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Buzzing filledhim, I could think only:

1 Alcántara killed Emma

2 I despised Alcántara

3 Alcántara was the ene inside ed Lethal I would discover what he’d done to Emma What they’d done to her The decision was irrefutable My goal, unignorable

I glanced around, looking for a place to sit, but hostile faces were all around h and pretty, every one of thee a knife in my back

It was Alcántara’s fault I had no friends left When Emma died, I’d also lost Yasuo And if Master Al had his way, he’d take Carden from me, too

It was unthinkable

Memories flooded me Unbearable memories I flashed back to those days when I’d walk into a class to sit beside Eht with terror, and yet who knew those had beennow, I made my way to a seat, any seat, unable toon autopilot, lurching toward an empty spot, I knew I’d do what I always did: I’d survive

And I’d uncover the truth of this hell

I cru, the chair leg squealing along the floor the irl behind irl next to her tittered

I turned to see who they were The nized fro pal was a pert-nosed thing froet

I had nothing to lose anyuess… Is it , fearless glare I’d been responsible for the death of lessto take me dohat? Your snarky little coive up now Iit? I needed to get it together Keep to myself Fly under the radar Follow all those personal rules I’d once clung to

"What the fuck?" Lissa muttered, and her friend added a whispered, "Freak"

But they’d averted their eyes Two points to me

I couldn’t resist one last jab "I’ll bet you both just ruled seventh grade, didn’t you?"

"Children, children" The sound of Alcántara’s patronizing tone galvanized ined he didn’tHe’d have noted who mocked who in on ination, but I felt an anticipatory energy radiate fro the best for last

Hatred erupted frohwas the bile burning my throat I knew he kept his eyes on me, but I pretended not to notice and instead fuht pen

He paused, a heavy moment of quiet, then made a noise in the back of his throat that sounded like amusement "How I’ve missed your pretty faces"

The comment was aimed atat irl in the room who’d kept her pretty face averted What I’d said to my classmates hadn’t been entirely true: Snarky little comments could take me down in a second…if they cas," he continued, "and roup who survives their first year on Eyja næturinnar You have been placed in Initiate-level Assassination and Elimination Techniques Do you knohat this means?"

"It’s a survey of assassination theory and praxis?" Frost chimed from the front row I hadn’t seen her when I’d coh, there she was, sitting ra her most kiss-assy self And, by the way, did she not understand the concept of rhetorical question?

I scowled, then quickly smoothed my features before anyone saw On this island, it was stupid to do anything other than play things close to the vest