The rest of the day was a complete drag. During my advanced alchemy class, we were supposed to practice channeling raw mana into our mixing vials to stabilize the potions. Everyone else's vials glowed with bright blue or red energy. Mine just sat there, looking like a cup of dirty water.
I stared at my hands, feeling the cold, empty block in my chest. The restrainer spell I placed on myself was holding up way too well. I couldn't muster even a tiny spark. I spent the whole class pretending to read my textbook just to avoid the instructor's disappointed stares.
By the time the final bell rang, I was exhausted. I dragged my feet all the way back to the commoner dorms, just wanting to crash on my bed. But of course, my luck was terrible.
When I reached my door, Xavier was already standing there. He leaned against the worn wood frame with that same polite, fake smile.
