Survival test start

The disorienting jolt of Riley's teleportation magic snapped me out of my panicked haze. One moment, I was gripping my bag strap so tightly my knuckles were white, and the next, we were standing at the edge of a sprawling field on the university grounds.

Students were gathered in neat clusters, their chatter buzzing through the crisp morning air. At the front, I caught sight of Leora's imposing figure just as she was finishing her speech.

Riley leaned in close, her voice low and teasing. "Looks like you made it just in time."

I shot her a look, adjusting my bag and muttering a hurried "Thanks" before darting off toward the cooking section.

My heart was pounding, half from the adrenaline of almost missing this and half from the fear of standing out. If I was late, I'd never hear the end of it from Maeve or anyone else, for that matter.