I don t need help surviving the Scholomance, even if they do. Forget the hordes of monsters and cursed artifacts, I m probably the most dangerous thing in the place. Just give me a chance and I ll level mountains and kill untold millions, make myself the dark queen of the world.

At least, that s what the world expects. Most of the other students in here would be delighted if Orion killed me like one more evil thing that s crawled out of the drains. Sometimes I think they want me to turn into the evil witch they assume I am. The school certainly does.

But the Scholomance isn t getting what it wants from me. And neither is Orion Lake. I may not be anyone s idea of the shining hero, but I m going to make it out of this place alive, and I m not going to slaughter thousands to do it, either.

Although I m giving serious consideration to just one.