“Do you want to know what I find funny?” Domino asks. We look at her curiously and she continues. “We could have just gotten the troll’s tooth from that store, but instead we went and took on a mighty troll. I’d bet the Headmaster expected us to find the store, not an actual troll. Do you know how dangerous that was?” She asks. For who was it dangerous—us or the troll?

We approach the academy quickly and I can’t help feeling something is amiss. We had three days to gather all the ingredients, but we did it in only a few hours, almost all of it from a simple shop. Why were we given three whole days to be away from the Academy? Something didn’t quite add up. My thoughts are interrupted by Keagan.

“You guys are all right,” Keagan says, casting a quick glance at us all. He turns and exchanges a few words with an invisible presence. I’m sure it is one of his resident spirits.

“Snow,” Kole says. “A few words?”

I nod and stop walking as everyone else continues. Once we are far enough from everyone, we begin walking in the same direction as the group, only this time, we are far enough behind to remain unheard.

“What do you need?” I ask, my heartbeat echoing in my ears. Is it possible that he got more attractive since the last time I rested my eyes upon him? He runs his hand through his thick mane and looks at me with vibrant hazel eyes.

“I need you to understand. We can’t split up when we get back,” he says cryptically. There is evidently something more he needs to tell me, but either he can’t or he won’t.

“Do you think this won’t work?” I ask, demanding to know his reasoning.

“I don’t know how to explain. The spell should work, but that’s not what I’m worried about,” he says.

“Kole, just tell me what’s on your mind,” I say, grabbing his arm instinctively.

“I can’t,” he explodes, anger oozing from him. He lifts both arms above his head and looks to the sky as I take a small step away from him. He sucks in a deep breath. “Do you know that vampires don’t mate or connect unless they have found their soulmate?” He asks. I merely nod. “I would only ever show interest in someone if they were my soulmate.” I look at my feet dismally. I don’t know why I thought he would want me. He’s too busy looking for his soulmate. But I am still unclear. Why would he show an interest in me if I am not his soulmate?

“I understand,” I say with a small, sad smile.

He is standing at an angle and his mark peeks from his shirt. I feel drawn to it. It’s almost as though I need to see it. He has seen mine after all—though he will never be able to tell me what he had seen. It is forbidden by the Headmaster and nobody would dare stand against him.

“You do?” He asks, pulling his arms back to his side and taking a step closer.

“Yes, I do. You are looking for your soulmate. That’s what I want you to do,” I say. Kole’s eyes are hooded and a growl erupts from the back of his throat. “Plus, I’m a mermaid. What are the odds you and I would ever be anything more than friends?” I ask.

“God, Snow,” he says. I take off in a slow jog to catch up with the rest of the team, trying to ignore being blatantly rejected. Is my mild attraction really so obvious? As a group, we come upon the academy doors and I look at them proudly. We did it. I glance at Kole, who caught up with the group seconds after me. His lips are pulled into a tight line and I can’t bear to look at them.

The front door swings open quickly and I smile up at the Headmaster, whose face is pale and distressed. My smile immediately seizes. “What is it,” I ask, rushing through the doors.

“The Elite magician is dead,” he says. “We must hurry.”

I follow behind the Headmaster and allow him to lead us through the corridors. Kole, once again, is right beside me. I wish he would allow me to get over my unreciprocated feelings for him, but he doesn’t understand personal space.

We enter through his office doors and take in the horrifying sight. There is no blood or gore, but the magician is sitting at an awkward angle, head turned in a way that should not be possible. His face is pale and I’m sure he is cold to the touch. Everything around the magician is destroyed. I cover my mouth with my hand and stare at the scene in shock.

“We can still do the spell, right?” Laithe asks anxiously. Something about his tone makes me turn my head and scowl at him. The spell holds little relevance if the magician who was planning on doing it is dead.

“We can’t,” the Headmaster says. “All the materials were destroyed.”

I walk toward the body of the murdered magician and look down at him. “Does he look oddly positioned to you?” I ask nobody in particular.

“Yeah, his head is doing a one-eighty,” Laithe says sarcastically. I shake my head and stare at him for a moment. Both Keagan and Kole look at the man and take a step in his direction. Domino stands beside the door with Laithe, but while Laithe looks as though he doesn’t care, Domino looks sick.

“Get Domino out of here,” I say to nobody in particular.

“Come with me, Miss. Elvy,” The Headmaster says, pulling her into his side and leaving the room. I am happy that he took Domino.

I watch as Kole examines the body alongside Keagan. Kole reaches into the magician’s pocket and pulls out a slip of paper. He scrutinizes the contents and his eyebrows shoot up. We make subtle eye contact and he drags his hand down my opened palm, which goes completely unnoticed by Keagan. I feel the slip of paper between his fingers and accept it greedily. I make my way around the back of the chair and open the paper from the magician’s pocket. The contents of the note fill me with fear and dread.

Assassin is Headmaster and Commander is Elite.