indeed—one of our best. Now, dig in before it gets cold.”

  Mel wasted no time, hurrying to load her plate. “Better do this quick, or it might vanish.” She smirked. Sora nervously followed while Silas and Tevin grabbed seats. Luna hovered, uncertain until I waved her over. She sat down, biting her lip.

  We gathered at one of the round tables, ignoring the buzz of other Anu recruits. Sora took a spot next to me, fiddling with a spoon. Silas tested his mechanical arm by delicately picking up a cup of water, while Mel tore into the grilled fish with gusto. Tevin carefully loaded a large portion of rice on his plate, half apologizing if he took “too much,” and Luna quietly sampled the veggies, nodding in approval.

  I exhaled, letting the savory warmth soothe my tension. “Well,” I said, glancing around. “We made it. After everything, we’re finally here in House Anu. Let’s keep each other alive, yeah?”

  Mel grunted between bites, half smiling. “Count me in.” She patted her stomach contentedly. “Though I do wonder what tomorrow’s real fun means.”

  Sora lowered her gaze. “I just hope it’s not too dangerous. The pillar is so tall. Are we climbing it?”

  Silas shrugged. “Waelid mentioned exploring the tower. If we do climb it, we gotta watch out for any monsters. Right, Erik?”

  I swallowed, semidistracted by the earlier talk of taboo twin souls. “We’ll handle whatever comes our way.”

  Tevin gave a smile full of rice, which made Sora laugh, breaking her somber attitude.

  “Anyway,” Luna spoke up softly, “I guess I should explain—like I said, I’m from a tiny village in the west. Hardly anyone visits. I . . . never had many friends, so . . . Well, I’m happy to be with people who also want to stick together.” She paused, cheeks reddening as she fiddled with her hair. “So, thanks for letting me sit here.”

  Silas’s mechanical fingers tapped the table. “Glad to have you. We were from different places too, but at least we ended up together. The headmaster said this is where we will all bond. So we should start doing that, right?”

  A faint smile curled Luna’s lip. “Right.”

  ‘She seems nice,’ Fern mused in my head.

  I agreed, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.

  Why did she ask me if I really did come with them? I thought to myself.

  If I mentioned my worries to Fern, it could worry him, and until I had any real reason to be suspicious about Luna, I would keep quiet about it.

  After we finished the meal, the group split up to explore. Mel headed off to test the training yard. Sora stuck with Luna to check out a small library nook rumored to be on the second floor. Silas and Tevin teased each other about who’d outrun the other in a potential climb, then left for the courtyard. That left me alone, my mind returning to the earlier run-in with that glass-skinned girl, Galina.

  I recalled Hopsander’s promise to talk. So I walked outside, scanning the yard near the dorm’s entrance. Sure enough, Hopsander perched on a low stone bench by the walkway, pipe in hand. He beckoned me over with a wave.

  My pulse fluttered. I settled onto the bench, meeting his calm amphibian gaze. “So,” I said quietly, “that girl . . . Galina . . . She said something about a twin soul and that it is forbidden. What is that all about?”

  He exhaled a ring of smoke. “This is going to be a condensed history lesson, but what you are is an alchemic miracle. Twin souls, or two souls in one body, are the result of black magic and runic rituals. Typically, it’s attempted by black-market conjurers or occultists, who try to grasp power beyond their understanding. Magebloods have hardly attempted it. The king himself had several failed attempts before he banned the practice all together. And the only successful cases of someone surviving a twin soul ritual resulted in worldwide casualties. They become essentially gods with unlimited power. But . . . your case is different, yes?”

  I nodded, tension clenching my stomach. “I didn’t do anything. I was . . . from somewhere else, walked through a portal, ended up possessing this body. The real occupant—Fern—still shares it with me. We can talk, and he sees and hears all that goes around me.”

  Hopsander’s eyes flickered with interest. “I figured so. Back at the inn, I could tell. When you’ve reached the fourth level of blood infusions, you can see people’s soul auras. Yours told me everything right away.” He puffed another cloud of smoke out of his nostrils. “Truly bizarre. But you’re not an evil mageblood with plans to take over the world, it seems. That’s plain enough. If you were, you’d have done more harm by now.”

  He puffed his pipe, thinking. “Keep this a secret, lad. If word gets out and gets to the magebloods, they won’t stop to make their way past the barrier and inside the academy. But I’ll need to bring some staff members up to speed so we can . . . monitor you.”

  My throat felt dry. “Monitor me?”

  Hopsander chuckled. “Just go about your normal life, lad. We will just make sure you don’t randomly have ideas of world destruction. Train, attend classes, bond with House Anu. Don’t talk to yourself out loud. Keep your synergy with Fern discreet. If you do something obviously superhuman, it might raise more eyebrows.” He rubbed his chin. “In time, we’ll confirm you’re not a threat. But the monarchy has ears everywhere. Do not tell a soul about this. I will decide who we can trust.”

  “Thanks, Hopsander. I . . . appreciate your help.”

  He patted my shoulder gently, webbed fingers brushing the uniform’s gold trim. “I’m just an old soldier who doesn’t want to see potential go to waste.”

  “Potential?”

  Hopsander shook his head. “Nothing, lad. Your life is yours to lead.”

  The rest of the day blurred by. I wandered the dorm, glimpsing other House Anu members engaged in casual sword practice or studying advanced “crystal matrix geometry” from enormous textbooks. The academy truly combined martial grit with intellectual pursuits.

  At dinnertime, we reconvened in the dining room. Mel boasted about testing the training yard; evidently she’d beaten a senior in a wrestling match. Tevin listened, wide-eyed, while Silas pouted and fidgeted with his mechanical arm. Apparently, his arm locked up when he and Tevin tried to have a climbing race. Sora and Luna recounted discovering a hidden reading alcove on the upper floor of the dorm that had “the softest pillow ever” according to them.

  After dinner, Waelid offered a final reminder: “Tomorrow is your first real day—report to the field behind the dorm building at dawn. Don’t be late, or I’ll personally drag you out of bed.” He winked, then strolled off.

  Luna, Sora, and Mel had their own dorm room down a separate hall for the girls. So, after exchanging tired good nights, we headed to our room.

  It was a tight, modest room, with three beds and three desks in the corners of the room. There was only one window, so I taught Silas and Tevin a game. We played rock, paper, scissors to choose our beds, and luckily I won, which led me to choose the bed close to the window. Exhaustion hit me like a truck, and before I could even get in the covers, I fell asleep.

  CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

  A gong’s piercing echo jolted me from slumber. My heart pounded as I shot upright, confusion thick in my mind. Silas groaned from the adjacent bed, and Tevin tumbled off his mattress with a loud thump.

  “Wake up, recruits!” boomed Waelid’s voice from the corridor. “Field training starts in five minutes! Let’s go, House Anu!”

  The clang of metal still rang in my ears as I got dressed. This was the Academy of Ash: the training academy for voidblood mercenaries. I should have known we would have morning workouts. I sighed, forcing myself out the door.

  ‘Here we go again . . .’ Fern murmured.

  Yeah, I replied. No breaks.