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She’d mentioned it to Darrius the night before, but he’d just looked amused and told her to keep it unless asked otherwise. Weird, for sure, but she’d been in too much of a medication-haze to argue.

“All right, enough about me,” Alex said finally. “I want to hear what happened with Hunter.”

“There’s not much to tell,” Bear said, snapping a twig between his fingers. “He took us out to the forest and told us we had to prove ourselves worthy of his class. Then he left.”

“None of us had any idea what to do,” D.C. admitted. “At first we stood there like lost kittens. But then we jumped straight in, coming to our own conclusions about what we were meant to do.”

“I figured out that it must have been some kind of scavenger hunt,” Jordan said. “The others began to catch on, and everyone kind of branched out and looked for clues. For some reason, most of them ended up climbing trees—and falling out of them. There was a lot of competition to earn Hunter’s regard.”

“What happened in the end?” Alex asked. “Did you find any clues?”

“All I found was a nest of very unhappy Faendas,” Bear grumbled, holding out his swollen hand for Alex to see. She winced in sympathy, remembering her very first MedicalScience class where she’d been stung by one of the wasp-like insects whose venom caused instant paralysis.

“I found a stick that was shaped in a ‘U’,” Jordan said. “I took it to mean ‘turn around, you idiot’, but even then I didn’t find anything.” He couldn’t keep the disappointment from his tone when he added, “To be honest, we don’t know if we were actuallymeantto find any clues. It was a long shot to begin with.”

“I guess we’ll just have to wait until tonight,” D.C. said. “Hunter told us he’ll personally visit the people he chooses for his class.”

“That’s exciting,” Alex said brightly, trying to be encouraging.

Bear snorted, while the other two just grinned at her overly enthusiastic response.

“Truly,” Alex added. But then she realised just how fake she sounded and laughed with them. “Okay, you know me too well. But I’m still hoping you guys get in, since I know how much it means to you.”

“Thanks, Alex,” Bear said. “But honestly, it’s not looking that great—for us or anyone else. Half our year ended up in the Med Ward, and the rest of us ran out of time and were sent back here more confused than when we started.”

“Yeah,” Jordan agreed, stabbing the ground with a stick. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Hunter didn’t take on any new recruits this year.”

“Hey, don’t count yourselves out just yet,” Alex said. “You never know what might happen.”

process.

Seven

Late that night a knock sounded onthe door to Alex and D.C.’s dorm room.

Knowing D.C. wouldn’t knock before entering her own room, Alex presumed the visitor was Jordan or Bear and opened the door without hesitation.

“Good evening, Alex.”

Her eyes widened at the sight of Hunter standing there. His dark cape swirled around him, but his hood was drawn back so she could see his face.

“Uh, good evening, sir,” she replied awkwardly. She was caught off-guard by his casual use of her name. Not that she minded—she preferred to be called Alex. It was just… unexpected.

But more unexpected was his presence in her dorm room. What was he…?

Oh!Alex smiled when the realisation hit her.

“You must be here to see Dix,” she guessed, excited for her friend, since Hunter’s visit meant D.C. must have been accepted into his class. “She’s not here right now, she’s at the Library. I’m sure you could catch her there, or I can go and find her if you want?”

Alex wasn’t sure why she’d offered, especially since she was already dressed for sleep, in her comfiest pyjamas, no less.

Hunter shook his head. “I’m not here to see Miss Cavelle.”

Alex thought his response was strange—why else would he be knocking on their door?—but then she realised what he’d said. How did he know who D.C. really was? That was top secret, as far as Alex was aware. But then again, she shouldn’t have been surprised, since Hunter was the kind of person who seemed to know everything.

“Jordan and Bear aren’t here either,” Alex said, wondering if maybe that was why he was at her doorstep. “But their room is just down the hall.”

Alex had only a single moment of warning to note Hunter’s amused expression, and from it a very strong feeling of dread swept through her.