I pressed my forehead against the chipped paint of Hopsander’s office door for just a moment, letting the quiet hum of the corridor settle around me. The late afternoon light bled through the stained glass behind me, painting the floor in dull reds and greens. Most of the Academy rested, curled into itself after the trial. The corridors were emptier than usual—no laughter, no chatter, just the hush of old stone and distant footsteps.

  —‘Are you sure this is a good idea?’ Fern asked, his voice low and unsure inside my mind.

  —We’re running out of time and options. If anyone on the staff will help, it’s Hopsander.

  —‘Uh, did you forget what my brother said?’

  —I know what your brother said, Fern. I thought as I picked my thumb. But I trust Hopsander. A spy is in the academy. We were threatened last night, and my brother may or may not be in control of his own body. We can’t just sit by and not do anything. We need to take action.

  —'But are you sure we need to go to Hopsander right now? We are already stronger than our classmates, plus we have that sword.'

  —Oh, trust me, I haven’t forgotten about the cursed thing.

  My fingers brushed the sword’s hilt. The black pulsing runes replayed in my mind. The sensation that I felt when I cut through the dense armor of the Guardian was unnatural. The blade cut too easily; I plunged it too willingly.

  —'I’m just saying I haven’t seen any curses yet.' Fern said. 'Maybe Dog was lying. It helped us kill the Guardian; it can help us kill a spy. We shouldn't immediately go to a professor,' Fern said.

  —Look, there are just too many unknowns. Hopsander knew we were a Twin-Soul, and he didn't hurt us when he probably could have gotten away with it. I am sure he's not the spy. At some point, you have to be able to recognize who will help you and who cares about you, I said to Fern.

  —'But what about what Lotrick said?' Fern insisted.

  —I'm sorry, Fern, but I've made my decision. It's the right one. You'll see someday.

  I lifted my hand and knocked three times. The sound seemed unnaturally loud in the silence.

  “Come in,” the frogman’s voice croaked from inside.

  I slipped into the small office and shut the door quietly behind me. Stacks of training manuals and wrinkled battle charts cluttered the shelves. Dried herbs hung from the rafters, leaving a faint medicinal smell that reminded me of an incense shop. Hopsander sat at a worn wooden desk, polishing a halberd’s blade with deliberate care. He looked up when I entered, eyebrows rising slightly.

  “You should be resting, Erik,” the frogman said. “The trial took a toll on everyone.”

  I took a step closer, heart pounding, and forced my voice steady. “You’re investigating why the Guardian appeared on the first floor, right? I think I have a lead.”

  He leaned back, resting the halberd across his knees. “Go on.”

  I told him everything: The words spilled out of me like a confession I’d been holding too long. I felt emotions well up inside me as I was finally able to let out everything. I didn’t care anymore. If I couldn’t trust Hopsander, who can I trust? I needed someone with more experience to help me get to Noah. Just being able to say all this felt like taking off a heavy load. Through it all, Fern lingered silent in the back of my mind.

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  Hopsander’s jaw tightened. He listened without interrupting, although I saw his eyes narrow at certain words—Waelid, says, and Twin-Souls.

  When I finished, he breathed out slowly. “Erik, these are wild claims. You border on mania with the things you say. Another world? Your brother is the Magelord of Stylos? Waelid’s crimes? A cursed sword?”

  I slid the sword’s blade an inch from its scabbard, letting him see the strange runes.

  Hopsander frowned with a sharpened gaze. Then he held out his hand, and I withdrew the blade. “Why tell me all of this?” He asked.

  “I need help. I need an ally,” I said, voice firm. “My brother is out there, and I don’t know how much time I have to reach him. If he really is a Twin-Soul, he might already be lost.”

  Hopsander studied me. “And you think I can help you get to him?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then why bring up Waelid?”

  “Because I have no one else I can trust,” I admitted. “Fern is the only one who truly knows me, but I need allies—real ones. If you help me find my brother, I’ll return the favor a thousand times over.” I exhaled sharply. “Waelid crossed a line. What he did to those kids? That’s not strength. That’s betrayal. I won’t step on people to get stronger, and I won’t let it go unanswered. It's just a personal moral stance.”

  Hopsander rubbed his forehead and looked at me. “If, what you said is true, Waelid's actions are against our laws. However, his strength and potential are so great that most rules do not apply to him.”

