The tour continued, and I was doing a pretty good job of staying focused. Raina was pointing out the various courtyards (apparently there were seven, because of course there were), and I was nodding along like a normal person.
Then I got distracted.
There was a bird. A really weird-looking bird with iridescent feathers that seemed to shift colors in the sunlight. It was perched on a statue, and I was trying to figure out if it was magical or just... pretty.
I wasn't watching where I was going.
Which is how I walked directly into what felt like a brick wall.
Except brick walls don't say "oof" when you hit them.
My books went flying. All three of them; the orientation packet, the student handbook, and the map of the academy that I'd been pretending to understand.
"I'm so sorry," a voice said, and I looked up to find myself staring at possibly the most beautiful person I'd ever seen in my life.
Tall. Dark hair that looked like he'd just run his fingers through it (in a good way, not in a "I haven't showered in three days" way). Eyes that were an unsettling shade of gold. Sharp jawline. The kind of face that belonged on a statue, not on an actual human being.
He was also surrounded by people. Basically, a small crowd of admirers who were all staring at him like he'd personally hung the moon.
"Are you alright?" he asked, crouching down to help me pick up my books.
I stared at him.
He stared back, looking mildly concerned.
"You're... blocking my path," I said finally.
Not "thank you." Not "I'm fine." Not even "sorry for walking into you like a complete idiot."
Just: You're blocking my path.
He blinked. Then he smiled, and it was the kind of smile that probably made people write poetry. "My apologies."
He handed me my books. Our fingers brushed for half a second, and I felt a weird tingle of magic—his magic, probably. It was strong and controlled. The kind of power that came from years of training.
I took the books, nodded once, and walked away.
Behind me, I heard someone gasp. "Did she just—"
"She didn't even thank him."
"Who is she?"
I kept walking. Des caught up to me a second later, looking absolutely scandalized.
"Amara," she hissed. "Do you have any idea who that was?"
"Nope."
"That was Malachi Della. The future king. First child and only son of King Rumin Della"
Oh.
Oh.
Well. That was embarrassing.
"Cool," I said, because what else was I supposed to say? Sorry, I was distracted by a bird and also I'm trying really hard not to accidentally reveal that I'm a godling, so my social skills are suffering?
Des looked like she wanted to shake me. "Cool? Cool??? Amara, he's actual royalty. People would kill to have him notice them, and you just... walked away."
"I said thank you," I lied.
"You absolutely did not."
Fair.
---
The rest of the tour passed in a blur. Raina kept shooting me weird looks, like she was trying to figure out if I was brave or just stupid. (Spoiler: it was neither. I was just distracted and socially incompetent.)
When we finally made it back to the main courtyard, there was a professor waiting for us. Average height, stern-looking, with silver hair pulled back in a tight bun. She had a face that suggested she did not tolerate nonsense.
"First-years," she said, her voice cutting through the chatter like a knife. "I am Professor Thorne, Head of Magical Assessments. In three days, you will undergo your Magic Assessment. This will determine your class placement, your training regimen, and your overall standing at this academy."
The courtyard went silent.
"You will be tested on magical control, power output, spell accuracy, combat readiness and intelligence. Your results will be posted publicly, and they will follow you for the rest of your time here. I suggest you prepare accordingly."
She swept away, robes billowing dramatically behind her.
For a moment, no one moved.
Then everyone started freaking out.
"Three days? That's not enough time!"
"I need to practice—"
"What if I fail?"
"What if I get placed in the worst class?"
Des looked nauseous again. "Three days. Amara, that's three days."
"I can count," I said.
"I'm not ready. I'm definitely not ready. What if I mess up? What if—"
"You'll be fine," Pearl said confidently, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "You've been training for this your whole life. Assessments are just a formality."
Des did not look reassured.
---
By evening, the courtyards were packed with students practicing magic. Fireballs. Water spells. Shields. Illusions. The air practically crackled with energy.
I found a quiet corner and pretended to practice a basic levitation spell. A small rock floated a few inches off the ground, wobbling slightly.
Weak. Exactly what I needed.
But internally, I was doing something much more important: reinforcing my restrainer spell.
The spell had to be reinforced every two days to suppress my true power.
I couldn't let it slip. Not even a little.
Because if it did... if even a fraction of my real power leaked out during the assessment—
.. I was done. They'd know. They'd all know.
And then I'd never have a normal life.
The spell pulsed once, then settled.
Good.
"How's it going?" Des asked, walking over. He looked exhausted, his hair sticking to his forehead with sweat.
"Fine," I said, letting the rock drop. "You?"
"Terrible. I can barely get my fire spell to work, and when it does, it's about as threatening as a candle."
"Candles can be threatening," I offered. "If you're made of paper."
He laughed, but it sounded a little hysterical. "I'm going to fail. I'm going to get placed in D-Class and spend the rest of my life as a magical embarrassment."
"You're not going to fail."
"You don't know that."
I didn't. But I also knew that Des was stronger than he thought. He just needed to believe it. Besides, he was a good earth magic user. I still wonder why he prefers fire when he's not really good at it.
Pearl walked past, a perfect sphere of water floating above her palm. She looked completely unbothered, like the assessment was just a minor inconvenience.
"Show-off," Des muttered.
"Confidence is good," I said. "Means she won't panic."
"I'm panicking enough for both of us."
I patted his shoulder. "You'll be fine. Just... breathe. And don't accidentally set anything on fire."
"No promises."
---
That night, I lay in bed and stared at the ceiling.
Three days.
Three days until I had to fool an entire academy full of trained magical experts.
No pressure.
I closed my eyes and felt the restrainer spell.
It would be fine.
Probably.
Maybe.