Page 63 of Academy of the Wicked, Year One

Because something tells me we're going to need every advantage we can get before this day is through.

11

BONDS AND BOUNDARIES

~GWENIVERE~

"B-B-BOND MARK?!"

My voice echoes through the tunnel, bouncing off ancient stones that practically hum with royal magic. The sound of my own shock coming back at me only makes this whole situation feel more surreal.

This has to be a joke.

There's absolutely no way I could bebondedto a Duskwalker. That's not just impossible — it's absolutely insane. The kind of thing that happens in those raunchy paranormal romance novels I definitely don't have hidden under my bed back home.

Okay, maybe a few. But that's not the point!

The tunnel stretches ahead of us, its walls lined with runes that pulse with protective magic. Apparently, this is the "royals only" express route to the academy’s head auditorium. The only way to make it to the trials on time, since Wicked Academy seems to take sadistic pleasure in eliminating candidates just for being late.

Because nothing says "prestigious education" quite like turning tardiness into a death sentence.

"You should save your energy," Mortimer advises from the front of our peculiar procession. His pale eyes gleam in the ethereal light of the tunnel's enchanted crystals. "The glamour should be activated just before we exit."

I'm still in my natural form, the uniform somehow adapting to fit my feminine curves. It should feel wrong, but after everything that's happened, a self-adjusting outfit seems like the least bizarre thing to focus on.

"The bond mark is essentially a covenant," Nikolai explains from my right, his voice carrying that scholarly tone that makes everything sound both fascinating and slightly less terrifying. "It forms between individuals with compatible and similar energy levels."

A derisive huff comes from behind us.

"She isn't stronger than Cassius," Damien mutters, giving me a side-eye that could curdle milk. "He's a Duskwalker prince with centuries of generational power and magic."

Cassius, walking silently on my left, doesn't react to this assessment. His shadows seem more subdued in the tunnel's magical lighting, though they still dance around him in mesmerizing patterns.

"You're just mad because your room is a garden right now," I shoot back, unable to resist needling the vampire prince.

His hiss of displeasure makes me grin.

"I expect that to be fixed," he growls, hands shoved deep in his pockets as he stalks behind us.

I roll my eyes but find my attention drawn to Cassius. His profile is sharp in the crystal light, all perfect angles and careful control.

"Why aren't you freaking out about this?" I ask him directly. "Bonding isn't a joke. It's not even like a relationship or a promise ring." My voice rises slightly as the implications reallyhit me. "It's basicallymarriage! Isn't your family going to be disappointed or embarrassed that you're bonded to a hybrid?"

He continues looking forward, his expression contemplative but otherwise unreadable. The silence stretches between us, but oddly, I don't feel dismissed by it.

I'm starting to understand that Cassius isn't exactly chatty.

His silence doesn't feel like disregard — more like careful consideration. Still, the weight of what this means hangs heavy in the air between us.

Turning to Nikolai, I voice another concern that's been nagging at me.

"What if when I bit you, you got a bond mark too?" The thought makes something in my chest tighten uncomfortably.

Nikolai's response is a casual shrug and a wink that somehow manages to be both roguish and elegant.

"Welp. Wouldn't be the first time I've been rebellious."

The way he says it, so utterly unconcerned with the potential gravity of the situation, startles a laugh out of me. The sound echoes through the tunnel, making the crystals pulse brighter for a moment.

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