  “I understand, but-”

  “But,” He clapped his hands. “That does not mean you can’t challenge him to a duel for justice if you still want it. Although, from what you've told me, it sounds like you should work on getting to your brother first."

  I bit the inside of my cheek. “You’re right; I guess I can handle Waelid later. Captain, does this mean you will help me?”

  “What do you need from me?"

  I took a step forward and grabbed a seat. “Power, as much of it as possible. I need to be able to match the strongest of the Royal Magebloods Officers at least enough to make it to my brother.” I folded my arms. “The Cinders who went on an expedition with him, who were they? How do I fast-track my way onto a group? Being a Twin-Soul is taboo, right? Let’s use that to our advantage. I am yours to command after I do this.”

  “My lad. If I do what you ask, I could be making the single most horrible decision to ever affect this planet. The powers of true Twin-Souls, as proven by your brother, are near limitless. To cultivate the power of a Twin Soul willingly is to cultivate death. Millions could die by your hands, and you wouldn’t even know it.”

  I gulped. “I will agree to a new blood oath to you. Please, Captain Hopsander. Isn’t there anything you want?”

  He glared at me, “Lad, you are teetering near the edge of self-destruction with those kinds of words.”

  —I know that. I know I sound more psychopathic than ever. A student comes in talking about powers and fighting against mages to rescue his little brother, who is now older than him somehow. It all sounds insane. I thought.

  “Captain Hopsander,” I stood up and saluted him before bowing. “Please, I don’t ask for world-dominating power, I only wish to get strong enough to make it to my brother and speak with him. I need to confirm he is alive still, that he remembers me. I need to know his soul still lives. I know that if his soul is still there, he can help your cause. Maybe he can get the Magebloods to rewrite the laws around Voidbloods.”

  The Frogman sat back and looked at me. I felt his eyes as my head was bowed. “Alright,” He grumbled. “I’ll help ya out, lad.” I looked up at him to see him smiling large, pulling out a small pipe.

  “Really?” I smiled back. Hopsander nodded, and I reached out and shook his hands. “Thank you! So what do we address first, the spy? Any thoughts?”

  “Easy there, lad, we just established this partnership. Is the little one alright with this agreement?” He nodded towards me, and then I knew he was talking about Fern.

  —Fern, are you ok with this? I asked him.

  —‘I still want Waelid to pay. But…I guess focusing on getting stronger and finding Noah is more urgent to do. Just don’t forget our deal, ok? Rescue me from this body after. And get justice on Waelid. That’s two promises now, ok?’ Fern said, insisting on my agreement.

  —Ok, ok. I promise. I will find a way to get our bodies back, and I will get justice on Waelid.

  “He agrees,” I said to Hopsander.

  “Great, we will get this in writing too, you know, for clerical sakes. But first, you asked what we need to do. The spy seems the most urgent. If they do work here or live in the town of Ash, they have direct access to infiltrate us and could cause chaos. It is a miracle that so many of you survived the Guardian attack, but then again, you were there, and Twin-Souls seem to carry a double amount of luck with them.” Hopsander stood up and walked around his desk. “I will do a little investigation myself among the teachers," he said slinging a heavy, brown cloak over his arms. "We will start our private training next week. What do you need from me now?”

  I thought for a moment and then decided. “I need access to the restricted archives in the library. If there's anywhere in the academy that could have records that a spy would want it would be in there.”

  Hopsander cocked his head and smiled. “The restricted archives…” He paused. “I can let you in. It will have to be late after the other teachers have gone to bed. Meet me at midnight behind the library’s east wing. There’s an entrance beneath an old tapestry that has a code for us with access. If we do this, we move in silence, and we do not get caught. The Head Master will throw a fit. Who knows, maybe he is the spy and will use it to throw both of us out. Do you understand?”

  I nodded, relief clawing up my throat. “I do.”

  I slipped out of the office with him. Hopsander gave me a nod and headed up some stairs to the left, going further into the Academy. I went the opposite way, stepping into a small courtyard with a leafless tree in the center. Fading sunlight cast a warm glow on the dry grass. It was quiet, and there was no one around, but I felt a little bit less lonely. I carried a tiny spark of hope with me now. I had an ally—at least, I hoped so.