Chapter 24: Learning About the First Test

Words : 1025 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

Chapter 24: Learning About the First TestEvaline: The dining hall was larger than what I was expecting. There were rows of long wooden tables stretched across the room with students scattered throughout, either eating or chatting amongst themselves. A warm scent of fresh bread, eggs, and something sweet was lingering in the air, making my stomach tighten in anticipation. It had been a long time since I last had a proper breakfast. It was Mallory’s voice that pulled by attention back to her, reminding me that there was someone right next to me. "Looks like most people are already here. We should really hurry!" She then grabbed my wrist before I could say anything and started dragging me toward the food counter. Her energy was infectious, bubbly and chaotic in the best way possible. "Don’t let the rustic look fool you," she continued while motioning toward the wooden interior. "The food here is actually amazing. My brother told me about it, but I thought he was exaggerating. Turns out, he wasn’t." I followed her lead and picked up a tray as we reached the counter. There were plenty of options - eggs, sausages, fresh fruit, toast, and porridge. Since I was starving, I opted for a bowl of porridge, an apple, two boiled eggs, and a cup of coffe. But if I was thinking that my tray carried too much food, then I was mistaken. Mallory had her tray piled with everything she could fit in it, making it twice as full as mine. "Are you feeding an entire pack?" I asked, failing to stop myself. I was worried that she might feel offended, but found her grinning as she replied. "Nope! Just me. But you never know when your next meal will be, right?" I shook my head and tried to suppress the smile that was threatening to spill on my lips. She was absolutely right. Once we had our food, Mallory started scanning the area before spotting someone. "Oh! There he is. Come on, I want you to meet someone." Without warning, she pulled me along toward a table near the corner where a guy was sitting alone with a book open beside his tray. He looked up as we approached, and I took the chance to study him. He didn’t look like the type to stand out in a crowd, not in the way most shifters did, anyway. He had an air of quiet intelligence about him, with neatly styled dark hair, sharp features, and a pair of thin-rimmed glasses perched on his nose. He was wearing a simple, well-fitted black shirt, and even though his posture was relaxed, there was something guarded about him. "Kyros!" Mallory chirped as she sat her tray down across from him. "I brought company!" His gaze flickered to me for a moment before he gave a small nod. "I see that." "Her name is Evaline!" Mallory introduced me before I could even open my mouth. "We just met. Well, actually bumped into each other." "Evaline," Kyros repeated as he returned his attention to me. "Nice to meet you." I nodded and sat beside Mallory, across from him. "Likewise. And please call me Eva." The three of us started eating, and while Mallory did most of the talking, I observed. Kyros was the complete opposite of her, where she was loud and expressive, he was quiet and reserved. But somehow, their dynamic worked. "So, what were you reading?" Mallory asked between bites. Kyros closed the book and tapped the cover. "Just some notes on the Academy’s entrance exams." That caught my interest. "You know about the exams?" Kyros adjusted his glasses as he answered, "I have been preparing for them my whole life. I need to pass." "Same!" Mallory chimed in. "Well, not my whole life, but my brother took these exams last year, so I already know a lot about them." I leaned in slightly before asking, "What do you guys know?" The two looked at me as if they were surpised by my question. It was Kyros who answered first. "The first round is a written test. It assesses general knowledge about the shifter world." Mallory nodded. "There will be five questions, and you need to get at least three right to move on to the second round." That was... unexpected. I hadn’t thought they would start with something like this. "What kind of questions?" I continued with my questions. And fortunately, these two were ready to answer. "Ranging from moderate to difficult," Kyros replied. "Each question is worth a different amount of points. Those points will determine rankings." Mallory leaned forward eagerly as she added, "And the person with the most points at the end of all the exams will get a special reward!" "What kind of reward?" "A privilege," Kyros answered. "It changes every year, but it’s something valuable. Last year, the highest-scoring student got direct mentorship under one of the Academy’s top trainers. Before that, someone received a rare enchanted weapon." Mallory nodded. "It’s a big deal." I became quiet for a moment as I processed the information. A written test was actually good for me for two reason. First, because it didn’t require me to use strength or speed - two things I lacked compared to other shifters. And second, I had a lot of knowledge about the shifter world. "How did you guys prepare for this?" I asked. Kyros shrugged. "Years of studying." Mallory grinned as she spoke, "Having a brother who tells me things." I found Kyros studying me for a second before he spoke. "You will need basic knowledge about packs, rogue laws, history of the Academy, and the hierarchy of shifters. If you don’t know those things, I suggest you find a way to learn them before tomorrow." Mallory tapped her chin. "I could quiz you!" Kyros sighed. "Or she could read." Mallory pouted at that. "Where’s the fun in that?" I chuckled softly. Despite their differences, they were both oddly entertaining. I cleared my throat, pulling both their attention toward me. "Can I bother you guys to tell me about the history of this academy?"

Chapter 24: Learning About the First Test

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