far with my magic because I had been working on my thoughts. I didn’t want to ruin my progress by continuing to have a shitty attitude.
Lady Korva walked around the room, distributing back our essays from last week. If anyone refused to acknowledge the divide in this country, it was Lady Korva. She couldn’t give a shit or less if someone was bothered or upset by the political bullshit currently holding us all hostage— she expected you to make her class your first priority, no exceptions. While some teachers had given us less homework due to the distraction of all the uprisings, Korva had made up for it by doubling our work load.
Yeah. She was a real bitch.
Lady Korva slapped my paper down in front of me. My jaw dropped open when I saw the grade at the top of the paper. D-minus? Excuse me? I worked forever on that paper! I knew my research was accurate, and all my sources were cited. When I looked for comments on what I might’ve done wrong, the only thing I found was a note at the end in Korva’s handwriting; insufficient explanation.
Kiara had gotten a C, which told me Korva had been really tough on us this time. Kiara never got anything less than straight A’s. Kiara frowned at her paper, but her eyes pleaded with me not to say anything.
Too late. My hand shot into the air. “Lady Korva, excuse me. I think there’s been a mistake.”
Korva’s lips tightened as she stared at me. “Mistake? I think not, Miss Sosna. You have earned the grade I think you deserve.”
“But it’s not fair,” I insisted. “I cited everything from our textbook, and from the noted materials in the library that you put on the syllabus. Is there anything I can do to earn a higher grade?”
Korva’s mouth upturned in delight. “I’m afraid not. I understand people with your condition cannot aptly perform the duties most students can handle. I’m sorry to say that your disease has gotten in the way of your learning, and unfortunately, this is the best I find you capable of doing. Perhaps your time would be better spent in a hospital instead of a university.”
My blood drained of color as Korva outed me to the entire classroom. Kiara froze. The other girls in the class gasped. Korva gave a devious smirk as my classmates began to whisper.
“Disease?”
“What’s Korva talking about?”
“Is Emma sick?”
No one knew I had CVID— no one but my family, my friends, and my teachers, who had been alerted to my condition by the school’s disability office. At least, that’s how it had been a few seconds ago. Now the entire class knew… and it wouldn’t take long for word to spread. I could already hear people typing on their phones as they texted my business to the world. News that I had a rare illness would be around the school before lunchtime.
Helena had her hand over her mouth. “Gosh, Emma! Do you have cancer?”
“We feel so sorry for you,” her partner purred. “Is your life even worth living? Because I’d kill myself if I had to deal with all that. I so couldn’t have a disease.”
A girl across from me leaned in. “It’s not anything contagious, right? Like, you can’t give it to the rest of us, I hope.”
“We all knew there was something wrong with Emma. She lost the Contest because she’s weak, and this proves it,” Morgan said from the front. “It makes sense she hangs out with freaks like Kiara Malurski.”
Melissa giggled. “Emma probably gave Kiara what’s all over her face.”
Kiara stood up from the desk. Her chair knocked backward. “You’re going to have something all over your face if you don’t shut up!” she cried, raising her hand. A yellow spell gleamed in her fingers, and Melissa lurched back.
It was so crazy to see Kiara like that— she never stood up to bullies, but apparently, she would if it was to defend me.
“Miss Malurski, I won’t tolerate this in my classroom! Sit down!” Korva barked.
Of course Korva was taking the side of the bullies. She hated supporting anyone who was different.
My cheeks were burning. I was so embarrassed. The minute Korva’s back was turned, I grabbed my things and ran out of the classroom. A couple of laughs followed me out, but I ignored them. I ran down the steps of the illusion tower as quickly as I could.
I didn’t stop running until I’d gotten to the inner courtyard. It was