Chapter 82: The Challenge

Astrid

The academy felt different walking through it with Ivy. Only a few days ago, everyone had been obsessed with the transferred students simply because they were new. Now the novelty had worn off, and irritation had replaced it. Crowded hallways. Longer lines in the dining hall. Fewer quiet places to study.

I overheard a group of Moonshade students complaining about the apartments. "My brother got moved out of his project apartment for people who aren’t even supposed to be here."

"They should be grateful Moonshade took them in at all," someone else added.

I said nothing, though I noticed Ivy looking uncomfortable beside me. We passed a group of transferred students a moment later, one of them complaining just as loudly. "They keep looking at us like we’re here to steal something."

"Maybe because they think this place belongs to them."

A Moonshade student overheard, and the air shifted instantly. I stopped walking. Josh was nearby, hearing someone complain about the newcomers using the facilities.

"Did you personally build the dining hall?" he asked casually.

The student turned. "Excuse me?"

Josh immediately realized his mistake. "Nothing."

Too late. "You people have been here two days."

"And somehow survived," Josh said.

I closed my eyes. "Here we go," Ivy whispered.

A professor appeared before it escalated further, but the tension stayed thick in the air long after. This wasn’t going to resolve itself.

Later that day, our year group was called to gather in the briefing area. I sat beside Ivy, Josh a few seats away, Eliza nearby, Criston leaning against the wall instead of sitting. I refused to look at him too long. Refused to think about anything suspicious.

Especially potatoes.

I almost smiled at the memory before Aldrich walked in and the room quieted.

"Moonshade was built on cooperation," he said, and I could tell he knew exactly what had been happening across campus.

Xander whispered something behind me. Reed told him to be quiet.

Aldrich explained that the transferred students would remain at Moonshade for an unknown period, which meant everyone had two choices. Continue treating each other like enemies, or learn to work together.

"Oh no," Ivy whispered.

"What?"

"He’s going to make us do something."

He announced the Moonshade Integration Challenge, and the room erupted with groans. Teams would be mixed deliberately, Moonshade students paired with transferred students across several stages testing strategy, problem-solving, knowledge, cooperation, and physical ability. Winning earned a reward, but Aldrich made it clear that wasn’t the point.

"That means he’s worried," Josh whispered.

"About what?"

He gestured around the room. "Us."

Names started getting called. Ivy’s team came first, and I wasn’t in it. She looked disappointed. I shrugged.

Then mine. Josh, which I expected. Eliza Bane, calm as ever. Then Criston Cosle.

I closed my eyes. "You’ve got to be kidding me."

"I usually agree," Criston said.

"Nobody asked you."

"Do you two know each other?" Josh asked.

"No," we said together.

"Could’ve fooled me."

Eliza said nothing, though I caught her watching the three of us with quiet interest.

More names followed. Reed Ashwood. Xander Ashwood. Then Estelle Raven.

I went still. She looked delighted, immediately turning to the twins. "This is perfect."

Xander smiled. Reed looked resigned.

I told myself it didn’t matter. Just a team. Temporary. When Xander glanced my way, I looked away fast, refusing to give him the satisfaction.

"You okay?" Josh asked.

"Perfect."

He didn’t look convinced.

Our team was dismissed to a separate work area, and our first task turned out to be research rather than physical, a sealed folder containing puzzles about Moonshade history, old alliances, supernatural territories, and a hidden answer we needed to identify.

"Shouldn’t we introduce ourselves properly first?" Josh asked.

"We know your name," I said, opening the folder.

"That’s cold."

"She’s always like this," Criston said, sitting down.

"You’ve known me for two days."

"Long enough."

"Do you two have some kind of history?" Josh asked.

"No," we said together, again.

"Sure," Josh sighed.

Eliza started reading quietly. I did the same, Criston occasionally interjecting until I finally snapped, "Can you stop talking for five minutes?"

"Can you?" he shot back.

"Both of you are loud," Eliza said, without looking up.

Silence. Josh covered a laugh. I glared at him. "Don’t."

"Wouldn’t dream of it."

I tried not to pay attention to Criston as we worked, though it was difficult, wondering constantly whether he was reading my mind.

"Why do you keep looking at me?" I finally asked.

"You keep looking like you’re trying not to think," he said.

I froze. Josh looked confused, and I lowered my voice. "Are you reading my mind right now?"

He looked almost offended. "No."

I didn’t believe him. "Relax," he said. "I don’t read every thought I hear."

"That’s supposed to make me feel better?"

"No."

Josh laughed. "Whose side are you on?" I asked him.

"Mine."

Criston explained, reluctantly, that his ability wasn’t constantly active, that he could control it, wasn’t drowning in everyone’s thoughts at all times. I relaxed slightly, then realized he could be lying.

"There it is," he said, noticing my expression shift.

"What?"

"You don’t trust anyone."

"Smart of me," I said, looking away.

He didn’t respond, though this time, he didn’t tease me either.

Eliza had been quietly comparing something from the folder to a memory of her own, and suddenly she stopped.

"What?" I asked.

She pointed to a symbol in the material. I leaned closer, Josh following. "What does it mean?"

Her expression shifted only slightly. "Someone changed this."

"Changed what?"

She pointed again. The symbol didn’t belong there, or rather, it belonged somewhere else, the surrounding information mismatched from the original historical records.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Yes."

Criston leaned in, all traces of humor gone. Focused entirely on the page.

"So what, someone made a mistake?" Josh asked.

"This isn’t a mistake," Eliza said.

"Then what is it?"

Criston straightened, eyes moving across the room, over the other teams working, talking, arguing. Nothing looked suspicious.

"Someone doesn’t want us finishing first," he said quietly.

I looked toward the other teams and immediately found Estelle, standing with Reed and Xander, laughing at something. Perfectly innocent.

My thoughts went straight there. Illusionist. Estelle. The voice. The warning.

Then I remembered what Eliza had told me. Don’t let someone make you doubt your own eyes.

But I had no proof. I forced myself to look away.

The professor called time shortly after, teams packing up to continue later. I gathered my things, Josh grabbing his bag, Eliza closing her book. Criston stayed still, still staring at the altered symbol.

I headed toward the door.

"Astrid."

I stopped and turned. He hadn’t moved.

"What?" I asked.

He finally looked up, expression serious. "You should probably stop assuming every strange thing happening around you is an illusion."

My stomach dropped. "What does that mean?"

He looked back at the symbol, then at me.

"It means this one is real."