Chapter 2

Without thinking, I ask,

"Then what about me?"

Silas finally looks at me.

"The Oracle foretold the Dark Surge will reach the royal city within a year."

"Seraphina has an S-rank purification gift. Only she can stand beside me in that fight."

He pauses.

"Ellie. Your gift only calms emotions."

"When the Surge hits, calming won't save a single soul."

The whispers swell around me.

"Seraphina's bloodline isn't as noble as Elara's, but she's the only S-rank purifier in the city."

"Elara's gift was always useless anyway."

"Silas chose Seraphina for the royal city. He did the right thing."

Seraphina looks at me, guilty.

"Elara, I'm sorry. I had no idea."

But she still slides her hand into Silas's palm.

Golden bond marks light up between them. Applause thunders through the hall.

I clutch the small box hidden in my sleeve.

Inside is a bond clasp shaped like a white tiger—my graduation gift for Silas.

I don't need it anymore.

The Head Mentor walks up to me.

"Elara. You may choose again from any unbonded shifter."

I look at the ones who are left.

Almost every shifter avoids my eyes.

No one wants a D-rank human Silas just threw away.

The Head Mentor sighs.

"If no one bonds with you today, you'll be held back a year."

Silas frowns.

"Ellie, just go home."

"Next year, my family will find you a suitable low-tier shifter."

He looks at me with pity.

As if abandoning me on the spot and still being generous enough to arrange my future is some enormous kindness.

Then, from the back of the hall, a chair scrapes across the floor.

A black-haired serpent shifter stands up.

He comes from the Feral Orphanage. No family. No partner.

For three years, he has been the most invisible shifter in the Academy.

Under every gaze in the hall, he walks up to me, kneels on one knee, and presses his cold forehead into my palm.

The Head Mentor blinks.

"Number Seven. What are you doing?"

He doesn't answer. He just lifts his eyes to mine.

"No one wants me."

"You don't have a Guardian either."

"Can we… try?"

I look down at him.

"You know my gift is only D-rank?"

"I know."

"I can't purify dark energy. I can't make you stronger in a fight."

He says it seriously.

"It doesn't matter."

I crouch down until we're eye to eye.

"If we bond, will you be loyal to me? Forever?"

"I will."

"No matter how powerful a human you meet later, you won't leave me?"

He shakes his head.

"Never."

"As long as you don't send me away, I will never leave you."

"And if I'm in danger? Will you protect me?"

Not a moment of hesitation.

"I'll die before you do."

Something inside me stalls.

So this is what it feels like—to be chosen without hesitation.

Better than chasing someone who weighs and measures me, is choosing the one who walks straight to me.

I close my hand around his.

"From today on, you're not Number Seven anymore."

"Your name is Kaelen."

"From now on, you are my only bonded mate."

His eyes flood red. "Okay."

Silver bond marks bloom from our joined palms.

Then, from behind me, comes Silas's sigh.

"Elara. You're still so childish."