After Harkel explained why Riven should keep the system a secret, Riven finally understood. If he didn't, he could easily end up like Matthew—sold off to the highest bidder. Maybe the Voss Clan would buy him back, but that didn't mean he'd have a choice. He could be stuck inside their estate, never seeing his brother or friends again.
"By your face, you get it now," Harkel said. "People like you, with the potential to become powerful, get cut off early. Luckily, none of you showed that kind of potential when you were younger. Not like Matthew. That's why they didn't come for you. And now that you're in the academy, they can't touch you… not until you graduate. By then, we should be strong enough to fight back."
Riven frowned, something clicking in his head.
"Wait… if that's true, why didn't they come after Joey when he was younger?"
Harkel paused, placing a hand on his chin.
"My guesses? One, they were scared of Joey… which I doubt. Or two, someone protected him. You said he was in an orphanage, right? Does the head have all your information? Birth certificates, records, anything like that?"
Riven and Luka looked at each other, then shook their heads.
"We never asked," Luka said. "I'd assume she has our birth certificates, but the hospital records? There are multiple hospitals in each section of the Wall, and most of them are worn down. Old systems. It'd be hard to track anything."
"Then I don't know," Harkel admitted.
"Or number three," Riven added with a small laugh, "Ms. Lucia just never gave him up and stood her ground."
Harkel didn't say anything, but he doubted that.
"I'll let him believe that for now," he thought. "If they really wanted Joey, they could've forced her hand. Used the other kids against her."
"It doesn't matter," Harkel said, straightening up. "What matters is we keep everything hidden. What you are, what you can become, and the fact that I know. Especially from that Skye girl. I don't think even all of us combined could beat her. If she's a spy, she has a time limit to report back. We can't kill her or it'll raise suspicion. They could have more spies watching her… or even spies watching those spies. Different locations, different academy divisions. It's safer to keep our distance."
He looked directly at Luka.
"Especially you. If you resemble that leader you're related to, that red hair will give you away. We'll need to dye it. Make it look natural."
Luka nodded.
"And one more thing…" Harkel's voice softened. "I'm sorry. For going through your mind. I needed to know what was going on. And now that I do… I don't regret it. I felt what you felt, Luka. You were scared no one would accept you. But I promise, even if you told us yourself… I wouldn't see you any differently."
He held out his hand.
Luka looked at it for a moment, then smiled and clasped it.
"Apology accepted."
—
The next night.
The boys stood outside the academy's main doors, all of them unusually nervous.
"You go first," Jordan said, lightly nudging Luka.
"No, Joey goes first."
"Me? Riven should go. He's the most confident."
"Guys, guys…" Riven stepped forward. "None of us should go first."
He grabbed Harkel and pushed him toward the door.
"Our fearless leader should."
"Come on…" Harkel sighed, pushing the twin doors open.
Inside, the academy was dazzling.
Golden lights shimmered across the ceiling, casting a warm glow over everything. Confetti drifted through the air, and a massive "WELCOME" display floated above the center. Students filled the room, talking, laughing, and eating from what looked like an endless buffet.
The food alone made the boys freeze.
Plates stacked high with meat, fruit, desserts—everything looked fresh, rich, and far better than anything they'd ever had.
"Good food is what gets some people up," Leo chuckled.
He stopped mid-step.
Across the room, a dark-skinned girl sat at a table with five others, one of them with blue hair.
"Harkel… watch them. I'll be back."
"What am I, a babysitter?" Harkel muttered, rubbing his face.
Riven reached for a piece of chicken—
Only for someone else to grab it first.
"Hey, I was going to eat that," he said, looking at the boy.
The boy had a sharp pompadour hairstyle. He glanced down at Riven's uniform, then smirked.
"What makes a wallborn think he can talk to me like that? Be grateful we let you even get a plate."
He snorted… and spat on Riven's food.
[system: A clear sign of disrespect has occurred. Are you going to take that? Quest: Get revenge for your food Reward: New skill]
Riven didn't even read the full message.
His fist was already moving.
