The sky over Silverhollow Academy pulsed with starlight, each twinkle of distant suns casting the grounds below in an ethereal glow. The ancient stone towers loomed above, guardians of centuries-old secrets. For seven long years, Zara Avenell had walked its shadowed halls, studied in the same lecture chambers, and trained alongside the brightest magical minds of her generation. Now, she stood on the precipice of something entirely new.

She glanced over at Jaxon Thorn, her closest friend and sometimes rival. His green eyes shimmered with a mix of pride and anticipation. The sigil that had been etched into his skin earlier that day—a spiraling mark of power—glowed faintly beneath the sleeve of his robe. Zara’s sigil, a complex design that seemed to hum with its inner light, still tingled on her arm.

"How does it feel, being officially powerful?" Jaxon grinned, his voice full of teasing confidence.

"Like we’re only just getting started," Zara replied, though beneath her calm exterior, unease simmered. Jaxon was brilliant, more so than any other student at Silverhollow, but his thirst for mastery had always concerned her. He was driven by an intensity she didn’t fully understand, a need to push beyond the boundaries of magic.

The Ascension Ceremony had ended hours ago, but the night’s celebration was far from over. In the enchanted garden behind the academy, the graduation party was just beginning. Classmates floated overhead on enchanted cushions, laughing as they passed goblets filled with shimmering drinks. The scent of honeysuckle and jasmine wafted through the air, courtesy of the enchantments woven into the flowers, and fairy lights blinked in rhythm with the music that danced through the air.

Jaxon looked restless, though. While the other students reveled in their newfound freedom, he seemed distant, his mind elsewhere.

Zara frowned. "What’s going on with you, Jaxon?"

He shrugged, the corner of his mouth twitching into a smirk. "Just thinking of something more… exciting for tonight."Don’t tell me you’re planning another stunt." Zara’s eyes narrowed. They had been friends long enough for her to know that his definition of ‘exciting’ usually meant reckless.

"You’ll see," he said cryptically, before disappearing into the throng of dancing wizards.