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Finally reaching the ground floor of the Tower building, Alex and her friends rushed outside, the single moon overhead lighting up the academy campus enough for her heightened sight to take in the landscape and what was—or rather,wasn’t— happening.

“So… False alarm?” Bear asked tentatively, also noting the distinct lack of movement.

Thinking back to the other times Alex had witnessed the Lockdown in action, both of which had occurred when Aven had triggered the academy wards, Alex wasn’t sure. Itlookedlike nothing was going on… but she also knew looks could be deceiving.

“Should we just…” D.C. hesitated, “… go back inside and up to Professor Marselle’s office, as planned?”

That made the most sense, even if doing so would mean they’d have to ascend the staircase in the Lockdown darkness— something she, Jordan and Bear had done once before. And yet, Alex couldn’t help feeling like the night was too still, too silent.

Turning to Kaiden, she whispered, “What’s your read on this?”

His eyes were alert as he scanned the campus. “Something’s not right.”

That was all the confirmation Alex needed, knowing by now to trust his gift of intuition. But that didn’t help her decide what their next steps should be; whether they should retreat into the Tower and go down to the Library or up to Darrius’s office, or if they should instead step out in search of what might be wrong.

“I hate to be the one to point this out,” Jordan said quietly, “but does anyone else think something is missing here?”

Alex wasn’t the only one to look at him in question. But it was Bear who answered.

“Where’s the snow?”

As one, the group looked to the ground, noting the thawed, grassy earth underfoot.

“What—”

Declan didn’t get a chance to finish his exclamation because suddenly the air in front of them rippled, like an invisible curtain falling down from high above their heads, after which the campus was no longer still and silent.

“DUCK!”

Reflexively, Alex followed the screamed order, shoving her friends out of the way just as a ball of flames sailed towards them.

“SORRY!” Mel screamed, running past, but that was all she managed to say, since she was busy shooting off another fiery attack at the female Meyarin who was blurring towards her with a sword drawn.

Alex watched in stunned silence as Mel, gifted with her elemental fire ability, sent the next ball of flames straight into the chest of the Meyarin. The immortal stumbled backwards, screaming as she slammed her hands against her clothes before activating theValispathand disappearing. But once she was gone, Mel didn’t stop—she ran straight back into the fray.

And therewasa fray. In front of them were at least two dozen Meyarins, each with drawn weapons, attacking academy students and teachers alike.

Darrius was in the middle of the field before the Tower building, a sword in one hand and a Stabiliser in the other as he fought side by side with Hunter and Karter, the three men defending against any who dared approach. Likewise, Finn and Varin were doing the same, if slightly separated from the group. Tayla and Mayra were a few steps away from them, both favouring bows over swords, but just as punishing with their chosen weapons. Mayra in particular was a sight to behold, easily holding her own against the others of her native race.

But they weren’t the only teachers out fighting against the small but deadly group of immortals.

Caspar Lennox was also there, shadowing in and out to offer stealth attacks with his own blade, made easier when Professor Marmaduke used her low-level telekinetic ability to slow the Meyarins down.

Fletcher was also fighting, perhaps offering the greatest surprise of all, because any Meyarin he pointed a finger at suddenly clamped their hands over their ears, screaming in pain.

With wide eyes, Alex marvelled at what was unfolding before her—not just the warring teachers, but also the students who, like Mel, were battling alongside them.

Everywhere she looked, familiar faces blurred past: Connor, using his weather affinity to send lightning strikes at anyMeyarins who closed in on him; Savannah, using her freezing gift to turn her opponents into living icicles; Kelly, who had her arms raised forward, creating a wind tunnel of protection in front of Sean, who was unconscious and bleeding on the ground—with Alex suddenly understanding that the rippled invisible curtain had been a shield he’d created, a defensive bubble keeping the Meyarins from further entering the grounds. When he’d fallen, so too had his shield.

The combat boys were also there: Sebastian, phasing into a black panther-like creature and back again as he attacked in both human and feline forms; Brendan, sending blast waves of energy at the Meyarins speeding towards him; and Nick, who was producing duplicated versions of himself and confusing his attackers enough that the real him had a fighting chance.

Taking everything in within the space of a heartbeat, Alex couldn’t believe what she was seeing. The Meyarins were impossibly strong and swift, but their numbers were low, and against the gifted abilities and fighting prowess of the academy teachers and students, they were slowly but surely being overcome.

But then she saw one of them get the drop on Fletcher while he was focusing his gift on bringing down another, and Alex didn’t hesitate in leaping forward to intercept just as the Meyarin stabbed his blade towards the doctor’s back.

With a clash of steel and a spark of flames, the Meyarin stumbled backwards, and only then did Alex focus on his face.

It was Gaiel.