The punch landed clean against the boy's face.
"You hit—" the boy started, but a sudden unseen force struck Riven in return, snapping his head to the side.
Luka, sitting nearby, sighed as he watched.
"Come on, Riven…"
[system: Quest: Get revenge for your friend's food Reward: Skill]
Luka stood up.
He didn't want to fight… but a skill was a skill.
"Next time, don't tempt me, wall—"
Riven cut him off with an uppercut that lifted him off his feet.
"Will you shut up about me being wallborn and fight?"
"Hey," another boy stepped forward. "Park, you need help?"
"What? Of course not," Park scoffed, fixing his pompadour with a comb. "This is just some wallborn who thinks he matters. I'll handle him."
He didn't even see Luka move.
The next second—
Boom.
Park hit the ground.
Luka stood over him, his hand hardened with blood.
"Man… I hate when people call us wallborn," Luka said calmly. "Don't you, Riven?"
"Park—!" one of the others shouted.
Jordan appeared out of nowhere, sweeping one of their legs and slamming another into the floor.
"We walk away for one second and you guys start a fight?" he said, chewing on a chicken bone.
Joey stood behind him, already grabbing more food.
"What can I say?" Riven shrugged. "I wanted the reward."
[system: Quest update: Park's friends are not happy Defeat remaining dormmates 2/6 reward 400 EXP]
Jordan didn't know What riven Meant by that, but he didn't care as he cracked his knuckles.
"Let's get this over with. I still want to eat."
Harkel sighed, forming a staff from his shadow beast blob.
Neither he nor Jordan wanted to fight… but it was clear this wasn't ending peacefully.
—
"Well, that was quicker than I thought," Leo muttered as he approached the table.
The girls immediately stopped talking.
"Tessa. Can we talk? Alone," Leo said.
"No. I'm good. I don't want to talk," Tessa replied, waving him off.
"What is it?" Leo pressed. "After everything with mom and dad… you've been distant. Pushing me away. What did I do?"
"I never asked you to sell yourself," Tessa shot back. "What, you thought I needed protection? I don't need you, Leo. Maybe that was dad's mindset too when he challenged a pack leader."
Leo grabbed her arm as she reached for a drink.
"I won't let you speak about them like that. Yes, dad made a mistake, but it gave us a chance to grow. To meet new people, to leave the clan—"
He stopped.
His nose twitched.
"What do you have in your mouth?"
Tessa smiled.
"You always had a good sense for this."
She opened her mouth and reached inside, pulling out a small glass container filled with a black liquid.
The girls around her recoiled.
"What is that?" Maddie asked.
"Wolfbane," Leo said immediately.
"How did you—"
"Mom left some behind," Tessa said. "I hid them when I went back. Now I'm selling them."
"Why not bring all of them?" Maddie asked. "We could sell them here or in the city."
"Because wolfbane isn't for you," Tessa said coldly. "It's poison to anyone without our blood. It could kill you instantly. Honestly… it might kill us too."
She looked at Leo.
"You were always her favorite. She took you to the lab, let you watch—"
"She loved us equally," Leo said.
"No, she didn't," Tessa snapped. "They barely cared about me. And now you think you can protect me? I don't need you. I never did."
Leo opened his mouth—
A hand grabbed his shoulder.
"Ladies," a boy stepped in. "Is he bothering you?"
"Yes," one of the girls lied. "He keeps asking for our numbers."
The boy leaned close to Leo and whispered, "Do me a favor. Let me rough you up a bit. We fight, I impress them, I get the girl. Especially the dark-skinned one… man, I love dark—"
Leo lifted him off the ground with one hand.
Veins bulged along his arm.
He didn't even look at him.
His eyes stayed on Tessa.
She was smiling.
For a moment… Leo felt his strength leave him.
"…I understand now," he said quietly, dropping the boy.
He turned and walked away.
Back to the others.
"I understand what I have to do," Leo said, sitting down beside Joey. "And why I have to protect you, little sis… I'm sorry, but I'll have to show you tomorrow."