“It’s true,” Felicity adds, eager to change the subject. “I’ve never seen our Kingsmage use metal weapons. My father says Selwyn’s constructs are the strongest he’s ever seen, and he Squired at Northern in the seventies when Merlin Jenkins held that post.”

While the others follow her to the door, I linger at the case, shaken by all that had been left unsaid: why the manacles were used initially, why they’re on display now, and, most disturbing, what they mean about Merlins and their missions.

Merlins don’t just hunt demons.

They hunt people.

11

BACK IN THE great room, only Pages remain—first through fourth years. Everyone is standing apart. I don’t know if the competition has already started and it’s every Page for themselves or if people are just nervous. Nick wouldn’t know that part. He didn’t have to do this step, and he never would.

Most of the crowd looks like sophomores and juniors. Almost all of them look like athletes. A handful are tall and muscled, like swimmers. Some look more like wrestlers, wide across the shoulders and hips. Sturdy tanks built for the mat. Two of those Pages look like particularly vicious Ralph Lauren models, with barrel chests that stretch their powder blue and salmon polo shirts at the seams.

Vaughn, the only Page leaning casually against a wall, catches me staring at him. The leer on his handsome, tanned face—and the wink he sends me—makes it hard to play the lost lamb, because all I want to do is scowl back, teeth bared. I look away.

There’s a girl about my build with short auburn hair, her body thrumming with tension. A few of the other girls remind me of Sarah: small, ballerina-like people who stand with both feet planted wide and turned out. Deceptively fast and strong, I bet.

If the Vassal families prepare their children like Nick says, then even a freshman would enter school with some weapons training, if not actual demon-hunting experience. I’ve seen two demon attacks, which gives me an advantage over someone who hasn’t seen one, but I can’t let on that I’ve seen any.

Nick doesn’t know about my wall and After-Bree, but he didn’t seem to think I’d have any trouble pretending to be ignorant. I did lie to Sarah to get into the Lodge.

I wonder what Alice would say.

I think she’d tell me I’ve bitten off more than I can chew, and that if I don’t get out now, I might not be able to when things turn for the worse.

Abruptly, the double doors open and Tor strides into the room. She’s wearing a ruched royal-blue dress that hugs her curves, and her hair cascades down her shoulders in sunflower waves.