"I volunteer," Zann said smoothly, stepping forward with a playful wink.
Leonel didn't budge. "So do I."
She stared at them, flustered. "Guys—"
The masked figure's voice echoed again. "One will be left behind."
Silence.
Aranea's heart thudded in her chest as both boys stared each other down.
This was going to be complicated.
Very, very complicated.
The moon hung high over the Garden of Echoes, casting an ethereal glow over the field of silver grass and crystalline blooms. Students huddled in groups, buzzing with anticipation. But the moment they spotted the figure standing at the center of the clearing, silence swept over them.
Cloaked in a long, dark robe, the host stood tall, faceless beneath a porcelain mask. Not Professor Gertrude. This mage was unknown.