Three weeks had passed since Adam's return to the Scott estate. In that time, he had settled into an uneasy rhythm with his family, forging new bonds with his siblings and getting to know them again. He sparred with Tobias and Mara, shared stories with the quintuplets, and even spent quiet moments with Little Elara, who had become particularly attached to him. Yet, beneath the surface, Adam remained detached—his instincts, honed over years of lethal training, never truly at rest.
During those weeks, his father had been quietly feeding him information. Maxwell Scott, ever the tactician, provided Adam with details about every notable student at the Royal Academy. Names, backgrounds, alliances, hidden talents, and even the secrets most others weren't privy to. Adam had committed it all to memory, every face, every weakness catalogued in his mind.
Now, standing at the gates of the Royal Academy, Adam felt none of the nervousness that had plagued him when he first returned home. He knew everyone who walked past him, even if they didn't know him yet. His father had seen to that.
The Academy was immense, a sprawling collection of ancient stone buildings and towering spires, the insignia of the royal family proudly displayed at the main entrance. The grounds were alive with students, old and new, dressed in fine robes and uniforms, their conversations filled with excitement and anticipation. This was where the best and brightest of the kingdom gathered—the future rulers, generals, and mages.
Adam stood with his siblings, their distinct family presence noticeable among the crowd. As expected, they each went off to greet friends they hadn't seen over the summer, exchanging laughter and eager words. Mara and Tobias disappeared into the throng, while the quintuplets scattered in different directions.
All except one.
Little Elara lingered by Adam's side, her expression a mix of excitement and nervousness. She tugged at his sleeve. "Adam, everyone's going off with their friends... I don't really know anyone yet. Could we go together? To the main stadium for the ceremony?"
Adam looked down at his youngest sister. Her wide eyes were filled with the kind of hope that only a child who had never known darkness could possess. He felt a tug of something—perhaps guilt, perhaps protectiveness. Little Elara was innocent in a way that he hadn't been for a long time. He nodded, managing a small smile.
"Sure," Adam said, his voice softer than usual. "Let's go."
As they made their way toward the grand stadium where the opening ceremony would take place, Adam's mind slipped into its usual pattern. His eyes swept over every face they passed, every group that formed in the courtyard. Without even meaning to, his thoughts analyzed and categorized.
He knew the names of the students passing by, their positions within noble families, their skills and vulnerabilities. He could see the gaps in security around the gates and spot the hidden exits disguised as mere architectural features. He noted the guards stationed near the academy's entrance, their weapons, their patrol routes, how long it would take to disable them. Unconsciously, he started to calculate the most efficient escape routes, the best vantage points for an attack, and the places where he could hide if he needed to disappear.
Every person, every movement, became part of a deadly map in his mind. How to kill. How to escape. How to remain undetected.
It was instinct—an instinct burned into him by years of his grandfather's cruel training. No matter how much he tried to push it aside, it was always there, lurking just beneath the surface.
"Are you okay, Adam?" Little Elara's voice broke through his thoughts. She looked up at him, concern flickering in her eyes.
Adam blinked, shaking off the dark haze that had settled over him. "Yeah," he said, his voice steady. "I'm fine."
They continued walking, and as they neared the massive stadium, Adam could see hundreds of students already gathering inside. The place was vast, built to hold the entirety of the Academy's population. As they reached the entrance, Little Elara stayed close to him, her hand gripping the sleeve of his coat.
"Let's sit together," she said, her voice quieter now. "I don't really know anyone here."
Adam nodded again, though his focus remained fractured. His mind couldn't stop calculating, couldn't stop preparing for something, even though nothing was happening. He didn't want to be this way—didn't want to feel like every situation was a battlefield. But it was ingrained in him, impossible to ignore.
As they took their seats, Adam felt the weight of the Academy closing in around him. The Crown Prince would be in his class. His twin sister too. He knew their strengths, their weaknesses. He knew more about them than anyone should. And the same went for the other high-born students—the future leaders of this kingdom. But what they didn't know was that a weapon had just walked through their gates, a weapon that had no place among them.
Adam sat quietly beside Little Elara, the noise of the crowd buzzing around him, but inside, his mind was silent and cold, preparing for the unknown.
As Adam and Little Elara settled into their seats, the excited buzz of the crowd began to fade. A hush swept over the massive stadium as a figure emerged onto the stage—a tall, stern-looking man dressed in formal robes. The principal of the Royal Academy, known to every student, stood with an air of authority that commanded attention.
