Chapter 1: Starfall

Dear Miss Nightshade,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into the Celestial Academy of Magic under full scholarship...

A bitter laugh escaped my throat. Six years of hiding my abilities, of practicing in secret while the other orphans slept, had finally paid off. But the victory felt hollow, knowing what I'd have to keep concealed even at CAM.

"Lights out in five, Lyra!" Mrs. Blackwood's voice echoed through the halls, followed by the familiar creak of ancient floorboards.

I quickly tucked the letter under my pillow, but not before catching a glimpse of my reflection in the cracked mirror across the room. Pale skin, dark circles under violet eyes that marked me as different—as dangerous. I'd learned to keep my head down when they showed too brightly, especially on nights like these when the stars sang too loudly in my veins.

The dormitory door creaked open, and I forced myself to look busy organizing my meager belongings. Sarah Chen, my roommate for the past three years, slipped inside like a shadow.

"Did you get in?" she whispered, her eyes bright with anticipation.

I nodded, not trusting my voice. Sarah crossed the room in two steps and wrapped me in a fierce hug. She smelled like the kitchen herbs she'd been sorting all evening—rosemary and thyme, the normal kind of magic that was safe and accepted.

"I knew you would," she said, pulling back to study my face. "You're the most talented mage I've ever met, even if you can't... you know."

Even Sarah, my best friend, didn't know the full truth. She thought I was just gifted at conventional magic, hiding my abilities because I was unregistered. If she knew what I could really do—what happened when starlight touched my skin—she'd be required by law to report me.

"Thanks," I managed, swallowing the guilt. "I leave in three days."

The lights flickered, and through the window, I caught sight of a falling star. My heart seized as its energy called to me, wild and ancient. Without thinking, I reached out with that secret part of myself, feeling the cosmic power rush through me like electricity.

The star's descent slowed, its path curving ever so slightly.

Horror froze me in place. I'd promised myself I wouldn't do this anymore. Manipulating celestial bodies was the highest form of forbidden magic, punishable by imprisonment in the Void. But it was like trying not to breathe—the power came as naturally as blinking.

"Lyra?" Sarah's voice seemed distant. "Are you okay? Your eyes are..."

I snapped back to myself, breaking the connection. The star resumed its natural course, but I could still feel its echo in my bones.

"Just nervous," I lied, pressing my palms against my thighs to hide their trembling. "CAM is everything I've worked for. I can't mess this up."

Sarah squeezed my shoulder. "You won't. You're the most determined person I know."

As we prepared for bed, my mind raced. Tomorrow I'd begin packing my few possessions. In three days, I'd board the skyship to CAM, where I'd have to be more careful than ever. One slip, one moment of weakness like tonight, and I'd lose everything.

The lights went out, plunging the room into darkness. But I couldn't sleep. Instead, I stared out the window at the vast canvas of stars above, each one singing its own melody that only I could hear. They spoke of ancient secrets, of power that could reshape reality—and of a crown that haunted my dreams, calling me to a destiny I didn't understand.

I rolled over, pulling the thin blanket tight around my shoulders. I had three days to master myself, to bury my true nature so deep that not even the most powerful mages at CAM would sense it. Three days to become someone else entirely.

But as I drifted off, a treacherous thought whispered through my mind: what if I wasn't meant to hide at all?

A star pulsed overhead, as if in answer, and I squeezed my eyes shut against its light. Tomorrow. I'd start becoming normal tomorrow.

For now, I let myself feel the starlight one last time, tasting freedom before my cage closed for good.