CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

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Electric vibrations hum through my body as I cross the threshold

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Electric vibrations hum through my body as I cross the threshold. I can't tell if it's a low hum emanating off of some hidden machinery, which is kind of what it feels like, or if it's magick-related, which it probably is. Or if it's both.

The inside of the dome is beautiful but confusing. It's silent and basically empty, with no one in sight.

It seems like we're still outside because of the transparent roof, but the soft yellow glow lighting the space isn't from the sun... It's from the dozens of large glass globes that seem to be hanging in mid-air high above our heads. The floor is tiled in an iridescent stone that glitters in the light, making it seem like we're walking across water or something alive.

At the center of the dome, a giant wooden cube is perched on one edge... like a piece of modern art. The side facing us has a Metatron's Cube carved on it, and there are other geometric symbols on the other sides. Symbols for each of the Elements, I think.

The other students are standing around in hushed awe and don't seem as confused as I am. Where's this Aegis thing and all the Guardians?

Arielle's marching us clear to the other side of the dome, and it's so big that it takes us several minutes to get there.

"Please stand back." She begins her wand theatrics again.

My jaw drops as a wide, steep staircase appears out of literally nowhere. It has steel steps with a texture like leaves and carved wooden railings. There are two major problems with this. First of all, it's climbing almost to the roof of the dome, yet I don't see anything supporting it. And second, but most importantly, it leads to nowhere!

No one else looks shocked by this, so I swallow my discomfort and follow everyone up this staircase to nowhere, gripping the railing tightly as the floor gets farther and farther away.

My stomach's churning, and my knees are getting weak as we climb higher and higher.

Maybe I'll rethink my plan to try to graduate a Guardian. Climbing staircases for hundreds of feet to get to work...

Hard pass.

Arielle and the first students reach the top step, and my throat constricts.

Caelum's up there, at the front.

He pauses along with the others. Then they step right over the edge.

I let out a squeak.

They've vanished.

Oh, God. Who came up with this terrible design!

I let Vivian overtake me when we finally reach the top, and she steps over the edge without hesitation and blinks out of existence.

My knees are practically knocking together, my knuckles white on the banister.

I'm all alone now. They've all vanished. Maybe I should just stay here and wait. Who needs to see the Aegis anyway?

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