The moment Raine stepped out of the testing chamber, he knew something was wrong.


    The cold stone halls of the Arcanum had always carried a chill, but this was different. It clung to him, pressing against his ribs like an invisible weight.


    He could still feel the Resonance Stone beneath his fingertips. The way it had cracked.


    That wasn’t supposed to happen.


    No one spoke as he was led through the corridors. No murmurs of conversation, no explanations—just the stiff movements of the robed attendant walking ahead of him. His posture was rigid, his steps too measured.


    Too controlled.


    Every applicant received their ranking immediately after the test. That was standard procedure. But when Raine had met the examiner’s gaze, there had been no announcement. No placement.


    Only something cold. Measured.


    Fear.


    They were afraid of him.


    The attendant stopped at a heavy wooden door, pressing it open to reveal a small, barren chamber. Not the main hall. Not where the other applicants had gone.


    “Wait here.”


    Raine frowned. “For how long?”


    The attendant didn’t answer. He stepped back, and the door swung shut between them.


    Raine exhaled sharply, his pulse quickening.


    The room was bare, the only furniture a wooden bench against the far wall. No windows. No exit except the way he had come.


    A holding room.


    They weren’t letting him go.


    The minutes stretched.


    He paced, forcing himself to keep his breathing steady. Maybe the stone had just been old, brittle from years of use. Maybe this was protocol for unusual cases.


    But deep down, he knew better.


    A sound outside the door—muffled voices. Urgent. Arguing.


    Then footsteps.


    The door swung open again.


    A different attendant stood there, older, his expression carefully neutral.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    “Your results are under review,” he said. “You will receive placement in due time. Until then, you are not to leave the city.”


    Raine’s stomach twisted. Not to leave?


    “That’s—”


    “You are dismissed.”


    The finality in his tone made it clear—this wasn’t a discussion.


    Something clawed at the back of Raine’s mind. The way the man wouldn’t quite meet his eyes. The tension in his shoulders.


    They weren’t letting him go.


    They were containing him.


    Forcing his legs to move, Raine stepped past the threshold. The hall outside was empty.


    Too empty.


    No other applicants. No bustling movement of those who had passed or failed.


    Only robed officials, standing too still.


    Watching him.


    He forced himself to keep walking, ignoring the weight of their stares.


    The exit was in sight now—just a few more steps through the marble archway leading into the city streets.


    Don’t run.


    Running would confirm their fears. Running would mark him.


    The guards near the entrance didn’t move, but their eyes tracked him. Their hands rested too casually on the hilts of their blades.


    They were waiting.


    Raine stepped outside.


    The cold air hit his skin, but he didn’t stop moving. Not yet. Not until he had put at least a few streets between himself and the Arcanum’s looming towers.


    Only when he reached the marketplace—where the crowd swallowed him whole—did he slow. His pulse still hammered.


    They knew.


    They didn’t know what he was, but they knew he wasn’t normal.


    Which meant he had one option.


    He had to leave the city.


    Raine turned down a side street, heading toward the Red Ember Tavern, where he’d been staying. He needed to grab his things and disappear before they changed their minds about waiting.


    He was almost at the next alley when—


    A hand grabbed his wrist.


    Raine whirled, instinct kicking in, but the grip was too fast, too practiced.


    A figure in dark clothing yanked him into the narrow space between two buildings, pressing him back against the rough stone wall before he could react.


    A stranger.


    No—


    Not a stranger.


    Raine had never seen him before, but something about the man’s sharp gaze, the ease with which he moved, sent a cold spike of recognition through him.


    Not a common thief.


    Not a drunk looking for a fight.


    Someone trained.


    “You’re out of time,” the man said. His voice was calm. Too calm.


    Raine stiffened. “Who the hell are you?”


    The man ignored the question, glancing toward the alley entrance. His grip on Raine’s wrist loosened, but he didn’t fully let go.


    “They won’t move yet,” he murmured. “They’ll let you think you have freedom. Let you think you can stay hidden.”


    Raine’s stomach turned. “And then?”


    The man’s dark eyes met his. “Then you stop existing.”


    A chill ran down Raine’s spine.


    He swallowed. “You’re with them.”


    A flicker of amusement crossed the man’s face. “Not anymore.”


    Raine clenched his jaw. “Why are you helping me?”


    The man released his grip completely, stepping back.


    “Because you don’t know what you are yet.” His expression darkened. “And I don’t want to see what happens if they get to you first.”


    Raine’s breath caught.


    Before he could respond, the man pulled something from his coat—a small insignia.


    He tossed it to Raine.


    Raine caught it on reflex, turning it over in his fingers. The surface was smooth, worn by time, but the design was still clear—a hollow circle, encased in a ring.


    Not a noble crest. Not a guild marker.


    Something else entirely.


    “They’ve been erasing people like you for centuries,” the man said.


    Raine’s fingers tightened around the insignia.


    His chest felt too tight.


    Before he could speak, the man stepped back into the shadows.


    “Leave the city,” he said. “Tonight.”


    Then he was gone.


    And Raine was alone.