"Grandmaster, I don't understand. What do you mean by that?"
My voice came out steady. Inside, I was a mess.
Miss Veena stood beside me, her usual calm look cracking a little.
The Grandmaster smiled. Those ancient eyes of his didn't miss anything.
"Mira, your fire makes you unique—no, beyond unique. This flame of yours… it does not exist in this universe. Even among the heavens, no one wields what you do."
A chill ran down my spine. Despite the warmth in my veins.
Not exist? What does that even mean?
"No one?" I repeated. The words felt weird in my mouth. "Not even a single person?"
"Not anymore." He leaned back, tapping his fingers on the armrest. "Long ago, only one other being possessed the flame you now bear."
I swallowed. The room felt thick.
"Who was it?"
Miss Veena hesitated. Then, quietly: "High Goddess Maya."
The name hit me like something I should have known but didn't.
"Yes," the Grandmaster said. "Only High Goddess Maya wielded the Samadhi Flame before you. After her death, that fire vanished. Until now."
A goddess. I have a goddess's power?
My hand curled into a fist. I didn't know if I was scared or just… numb.
"The Samadhi Flame," he continued, softer now, almost to himself. "It doesn't just destroy. It creates. Blue and white like ice, but hotter than the sun's core. Enlightenment and catastrophe. Divinity's breath."
That's a lot of fancy words for fire.
"You are the only living person who holds this flame, Mira." His gaze pinned me. "And with it comes great responsibility."
Great. Just what I needed.
Yesterday I could barely stand in his presence. Now he wanted me to carry a goddess's burden?
"I…" My throat was dry. "I don't know if I can handle something like this."
"You need not decide now." His voice softened a little. "But this power—this destiny—will not wait forever."
Destiny. There was that word again. Hovering over me like a bad smell.
I clenched my fists. "What happens now?"
The Grandmaster studied me for a long moment. His eyes felt like they were peeling back layers I didn't even know I had.
"Your flames… they match your soul." He sounded thoughtful. "Strange, though. Your presence is steady, but your heart is in turmoil."
I kept my back straight. Didn't want him seeing how rattled I was.
He circled me slowly. His gaze flicked over my black hair, my dark brows, my purple eyes. Something in his expression shifted—like he was remembering something.
Then he smiled. "You cannot remain in the outer court with power like this. From today, you will enter the inner court."
My breath caught. "The inner court?"
"And more." His tone was final. "You will join the Seven Devils. As of now, you are officially the Seventh Devil of Artemis Academy."
The world tilted.
Seventh Devil?
Those weren't normal students. The Seven Devils were the most elite, most terrifying people in the academy. People whispered their names like they might get struck by lightning.
I could barely fly without face‑planting into a tree.
"Grandmaster, wait—" Panic leaked into my voice. "I haven't thought about this—"
"You don't need to." Still smiling. "You'll have plenty of time to think in the inner court."
I just stared at him. Was this old man serious?
Miss Veena put a hand on my shoulder. "Come, Mira. I'll take you now."
I barely felt my feet moving.
Walking Toward the Unknown
The Grandmaster's corridors were fancy—polished floors, glowing lanterns, murals of old battles on the walls. Magic everywhere. I barely noticed any of it.
"Where are we going?" My voice came out quieter than I wanted.
"To the inner court." Miss Veena glanced at me. Almost proud. "You don't need to be afraid. The Grandmaster wouldn't have chosen you if you weren't meant for this."
That was supposed to help. It didn't.
Inner court. Seven Devils. Samadhi Flame.
This wasn't just learning magic anymore.
We reached a pair of massive gates. Black iron, golden energy threading through them like veins. The entrance to the inner court.
I stopped.
My heart was hammering.
Miss Veena looked at me, then at the gates. "This is it."
She waved her hand. The gates groaned open—loud, like a bell tolling. A wave of energy rushed out, making the air feel electric.
I swallowed.
This is real.
Beyond the gates was a world I didn't recognize. The inner court wasn't a place. It was power.
And I was about to walk into it.
Miss Veena turned back. A knowing look.
"Ready?"
No. Not at all.
I stepped forward anyway.