Nova Pov-
The salty wind whipped through my hair as the ship finally came to a halt on the jagged cliffs overlooking the endless sea. Noctos Dominium's "Unity Expedition" had sounded almost harmless when the principal announced it—like a school trip with extra credit attached. But nothing about this academy was ever harmless.
The coastal ruins stretched below us, half-swallowed by the tide. Crumbling stone arches rose from the sand like the ribs of some ancient beast, glowing faintly with bioluminescent vines that pulsed in rhythm with the waves. The air was thick with salt and something older—something that made the curse coiled inside my chest stir restlessly, like a snake waking from a long sleep.
