𝔅𝔢𝔞𝔲𝔱𝔦𝔣𝔲𝔩 𝔓𝔞𝔦𝔫

ℭ𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔉𝔬𝔯𝔱𝔶-𝔱𝔥𝔯𝔢𝔢

𝔎𝔯𝔦𝔱𝔞𝔫𝔞'𝔰 𝔭𝔬𝔳

      "Ready to leave this shithole?" Rhysand asks me, and the corners of my lips kick up. "Vlad, yes." Today is September first, the first day of school at Hogwarts. From eight in the morning to eight at night, students from England, Scotland, and Ireland will arrive at Hogwarts. The first years get tours of the school and introductions to the teachers whereas the returning students reunite with those they haven't seen since the previous school year.

      And I'd be lying if I said that I didn't hope to see Kier and Rosier. Though I am not nearly as close with them as I am with Rhysand, I still consider the two men my friends. And I couldn't write to them over the summer for obvious reasons, so I haven't been able to communicate with them in months.

      "You ready to start training?" I ask Rhysand, who is petting Clara on my bed. She purrs with contentment as he strokes the raven fur of her back, and he smiles down at her.

      He meets my gaze and gives me a look. "I'm ready, but I don't want to."

      "We have to," I tell him, a little too seriously.

      "I know," he sighs, "I just wish we had more time."

      So do I.

      Though I am more eager than ever to return to Hogwarts, there's still a part of me that wants to stay here because I know that once I step on Hogwarts grounds, I'll have to start training. And I know that soon after the training starts, I'll have to face the people I'm hiding from.

      The thought makes a pit form in my stomach.

      "How will we work out when we train and what we train for?" Rhysand asks.

      "Let's worry about that tomorrow," I tell him. Scheduling training is going to be a bitch. Telling the knights that they are going to be training so they can risk their lives to help me is going to be even worse.

      Rosier and Kier might not mind as much because they are Rhysand and I's friends, but the others are going to be harder to convince. Yes, Tom Riddle may order them to do this, but his dominance and control only stretch so far.

      If I was asked to risk my life defending someone I hate, I would laugh in their face. That's why I'm worried about talking to the knights.

      Swallowing, I shake my head to rid myself of my worries. Today is the last day I have before I have to spend every spare minute training, and I want to enjoy it. I want to reunite with Kier and Rosier and then spend the whole day catching up with them and Rhysand.

      "It's time," Rhysand tells me, gaining my attention. When I cast my gaze on him, I see him looking down at his wristwatch.

      Swallowing, I nod and stand up from the chair I sit on. Rhysand stands up from my bed and picks Clara up. He places her on his shoulder—her favorite place—and walks toward the door.