… She was alive? Her vision cleared and realized her wrists were shackled to a wall. Breath uncatchable she was dreadfully sick. Real vomit threw up onto stone floors as the Knight which took her walked off. It was a corridor of people just like her- starving, filthy geoptics. She couldn’t breathe. One shouldn’t be misled by her still beating heart she was already dead.

  She felt her sore knuckles, her hand wrappings were taken as a precaution. But her amulet was still under her shirt, the cold gemstone was pressing against her skin. Then her shoe scraped against something… the Red insignia. It was stamped into every title. She was somewhere within the Red Empire. But she couldn’t recognise anything. It was some forgotten corridor. Harold the Red King was

  geoptics… the posters always said ‘kill on sight’. Why was there so many locked up?! She noticed something else. Every geoptic she could see had emerald eyes, even those with the disguise spell.

  Everything felt twisted and dark, the very walls swelling with hostility as fear choked her… was she going to die? Or something worse? Panicked tears pricked her vision and stamped the floor. They were so close! So close to getting on a boat and leaving. She hit her elbow against the wall and tugged her wrists red on the restraints in a snap of anger. She had to get out! She mind screamed- she had to get out! ‘LET ME OUT!’ She cried, not entirely conscious of her words.

  ‘Oh shut it!’ She didn’t see who said that from the hot tears blurring her vision.

  Her body went limp as she huffed against the wall, numbed... The chains were cold…

  Humphrey had passed his exam with flying colours! With a proud step he entered the library and like he had done a thousand times before walked down the corridor to his secret stu- a teacher was waiting for him. Arms crossed. ‘Miss.’ He greeted, pretending to look for a book. ‘Humphrey Heath Halefall, come with me. This is a grave matter.’

  He suddenly felt very cold. ‘Why?’

  ‘Come with me.’

  Isadora whispered to the geoptic closest, an older geoptic woman. ‘How long have you been down here?’

  ‘… A few weeks…’ Her voice wasn’t soft but fragile from fear.

  ‘What’s going on?’

  ‘I don’t know… they feed us and leave us here.’

  ‘That’s it…?’

  She asked a few others, all with the same story. Not one had stayed longer than a few weeks. Her mouth went bone dry. Only a few weeks… That means she would be moved or killed with the rest of them any day now, or would be left the standard few weeks. Either way, it didn’t look good. She knew her life was hard… but it now felt like hell. No, this

  hell.

  Humphrey tried to drink the tea he was handed but he couldn’t get the liquid past the lump in his throat. ‘It has come to our attention you may be practicing magic not authorized by the school.’

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  He felt like the room was caving in. ‘I…’ He couldn’t breathe.

  ‘This is a serious matter Humphrey. If proven there are grounds for expulsion.’

  ‘What…?’ He squeaked, head snapping toward the window at the snowstorm outside. ‘But I’ve never been outside the walls. Where would I go?’

  ‘That is not the school’s issue. Practicing multiple classes defies the Gree convention. You should know this, you do know this you’ve attended the classes.’

  ‘I haven’t been practicing other magic!’

  ‘In the most recent tests…’ The teacher flicked through some sheets arbitrarily. ‘You’ve surpassed our most complex tests. You’ve got a mastery over spells beyond your years.’

  ‘I study hard.’

  ‘Yes, you often can’t be found in the library. Even after hours.’

  ‘I study hard…’ He tried to drink but his hands were shaking.

  ‘The most recent health exams have found the slightest irregularities in your blood. Different mana’s besides ice magic of the Arctic God.’

  ‘… Such as…?’

  ‘Fire. Desert God magic.’

  He looked away. ‘I haven’t done anything of the sort.’ But his voice betrayed him, shaking and weak. Was this hell? It felt like his life was ending.

  Her life was ending. Isadora could have been anywhere on Drocon. It was not like Veyra, Zane or Bane would dare try and find her. She looked at her wrists. They were now red raw from trying to free herself. She was doomed… Isadora pulled her legs to her chest and buried her face in her knees… maybe it was all a bad dream?

  It all felt like a bad dream. The professors reviewed his case of denial, discussing what would happen to him. They were muttering just in earshot. His face was burning red. Eventually he was told to go to his room… With feet has heavy as lead he spotted one of his old bullies he had humiliated years ago… He had a smirk and glint in his eyes that Humphrey didn’t like. A shiver went through him… Did he figure it out? Did he see him fall through the wall all those years ago and finally took revenge on him? He felt sick at the thought. He had dared consider hiding out in his study… but what good would running do?

  He felt dizzy as he sat on his bed, eyes glazed over he watched snow roar from his window. At the best he’d be banished. He hated the cold. At the worst- killed.

  Isadora watched as another geoptic female with green eyes was shackled up. It was the same Knight that had taken her. In a snap she tried to lung at him, and the restraints pulled on her arms. ‘Sit down.’ The knight spoke too casually. ‘He’ll be coming soon enough.’ There was a light tone of pleasure in his voice. People suddenly began shouting and demanding answers but he ignored them all and left.

  Humphrey wasn’t hungry. He couldn’t sleep. He was doomed. They were still discussing his case, but for now he had to attend class as normal, but everything had changed. He didn’t have a hope…