It was the crackle of Jaden’s magic that woke her.

Ailya’s eyes popped open. There was no other sound in the world like that. The way the sparks flew from Jaden’s wand gave off a sound more powerful than fireworks, than a gunshot. It came from the way he flicked his wrist; she knew from watching him almost every day in the commons near midnight, ducking around in the shadows when he thought no one could see him.

Ailya rose from the bed and listened again. Another crackle. She grabbed her blue-rimmed glasses from her bedside table and shoved them onto her face, listening harder.

The noise wasn’t coming from the commons this time, though. It was coming from outside.

Jaden had been brave to venture out in the forest this time, Ailya thought, tossing on a sweatshirt and pulling open her door ever so carefully so it wouldn’t squeak. People often called her a goody-goody, but in her heart she had a strange curiosity for those who broke the rules. Like now, as she tiptoed down the winding stairs leading up to the doors of Nymph Hall, her feet silently pat-patting on the cherry wood. By the time she made it to the castle’s lobby, the crackles were loud enough to rattle the crystal chandelier high above her head.

She pushed open the grand bronze doors and crossed the drawbridge. It was chilly out tonight, the crisp September night air washing over her like a cool shower. Another crackle. Ailya pulled her sweatshirt tighter around her shoulders and picked up the pace.

She reached the tree line and hesitated, considering that the moment she crossed the threshold into the forest was the moment she risked being expelled. People had been caught wandering out after curfew before— especially Rian McKillian and his gang, who were notorious for his late-night trips to the dessert storage in the castle kitchens— but the forest was strictly forbidden to students. Still, she steeled her resolve and marched forwards. So much for being a goody-goody.

Another crackle, so close she could feel her own hands shake with the force of the magic. Only a few paces in front of her, a figure emerged, his back to her as he spoke, dark and low.

“What are you doing here?”

Aiyla froze. She stuck her hands farther in her pockets. She was afraid of lots of things, but the magic of Jaden Welsh was one thing she couldn’t afford to be afraid of. “I heard your magic.”

“And how would you know what my magic sounds like?” He turned to face her. She had forgotten the deep emerald of his eyes, the way his fists curled when he was angry. Perhaps she’d picked up on more than she’d realized when she was spying on him in the commons.

“I have ears,” she replied simply with a shrug. She could play this game just as well as he could. “And I’m more smart than I seem.”

“So I’m coming to learn.” He suddenly whipped his wand out of his pocket and pointed it at her. At the same time, she drew her own from her pocket, meeting his gaze. “You’re fast, Suhing,” he quipped.

“And you’re misunderstood.”

Ailya felt a flash of something as she watched his smirk falter ever so slightly. He recovered too fast for her to claim a victory, but it was enough.

Jaden began to walk left, and Ailya walked opposite as him, so that they both began to make a slow circle like two fighters in a ring. Neither of their wands fell an inch as they moved.

Jaden’s face twisted into a scowl. “This is a dangerous game you’re playing, Suhing.”

“Dangerous, or fun?” She met his scowl with a dark, delighted smile. “You have no idea how far I’m willing to go to destroy you.”

A crackle. Ailya barely jumped out of the way as a gold spark rushed from Jaden’s wand and whooshed past her head.

He raised an eyebrow. “Fast, but not clever. Interesting.”

Ailya mimicked his wrist motion almost exactly, and an equally strong silver spark flew from her wand and slammed him dead in the stomach. He stumbled, the wind knocked from his lungs, but didn’t fall.

“We play by my rules here, Welsh,” she countered, twirling her wand around in her fingers. “Now. Let’s talk about what magical secrets you’re keeping hidden in the commons at night. Then you can talk.”