Alex walked through the quiet southern corridor of the Magic Department, enjoying the brief lull after lunch, when Alicia Raven stepped out from behind a stone pillar and blocked his path.
She didn't offer a greeting. She simply shoved a glowing runic tablet against his chest.
"I compressed the formula," Alicia declared, her dark eyes flashing with fierce pride. "And I did it without your help."
Alex caught the heavy slate before it could drop, looking down at the intricate circles of fire-affinity equations glowing in bright orange. It was exactly two days before the tournament preliminaries, and the tension among the first-years was rising. But Alicia's attention was entirely focused on him, driven by a mixture of rivalry and an attraction she still hadn't resolved.
