William exhaled sharply, slamming the girl who had tried to sneak up on him into the wall. The fourth student lay sprawled at his feet, groaning in defeat.
When you could hear someone's thoughts, ambushes were almost laughably easy to spot—unless, of course, someone had mastered complete control over their mind, shutting it down even while plotting an attack. That would be dangerous. But William had no intention of broadcasting that secret to the world.
He had his reasons for being so defensive about the badge. Participating in the contest meant sending a message back home—a message that was sure to make an old man sit up straight.
'I can't wait to see his face when the academy sends him something that isn't a complaint,' William thought, a grin tugging at his lips. Hands shoved into his pockets, he strode toward the common hall, moving with effortless confidence.
