Chapter 9

The last time I’d seen it I’d been whipping past in Merrin’s Lotus and had no clue that I wouldn’t be seeing it again until I graduated from the Winterwood Academy. At least that’s what I’d thought when Zoe had told me that students rarely left the campus until they were fully-fledged witches.

But I was far from a normal student, and I thought I might feel better seeing the old place again. The truth was I was terrified. Being out in the normal world again wasn’t at all what I expected. Even so late at night, the place seemed all too bright. Seeing every shutter closed on the shops made me feel as though the world was closed off to me. The street lights were harsh and offended my eyes. I’d grown so used to the candles and oil lamps that lit the Winterwood Academy, and after the darkness of the open road, it was taking me way too long to adjust.