It had been days since I walked the worn paths of Ravenwood Academy, but every step I took away from it felt planned—by me, of course.
I hadn't been expelled so much as orchestrated my own exit.
The academy was rigid in its rules and regulations, but it also held secrets and layers that most of the students and even some staff didn't bother to peel back.
My goal, however, demanded that I go deeper, and an expulsion was my best route there.
No one questioned a student's departure, especially if they'd been removed for "concerning conduct."
It was almost ironic.
The rumors I'd seeded myself had blossomed exactly as I intended, prompting enough pressure from the council for an expulsion hearing.
Now, the consequences of being expelled from Ravenwood weren't trivial.
Typically, a student removed from the academy was required to face a visit to Saint Eldred's Royal Cathedral—an institution that stretched far beyond the academy's walls.
