Chapter 21

• Zara’s POV
• I woke up with a tightness in my chest. The memory of that letter clung to me no matter how much I tried to piece the possibility in. No doubt it was Aunt May’s neat handwriting, the slight floral scent of her perfume embedded into the paper fibres… and yet, something was off. Something so deeply wrong it made my stomach twist every time I remembered.
• My boots thudded against the waxed hallway floors as I stormed down the east corridor towards the Letter Office. The morning air still carried the cool bite of dawn, but my palms were sweaty with impatience. The academy’s white walls were lined with black iron lanterns humming softly. I shoved past a few first-years huddled over a single textbook, ignoring their startled squeaks.