"What do we learn?" I ask Candice as we walk.

"Oh, loads of stuff. Combat training, like I've told you, magic blocking, pyronetics..."

"Pyronetics?"

"Yeah, the art of taming fire."

Wow.

"Here we are," Candice announces, rounding a corner.

I gasp. A low, flat building may not seem much, but its pillars are made of stained glass, its windows what looks like diamond.

"It's awesome," I tell her.

"Sure it is." She rolls her eyes. "Combat training's out in the field, though."

I nod like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"Yo, Candice!" a voice shouts from inside the building. "Head Frost's swearing that he's gonna have your blood for being late!"

She curses. "Coming, Jinx!" Gesturing frantically to me, she hisses, "Come on!"

We dash into the building.

"CANDICE JONES!" yells an authoritive voice. "YOU—YOU—YOU—"

"I had an errand from General Lyson, Head Frost," Candice explains calmly.

"Oh." Head Frost seems to deflate. "Okay then." To me, he says, "And you are?"

"I'm Elara Jones." I give a weak smile. "New here."

"Ahhhhhhhh." Head Frost softens, then shouts, "COME EARLIER THEN!"

"Yes, sir," Candice and I say hastily, "sure thing, sir."

"And the rest of you!" The rest of the school stands tense. "Work on the back-handed grapple move!"

There's a chorus of 'yes, sir' as me and Candice move away. "Let's go," she says. "I'll show you your dorm."