I heard a hissing sound go through the air, and I looked up. My heart convulsed as I saw a canister spinning through the sky… noxite gas.
Noxite was the only thing that could take away a supernatural’s magic, and noxite gas was even more deadly. “Emma, hold your breath!”
Emma buried her face in my shoulder. I held my breath and closed my eyes as a gas canister burst beside us. We ran through a cloud of noxite gas that was beginning to bloom over the square. We were only in it for seconds, but already, I could feel the noxite wearing against my powers.
Arthur and I were both forced to change back, and Emma fell off of me. My magic had evaporated, and the noxite gas stung at my lungs. I gagged and coughed, though I was grateful Emma hadn’t inhaled any of it. Arthur tried casting a spell, but the magic flickered at his fingers and died. The noxite had made our powers useless.
We continued running as men, and I grabbed Emma’s hand to force her to keep up with me. We couldn’t stop. Along the way, we witnessed so many horrible things— people whose eyes were bleeding from the noxite gas, or on their hands and knees, suffocating as they grasped at their throats. The Arcanea Alliance, armed with gas masks and bodysuits, strolled in and began arresting the people who couldn’t breathe.
With the noxite gas, the protestors were quickly overwhelmed. Multiple people raised their hands in surrender, or tried to run. It didn’t matter. The Arcanea Alliance shot them in the face, or in the back. As spells took them down, the police put them in handcuffs and hauled them away.
I was so terrified. This wasn’t a protest. It was war. Elijah was waging a battle against his own people, and the Arcanea Alliance was completely compliant.
I had learned— had accepted— that I wasn’t responsible for the world. But this… it was madness. Would no one stop it?
Emma faltered. She was already tired today, and her body just couldn’t keep up, even if we were in danger. I gathered her into my arms and carried her, my instincts driving me on to get her to safety. People were running in every direction. Though my lungs burned, and Arthur heaved beside me, we couldn’t slow down. Sirens blared behind us, and the smell of the bitter noxite gas continued to permeate the air.
I nearly wept when I saw the sanctity of the university gates. A couple of teachers were closing them— Arthur cried out to keep them open, if only for a few more seconds. Dozens of students had gathered at the fence line of the campus, to watch the horrors that were taking place from afar.
“Wait!” Arthur coughed— he fell to his knees again, and Emma slid off my back. Both of us reached out to drag him as Lord Lucien held the gates open for us. They closed the minute we were inside campus.
Stefan, Delmare, Finlay and Amantha had made it— they stared at us in horror as we gaped for any small source of air we could find.
“Are you guys okay?” Stefan asked. He clapped me on the back, and my throat finally cleared.
“We made it,” Arthur rasped. “That’s what matters.”
The courtyard turned silent. Heads looked up as Lady Magdalina strolled in front of the university gates. She raised her hands to get our attention. Even her face was drawn and pale. She stood as a stark contrast to the smoke and gas rising from within the city.
“For the next few days, no student is allowed to leave university property, for their own protection,” Magdalina said. “Many innocent people have been hurt tonight, and it is my obligation as Headmistress to keep each one of you safe. Student Services will remain open all night, in case anyone wishes to talk. I advise each of you to return to your dorms— and do not watch the news. There is nothing that will provide any benefit to observing suffering.”
Students began to disperse. When Lady Magdalina said something, it was an order, not a request, and everyone was looking for some sort of instruction right now.
Emma shivered against me, and I wrapped her in a tight embrace. She closed her eyes— as if she wanted to block out everything that we’d seen.
“How can Eli let this happen? I refuse to believe even he is so cruel,” Emma wept as she pressed herself into my