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“Oh, okay.” She still looks confused. “What about the sparring competition?”

“I think that’ll be useful. Using my trident is something I need to work on anyway.”

Halen yawns again. “Will you keep sparring against Earwyn?”

“Maybe. Although after the way I beat her last time, I’m not so sure she’ll want to spar against me.”

She giggles. “Wish I’d been there to see that.”

“It was glorious.”

We climb into bed, and I fall asleep before hitting the pillow. I swear, Halen’s alarm wails just minutes later. I wait for the sound to stop. She likes hitting snooze more than I do. But the noise just continues.

“Halen,” I mutter.

She doesn’t reply, and the alarm just keeps going.

“Halen!”

Nothing. Guilt stings. I should’ve been quieter when I came in last night. She’s over-tired because of me. I get up to hit snooze for her, but then I notice her bed’s empty.

Did she get up without turning it off? Maybe she noticed I’d forgotten to set mine.

I turn off her alarm and knock on the bathroom door. It pushes open as soon as I tap on it. The lights are off and she isn’t in there.

“Halen?” I call, even though the suite isn’t that big.

I look around, and that’s when I notice her uniform is laid out, untouched.

That can’t be good. Something bad had to have happened, like Earwig and her dogfish taking her out to the woods. But she doesn’t have the Ayers power.

No. She’s fine. I’m jumping to the worst conclusion because of everything I’ve been through recently.

“Halen?” I call again for good measure.

Silence.

Maybe she picked a different uniform to wear. She’s probably eating breakfast already. Yeah, that’s it. I hope. But I don’t actually believe it.

My uncle told everyone that whatever they do to me is done as if to him. Not whatever they do to my best friend. She’s not protected. And come to think of it, neither is Bash.

Blood drains from my body.

What has my uncle done? It was all in good faith, but none of us thought about the full consequences.

Oh, Hades. I hope I’m overreacting. But if I am, where is Halen?

I get ready as fast as I can and race to the dining hall. Neither Halen nor Bash are at the Royal School’s table.

Some kids smile at me as they pass. I recognize many of their faces from the mob attacking me. I don’t return their fake enthusiasm.

Where are Halen and Bash? My heart races.

Bahari nods to me as he passes.

I grab his arm. “Have you seen Bash?”

He shakes his head. “He never came to the dorm last night.”