The rest of the night passed in a blur for Rowan. He barely made it back to his dorm room before exhaustion hit him like a freight train. The crystal, still warm in his hand, throbbed with a pulsating energy, but Rowan couldn't bring himself to put it down. He sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the strange object, trying to piece together everything that had happened in the last few hours.
His mind raced with questions: Who were the Factions? Why was he the heir to the Thirteenth House? Why had the crystal chosen him? And who exactly could he trust now that he knew the stakes were so high?
The door to his dorm creaked open, and Rowan snapped to attention, his senses immediately heightened. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he hadn't heard anyone approach. The figure standing in the doorway was familiar—Avery, his roommate and the only person Rowan had felt he could rely on since arriving at Blackthorn.
Avery was standing there, a curious expression on his face, but Rowan noticed the way his eyes darted nervously to the glowing crystal still held tightly in his hand. Avery raised an eyebrow. "Still haven't figured out what it does, huh?"
Rowan's heart sank. He hadn't told Avery anything about the crystal—he hadn't even told him about the duel or the strange events that had happened after. Avery had always been a bit of an enigma, keeping to himself, but Rowan had never felt as though his roommate was hiding anything. Or so he had thought.
"How do you know about this?" Rowan asked, his voice betraying the suspicion that had been growing in his gut.
Avery stepped into the room and closed the door behind him, his posture tense. "I've known for a while," he admitted. "About the crystal. About you. And about what's happening at Blackthorn. I didn't want to say anything—until now."
Rowan's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"
Avery sighed, walking over to the desk and sitting down. He gestured for Rowan to sit too, and reluctantly, Rowan obeyed. There was something in Avery's demeanor now that was far more serious than Rowan had ever seen. "You're not the first person to be chosen by that crystal. But you might be the last. That's why I've been watching you—ever since you got here."
Rowan blinked. "What do you mean? Why were you watching me?"
Avery leaned forward, lowering his voice. "Because I knew the moment I saw you at the sorting ceremony that something was… off. That crystal, it's not just any relic—it's alive, Rowan. And it doesn't just choose anyone. It picks someone with blood—a bloodline that is tied to the old magic of the Thirteenth House."
Rowan felt a chill run down his spine. He had no idea Avery knew so much, and yet, there was something unsettling about the way he spoke. His words were so sure, so matter-of-fact. It almost felt like Avery had been waiting for this to happen.
"So, you've known all along?" Rowan asked, still struggling to digest everything. "You knew about the Thirteenth House, and you never told me?"
Avery hesitated. "I couldn't. The thing is, Rowan, I'm not just some random student at Blackthorn Academy. I'm part of the House of Shadows. And I've been tracking the Thirteenth House for years. I didn't know who you were at first, but I knew the moment that crystal chose you, it would only be a matter of time before the rest of the Factions came looking for you."
Rowan stared at him, his mind reeling. "Wait. You're from the House of Shadows?" He had known Avery was secretive, but he never suspected he was involved in any of the politics surrounding the magic houses.
Avery nodded grimly. "Yes. And I'm part of a pact—a secret agreement among the houses. It's about control. Whoever controls the power of the Thirteenth House controls the future of magic. And that's why I've been keeping my distance. But now…" Avery paused, a flicker of regret passing over his face. "I can't stay out of it any longer. If you want to survive, if you want to have any chance at keeping the magic within you under control, you'll need help."
Rowan's hands tightened around the crystal. "Help from you?"
Avery met his gaze, his eyes searching Rowan's face, as though weighing whether to reveal more. "Not just me. There are others—those who still believe in the old magic, the kind that wasn't meant to be erased. But there are also people who want to use you, Rowan. People who will stop at nothing to get what they want."
Rowan shook his head. "I don't understand. I didn't ask for any of this. Why me?"
Avery stood and walked to the window, staring out at the darkened academy grounds. "Because you're not just anyone. The magic inside you… it's more powerful than anyone in the Academy realizes. And it's been locked away for centuries for a reason."
Rowan looked down at the glowing crystal. "But why is it calling to me? Why now?"
Avery's voice softened, tinged with something darker. "The balance of power is shifting, Rowan. The war that was fought all those years ago didn't end—it was postponed. The factions that opposed the Thirteenth House are starting to move again. And you're the one who holds the key to unlocking that power. If you don't control it, the war that was fought in the past will begin again. And this time, the stakes are much higher."
Rowan stood, his heart pounding. "So what do I do? I can't just stand here and wait for them to come after me."
Avery turned to face him, his expression grave. "You're going to have to make a choice. The House of Shadows will help you, but it comes with a price. We can protect you, but we will ask for something in return." His voice dropped to a whisper. "But if you don't accept help, you'll have to face this on your own—and there's no telling if you'll survive."
Rowan's mind was spinning, the weight of Avery's words sinking in. He felt trapped—as if every choice would lead him deeper into a game that he hadn't even begun to understand.
"I can't promise anything," Rowan said, looking down at the crystal again, its blue glow flickering with an almost life-like energy. "But I can't let this power control me."
Avery's expression softened, just for a moment. "That's all I needed to hear."
The two of them stood there, the room growing colder with each passing second. Rowan felt like he was teetering on the edge of something he couldn't control—something that was going to drag him into the heart of a war between the magical houses.
And for the first time since he'd arrived at Blackthorn, he realized that he was no longer just a student. He was a player in a game far bigger than himself—and if he didn't act quickly, he might just lose everything.
"Let's begin," Avery said, his voice low but resolute.
Rowan nodded, knowing that this was only the beginning.