THE HOLO CROWN

o:The Whis

up to w

oommates or passing students.

e from t

past. The room breathed with a slow, deep pulse,

e the window, silver and watchful. My breath fogged the glass as I stared into th

n't just alive

had not

-

ast wa

ouring magic onto the long floating tables. House banners hung overhead: Umbra's black

and everythin

ai

niform. It was the way the magic bent around me. Like

sit. No o

ti

er

dreadlocks and a smirk too wide for comfor

one?" he said, too loudly, biti

Than

mother can make a tree strangle you from a mile away, a

for

er cheekbones, and white-blonde hair braided like a cr

like some people collect teeth. I'm Selene. Descendant

as a whisper. Bu

arn

-

to an "Orientation Duel" to "bond" with our peers. In Infinito, b

litted like a hawk's. He didn't say much, just shifted into a beast of shad

did n

ient bloodline activated in my veins. I

the whisper

eone like him

flinch when the

l screamed when

... like the

-

ourtesy of a hallway prank gone wrong involving a talking cauldr

on wasn't n

my name-led us down into the underhalls. His eyes were pale gold, his

l calls anomalies. Wild cards. Forces of

red. "So we're the

Thorne did

l," he said, lowering his voice. "Som

And it moved the n

e looke

?" I asked,

beneath Infinito since before memory. Only once before has it s

inhaled

is eyes. "Why

s I'm hiding something. They think I am the

of si

, that's... a lo

to me. His voice dro

try to silence me-you must decide whet

know anythi

a hand on

u w

neath us-barely audib

p. T