Metal sang in my veins as I stood by the training hall window, watching students from the new class approach the wagon. Luten's class. My brother—lost, then found again. The steel inside me kept shifting, one moment burning with rage, the next twisting with worry. His figure was barely visible from here, but I'd recognize him among thousands.

  I tried not to think about that day. The tournament. How Eva... how she ran straight at the demon, and I couldn't do anything. Just screaming inside my own head. Always screaming when I should've been moving.

  A year. A whole year without him. I'd gotten stronger. Learned to bend metal in ways I never could before. Now I was learning to control what lived inside me. And Luten? He came back broken. Magicless. And still, everyone kept watching him.

  "Can't let go, can you?"

  Aura materialized beside me like a wraith. Her footsteps never made a sound—like she was floating instead of walking. Her presence used to calm me. Something deep down said it shouldn't. I pushed that feeling aside. Aura was the only one who got me.

  "They're sending him on a training mission."

  Her hand found my shoulder, warmth spreading through me. Strange—the metal under my skin scraped in protest. Ever since the tournament, control had been slipping. The metal reacted too fast to every spike of emotion, and lately I was angry all the time.

  "Standard practice for beginners," she said. "Nothing special."

  Funny. After the tournament, her presence didn't soothe me like before. Something had shifted.

  I squinted at the departing group. Something here didn't add up. Maybe I was just hunting for distractions. Anything to avoid thinking about... her. Maybe obsessing over Luten's problems helped me forget.

  "Then why'd the director look so rattled last night? I saw them in the park. Arguing."

  Aura smiled. Something flickered in her eyes—irritation?—and vanished. I was imagining things. She cared about me. Of course she did.

  "You're getting paranoid, Elliot. Ever since Luten came back, you see conspiracies everywhere."

  Her fingers traced down my arm.

  "You need rest. These training sessions of yours are getting out of hand."

  "I need to talk to the director."

  "Why?" Concern in her voice, but the tone felt... off. Then again, I'd grown used to dismissing thoughts like that as paranoia.

  "Luten's in a different class now. His assignments have nothing to do with us." She tilted her head. "Don't you have enough of your own problems?"

  The metal inside me twisted. She was right. Luten wasn't my problem. He'd always handled things himself. Even now, without magic, he had his own class, his own missions...

  No. Something was wrong.

  "I have a right to know. He's my brother."

  We argued a bit more, then she left, trailing a faint scent of lilies. The fog in my head lifted a little.

  The administrative wing stood empty. Just guards outside the director's office and a secretary at her desk. Both recognized me—member of the elite class. Eternally second place.

  "The director's in a meeting. Come back later."

  "I'll wait."

  I sat in a chair across from the door. Gut told me this meeting had something to do with Luten.

  I fidgeted, unable to stop wondering what they were discussing in there. The guard and secretary had their backs to me, so I crept closer to the office door. Closed. Layered with a thin film of magic—probably to keep out nosy people like me.

  I couldn't break the spell entirely. Didn't need to.

  I shaped two small spinners from my metal and set opposite magnetic poles inside them. Made them whirl in opposite directions like tiny drills and aimed them at the barrier. They bit in. The barrier flickered, sparked—but no alarm. I'd done it.

  I drilled through, creating a small opening. While the spinners kept spinning, I listened. The muffled voice on the other side sounded almost mechanical.

  "According to the latest reports, they dealt with the demon."

  Then the director, calm and measured:

  "How? Did we get all the data feeds?"

  "Partially."

  "What do you mean, 'partially'? We had Observers on site."

  "No magic was used to kill the monster."

  "Luten."

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  Irritation bled into the director's tone.

  "Yes. However, for a split second, the sensors detected an amplified signal from the demon."

  "And the analysts?"

  "Coincidence. Or the demon's final scream."

  Something crashed to the floor.

  "Fine... Alert the team. We're moving to plan two."

  I stayed frozen by the door until footsteps approached from inside. I yanked my spinners back and slipped into my seat. The metal slid under my skin, leaving a faint burn in my veins.

  The door swung open. A man in a crisp gray otherworlder suit stepped out, gave me a cold look, and strode off down the corridor.

  "Director Kronen will see you now," the secretary droned without glancing up.

  The director's office always felt too sterile for this old building. No personal touches. Just perfect order and the cold gleam of metal surfaces. Kronen sat behind his desk, scrolling through something on a slim otherworlder tablet.

  "Ah, Elliot Caers." He looked up. "What brings you here?"

  Polite enough, but his eyes stayed frozen. The metal in me stirred, sensing danger.

  "Wanted to ask about our class assignment, sir. Heard rumors about a new training mission."

  A thin smile crossed his face.

  "Yes. You'll get the details tomorrow. Northeastern sector. Standard drill—locate and eliminate low-level demons."

