Some students laughed, more out of habit than real malice. Others watched with barely concealed interest. The bet between Ren and Wei was known to all.
Luna, from her place by the window, stopped pretending to read her book. Her eyes followed every movement as Ren and Taro sat in the front row. Her shadow wolf manifested slightly, as if sensing something important.
"Is he really going to try it?" one of her cousins whispered to the other. "Taro's mana looks different, do you think...?"
"Shh, quiet," Luna interrupted, though her own eyes sparkled with anticipation.
Harold, the new student, observed everything with studied intensity. His eyes moved between Klein and Ren, evaluating, measuring, storing away every detail.
"Just wait until Wei throws him out," Kai commented to Cass, his green scales gleaming with amusement. "He must be really worried about losing his tuition to come, now that the end of the semester is coming closer."
