Page 49

How can I be annoyed at that? The ranking site loads. The second-year lists are at the top, a section for each order. I focus on Vanguard. Melody isn’t just in the top ten, she’s fourth overall, coming in behind Drake, Rowan, and Bellamy. A quick scan of the top twenty tells me her friends aren’t anywhere on the list.

“Well, that explains her shitty attitude,” I say with a shake of my head. “She thinks she’s the Goddess’s gift to Earth.”

Ever hums in agreement. “If anyone makes sense to be their tether, it would be her.”

My gaze traces over their names. She’s not wrong. Melody is as infuriating as Drake and as cocky as Bellamy. I can’t picture Carver liking anyone, let alone her, but he’d probably tolerate her if it meant their bond would settle. I don’t know enough about Rowan to say how he’d feel about it.

“At least they can all be unbearable together,” I mutter.

“That’s funny. Oh! It’s here!” Ever whisper-shouts, and she’s not the only one. Excited shouts and chatter bubble up around us.

Right. Here’s hoping I’m not totally pathetic in last place, but it’s wishful thinking to assume I’d be anything but.

My gaze shifts to the section of the screen that shows the ranking for first-year Vanguards. I immediately check the bottom, expecting to find my name there, but it’s not.

What the hell?

I slowly scan each name starting from the bottom. Each one I pass over has dread settling deeper in my gut. People around me gasp in surprise, others complain, but a ringing in my ears blocks it out. I’m not in the bottom half. My eyes fly through names now, shapes of letters becoming a blur until the familiar outline of five letters finally appears at the top.

It’s a gut punch. Air rushes between my clenched teeth. “No. That’s not possible. It can’t be.”

“What is it?” Ever asks, leaning over. “Damn, Raina! That’s badass.”

I’m not the second or third or fourth from top or anywhere else in the top ten of Vanguard’s first-year ranking. No, the Goddess and her twisted sense of humor would put me at the very top. A mage without access to her affinities in the number one spot? It’s inconceivable.

The number one spot is coveted, normally filled by a Foundation. Plenty of Ferals would be ecstatic to be in my place, even more excited if it means they get a luxury dorm, but my mouth turns bitter.

“This is a joke. It has to be.” I glance at Ever. “This doesn’t make sense. You’ve seen what I can’t do. I don’t know how I ended up number one.”

Her eyebrows pinch together. “The rankings are driven by the enrollment ceremony, and you put on quite a show then. You just need to channel that power and you’ll be unstoppable. How’s tutoring with Carver? Are you making progress?”

“Not really.” I grimace. “Like I keep telling everyone, I don’t know how to use my magic. The rankings are wrong. They have to be.”

“Mine feels right,” Ever says with a shrug.

Shit. I’m such an asshole. Here I am complaining, and I didn’t even ask her where she ended up. I didn’t check on Eli’s or Bree’s rank, either. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be selfish. Where are you?”

“We’re friends, Raina. You can share your feelings with me. I’m not going to be mad about it.” She turns her screen toward me. Ever’s name is slotted in the sixty-seventh out of four hundred. “I mean, it’s not number one, but it’s pretty badass for a Feral, right?”

“It’s amazing,” I tell her with a nod. “You deserve it.” Not only because she’s an alpha wolf, but because she’s pretty freaking spectacular.

“I do, don’t I?” She wrinkles her nose at me, then turns back to her laptop. “Let’s see about Bree and Eli.”

“I’ll check Bree’s rank,” I offer.

We’re both silent while we check the listings. “Eli is in the top fifty. That makes total sense. His bloodcraft is no joke.”

I know firsthand how strong he is. “He’s pretty amazing,” I say as I scan Bastion’s rankings. “Oh shit! Bree’s in the top ten!”

“Well, that’s no surprise with her mindcraft.” Ever hums. “Not to mention, if her dad really is a Foundation, her blood is stronger.”

We ponder that for a moment. Given how Bree reacted to that Foundation girl, neither of us have brought up what she said. It doesn’t matter. Regardless of whoever her dad might be, Bree is our friend.

“Wait, you know what this means, right?” Ever asks.

“Sparring is going to suck?”

She chuckles. “Well, maybe that, too, but we’ll all be moved into bigger rooms! They’re probably already packing up our stuff.” She snaps her laptop closed and stuffs it in her bag. She shoots me a look. “Hurry up!”