I was almost back in the bedroom.

A faint feeling of happiness blossomed in my chest.

The familiar iron gates loomed before me, engraved with protective symbols that only activated in emergencies. The lamps lining the path flickered softly, casting a dim, weary light, as if the academy itself were weary of witnessing what transpired after nightfall.

I should have known.

A shadow stood in my way.

Then another one.

And one more.

Three wolves blocked the narrow path leading to the entrance. They w