Adam's eyes locked onto him, instinctively analyzing the man. Principal Ivor Rosencrantz—a powerful mage in his own right, but more importantly, a figure who had been running the Academy for decades. He was respected, feared, and yet predictable. Adam could tell by the expressions of the older students around him that this wasn't their first time hearing what was about to be said.
As Rosencrantz cleared his throat, a faint smirk tugged at Adam's lips. He'd already memorized the principal's speeches from past years, thanks to the information his father had given him. The older students leaned back in their seats, eyes half-lidded, while the younger ones leaned forward, eager to absorb every word.
"Welcome, students," Rosencrantz began, his deep voice booming across the stadium. "To those of you who are new to our prestigious Academy, you stand at the threshold of greatness. Here, you will be molded into the leaders, warriors, and scholars who will shape the future of our kingdom. You carry with you the hopes of your families, of your houses, and of our nation."
The speech continued, filled with the usual rhetoric about honor, duty, and the sacred legacy of the Academy. Adam noticed the subtle enthusiasm among the first-years—how their eyes widened at phrases like "future of the kingdom" and "the most gifted of your generation."
But for Adam, it was as if Rosencrantz were simply reading from a well-worn script. The excitement, the gravitas, it was all lost on him. He scanned the crowd, noting which students were truly listening, which ones seemed disinterested, and which were sizing each other up, even during the speech. It was clear who the ambitious ones were.
By the time the speech ended, a round of applause echoed through the stadium. The younger students clapped fervently, while the older ones gave half-hearted claps out of politeness.
"Go forth, and make your families proud," Rosencrantz concluded before stepping down from the stage.
As the crowd began to disperse, Adam stood up, gesturing for Little Elara to follow. He could see the nervousness in her eyes as she looked around at all the unfamiliar faces.
"I'll walk you to where the first-years are supposed to go," Adam said quietly.
Elara smiled, her grip on his sleeve loosening slightly now that she had her brother by her side. Together, they weaved through the mass of students, heading toward the designated area for new arrivals. As they reached the spot, Elara hesitated for a moment before giving Adam a quick hug.
"Thank you, Adam," she whispered, looking up at him with wide, grateful eyes.
He patted her head gently, something he wasn't used to doing, but it felt right in the moment. "You'll be fine," he said. "Just remember what you've learned. I'll check on you later."
With that, Elara joined the other first-year students, her small frame disappearing into the crowd. Adam lingered for a moment, watching her go, before turning to leave. He wasn't sure why, but there was something oddly comforting about having someone to protect. It gave him purpose beyond the cold efficiency of his skills.
As he made his way through the dispersing crowd, a figure approached him—a teacher, dressed in the Academy's formal robes. The man handed Adam a folded note, his expression businesslike.
"This is your assigned classroom for today," the teacher said curtly. "Make sure you're there on time."
Adam unfolded the note. The classroom was on the far side of the Academy grounds, almost as far from the stadium as possible. He tucked the note into his pocket, already mentally mapping out the fastest route to get there.
The teacher handed him something else—a small, intricately carved key with glowing runes along the edges. "This is for your dormitory," the man said. "Room 799. It's in the North Wing. Don't lose it."
Adam nodded, taking the key. His eyes briefly flicked over the glowing runes, recognizing them as minor enchantments meant for locking and security. He pocketed the key as well, already calculating how long it would take to check his dorm room before heading to class.
With the crowd thinning, Adam set off toward the classroom, his mind switching back to its usual pattern. He analyzed the layout of the Academy grounds, noting where students clustered, where the patrols of Academy guards were light, and which corridors offered the best cover. His thoughts raced through contingencies—escape routes, hiding spots, potential threats. It was as if every corner of the Academy held an invisible target, and his mind couldn't stop calculating the possibilities.
He didn't want to do this—didn't want to see the world through the lens of an assassin. But it was impossible to turn off. Every step he took felt like a move on a chessboard where the stakes were life and death, even though this was just an Academy, filled with students and professors. It didn't matter. His instincts told him otherwise.
As he neared the far side of the Academy, the towering buildings casting long shadows, Adam glanced up at the sun, noting how much time he had left before class. Not much. He quickened his pace, his thoughts returning to the names and faces he had memorized. Crown Prince Alexander, his sister Lyanna, and countless other nobles would be in his class. They were all important, all watched carefully by their families and by the kingdom.
But none of them knew that Adam was already ten steps ahead.