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Peering through my lashes, I find Creed looking at us in the reflection of the bathroom mirror with a soft smile on his face, which I return.

“Are you ready to head out?” he asks, trailing another kiss beneath the collar of my academy-issued blouse, and I hum in agreement.

“Yeah. The quicker we get this moving, the quicker we can move on to everything else.” Speaking the words out loud fuels my determination. After my impromptu talk with Ari this morning, I feel somewhat rejuvenated and a lot more focused on the giant task at hand.

It seems breaking the issues down in my mind and considering who would be best suited to the task works wonders, as opposed to the opposite. Which was figuring out how to bend myself at will to achieve everything with little help.

I practically pranced back into the bedroom after my familiar took off with a knowing look in his eye, waking my men with my rambling, but thankfully, it had them all intrigued, too. I already feel lighter from getting it off my chest, all we have to do now is start putting things into action. We just have to get over this hurdle first.

“Agreed. Then we can come up with the longest fucking vacation that ever existed.”

I lift my hand to my chest, soaking in his words as I nod eagerly. “That I can sign up for,” I insist, taking one last look at my new hair in the mirror before I follow his lead.

The pink is completely gone, and there’s no chance it’s coming back. I was expecting the black hair to be a drastic shift, but it weirdly highlights my eyes, even if it does leave my skin looking a little more porcelain than before.

I don’t mind, though. I can take it all in my stride if I’m here, still kicking, and that’s what grounds me more than anything. We’ve faced a lot over the past few months, I’ve faced a lot over the past few months, but I’m still fucking here, and there’s a reason for that.

The moment we step into the lounge, I’m yanked from Creed’s hold, and I don’t miss the grumbling under his breath as Zane grins down at me.

“How’s my dove doing this morning?”

“The same as I was doing five minutes ago when you last asked me,” I retort with my eyebrow raised at him, but he waves me off, guiding me toward the front door with his arm around my shoulders.

“It was seven minutes ago, but who’s keeping count?”

I roll my eyes at him, which only makes him smirk more, and I’m certain there’s a huffed chuckle that comes from Brax’s lips, too, but it’s gone before I can confirm it.

The air outside is warmer compared to earlier as we make our way toward the main academy building. The pathways are quiet, not a single person around since it’s well ahead of classes being due to start.

We walk in comfortable silence, and when the building comes into view, our pace quickens. The faster we can slip inside and get to Lyra, the faster it will be done with. Not that I’m trying to wash my hands of her; I possibly am with Sebastian, but there’s really no time to waste worrying over that with everything else going on.

We’ve played one step behind this entire time and I’m done being on the defensive with Burton. It’s time moves were made and lines were drawn.

The double doors stand wide open, enticing us in, and we hightail it to Lyra’s office, but I still two steps back from her door when I see it standing slightly ajar. My eyebrows pinch and panic tingles down my spine as I peer at Brax, Creed, Eldon, and Zane to see the same hint of uncertainty and confusion on their faces.

Inching closer, Zane’s hand slips from my shoulders to grasp my palm, refusing to leave my side, and I freeze once again when I lift my hand to push against the door, not actually connecting with the wood.

“I can feel something,” I breathe, resisting the urge to swing the door open.

“In what way?” Eldon asks, and it takes me a moment to find the right words to describe it.

“It’s magic, but it’s not like anything else I’ve felt before,” I admit. “I can’t actually feel it with my fingertips, but it’s in the air. I can sense it.”

“Then someone else steps in first,” Brax grunts, squeezing by me so I have to back up a step, and I glare at his head. “Don’t give me that look, we’ve talked about this shit,” he adds, making my jaw fall slack.

How does he know exactly how I’m looking at him right now when he isn’t even looking at me? Fucker.

It’s on the tip of my tongue to blurt the question at him, but he’s nudging the door open before I get a chance, distracting me from my thoughts.

He scans the room, and I try to catch a glimpse around him but his broad frame fills the open doorway, giving nothing away. Growing impatient, I tap on his shoulder blade, and a moment later, he takes a step into the room. I’m right behind him, trying to step to his left as I slip my hand from Zane’s, but between the pair of them, I don’t stand a chance.

Brax’s arm swings out wide, blocking me from passing him, while Zane’s hold slips from my hand to my wrist. I’m not about these good reflexes outside of the bedroom. Assholes. Clearly, I’m cranky this morning with my lack of sleep. Swiping a hand down my face, I try to compose myself, but my words still come out harsher than necessary.

“Can you two not?”

Brax glares daggers at me, but I match them right back. His glare deepens, and my neck muscles jump. “I can do this all day. Can you?”

He rolls his eyes at me, muttering the word dramatic under his breath before he sighs, dropping his arm to his side. “I can’t see anything,” he grumbles, but I don’t take his word for it. Something isn’t right here, I know it.