  Northeast. Exact opposite of what I'd just heard.

  "What about the other classes? Is the second class going out too?"

  "Each class has its own assignment, Elliot." His eyes narrowed a fraction. "Something troubling you?"

  The metal in my veins ran hot. One wrong word and I'd lose it. Blow my cover. And then Luten would have no one watching his back.

  "No, sir. Just like to be prepared."

  "Then we're done here. I have work to do."

  I walked out feeling his stare drill into my spine. He knew I was lying. But he didn't know what I'd heard. And he had no idea what I was planning.

  The training hall cleared out by evening. I stood in the center of the platform as the doors started swinging open one by one.

  Darius came first, scowling and rubbing fresh scars on his shoulder from his last session. Cassandra followed, and her gaze hit me like a searchlight—like she could strip my thoughts bare. Reynor simply appeared from a shadow in the corner. Probably been here the whole time.

  Selena swept in last, regal and unhurried. Aura trailed behind her. I stiffened but kept my face neutral.

  "What's the big emergency, Eli?" Darius folded his arms. "I had solo training lined up."

  No point dancing around it.

  "Luten and his class are in danger. They're being sent to an otherworlder complex."

  Darius snorted.

  "And? Standard training. We did the same thing a month ago."

  "Not this complex. This one's different. Special. They're planning something."

  Cassandra drifted closer, eyes sharp.

  "Where'd you get this?"

  "Overheard the director. They're treating that class like... disposable assets."

  Aura's hand landed softly on my shoulder, her smile warm and sympathetic. After the tournament—after what happened to Eva and the instructors—everyone had gotten careful. But I couldn't just sit around doing nothing.

  "Elliot," she murmured, "are you sure you didn't misunderstand? Maybe they were talking about something else."

  "I know what I heard." I pulled back—not too fast, not too obvious.

  "So what exactly are you suggesting?"

  Selena circled the group, footsteps silent.

  "I'm suggesting we find them. Before they set foot in that complex."

  Darius shook his head.

  "Instead of our mission to the northeast? You want us to blow off direct orders for... your brother's field trip?"

  "It's not just a field trip. Something's off."

  "Off how?" Reynor's arms stayed crossed. "What proof do you have? Besides a conversation you might've twisted around in your head?"

  I opened my mouth. Closed it. I couldn't tell them everything. That the director was a traitor. That this all connected to Luten's return somehow.

  "I don't have proof. Just a gut feeling."

  "A gut feeling." Darius stared. "You're kidding."

  While he talked, Aura moved to stand beside me where everyone could see her support.

  "I think we should trust Elliot. If he's worried about his brother, that's reason enough to look into it."

  I shot her a surprised glance. Didn't expect that.

  Selena stopped mid-step.

  "I think we should check too."

  Every head turned.

  "Wait—you're backing this?"

  "The otherworlders have been acting strange." Selena's voice stayed level, confident. "My uncle mentioned new agreements. Something about special research."

  "Even if something's wrong..." Cassandra kept watching me with that unsettling stare. "Why get involved? Luten's class is full of students with stunted magic. Nobody sends them on serious missions."

  Then Cassandra went rigid. Her eyes glazed over. I knew that look—she was using her gift, peering into the web of possible futures.

  "I see a crossroads," she breathed. "If we don't go... something changes. Permanently."

  "Changes how?" Darius frowned.

  "Can't tell. Too blurry. But there's danger."

  "He's my brother," I cut in. "Your friend, like it or not. I'm asking for help."

  Silence swallowed the hall. I felt their stares. The doubt. The hesitation.

  "If we're wrong..." Reynor said slowly, "we get punished. For insubordination."

  Selena met my eyes. First time in ages she'd been on my side.

  "And if we're right?"

  "I'm going no matter what." I looked at each of them. "Backup would be nice. But I'm not dragging anyone."

  Darius exhaled first.

  "Fine. If it's just training, we say we tagged along on our own."

  "And if it's not..."

  "Then it's a damn good thing we showed up." Selena finished Reynor's thought.

  Cassandra stepped into the center of the circle.

  "Then it's settled. When do we move?"

  "Now. Grab what you need. One hour. Eastern gates."

  Aura gave me a gentle smile.

  "I'll come too, of course. Luten matters to me as well."

  Something about those words rang hollow. The others didn't seem to catch it. I didn't want her there—but refusing would raise questions.

  "Alright. We can use the help."

  They scattered to prepare. I stayed behind, alone in the empty hall.

  I was going to find my brother. Save him. Or figure out what he'd turned into. And maybe, just maybe, understand why Aura agreed so easily to a plan that should've worked against her.

  Maybe then I'd finally feel like I'd protected someone.

  Unlike... No. Don't go there.