Dedication

To my mother, who told me to do whatever I wanted, so long as it was my passion.

Chapter 1

Aldric suspected that he’d been set up.

If he’d looked, all the signs would have been there. Zasia was getting invited to a professorship at a prestigious magic academy suddenly, one that was run by their old friend Kedrin. She also ended up convincing Aldric that he needed to pack up and come with her to the city of Nevis, the academy’s location, since he was almost totally reliant upon her. The very sudden and surprise nature of their move gave Aldric little opportunity to refuse. And of course, being summoned to a meeting with Headmaster Kedrin Elmaris the moment they made it to the front gates of the academy was the cherry on top.

The real giveaway, though, was the messenger Kedrin had sent. He’d addressed both of them as “Professor”.

Aldric had felt something like a noose slowly tightening around his neck as he was led further into the immaculate and prestigious magic academy. Long, expansive marble hallways were filled to the brim with students and teachers alike. The school year must have just started for it to be this busy. They all had looked at Zasia with curious interest and Aldric with barely suppressed skepticism. He couldn’t blame them. He didn’t think he belonged in a place full of noble brats and snooty “experts” either.

Aldric had kept his head down and done his best not to stand out. Did his friends forget how important it was that he not be recognized?

After being dragged into the depths of the campus and escorted to the headmaster’s office, Aldric was now seated across from the two perpetrators of this plot. They were both positioned behind Kedrin’s rather large desk, like they were using it as a barricade against him. Kedrin pushed his oversized glasses further up his nose, brushing his dark brown bangs out of his eyes as he adjusted his seat nervously. Aldric’s longtime friend had aged since he’d last seen him, but still kept the air of boyish youth he remembered him for. He couldn’t be any older than Aldric himself, early thirties at most, but his headmaster’s robes seemed to suit him well despite that. His ever-present smile was firmly in place, though it looked forced today.

Speaking of aging well, Zasia was still the second most gorgeous woman Aldric had ever laid eyes on, even after all the years he’d known her. Luxurious blonde hair and radiant green eyes framed a flawless face that would have been perfect if she didn’t frown so much. Well, she often frowned at him, anyway. She was messing with Kedrin’s bookshelves while pointedly not looking at Aldric, toying with her ponytail and running an absent hand over her fine red dress in a show of bored innocence.