Chapter 409

XENOIS I stood in the ruins of what had been Silver Creek Academy's main courtyard and tried to comprehend the scale of what had just happened. Jerome had attacked a school. Had sent an army of supernatural creatures to assault a building full of children during the middle of a school day. Had orchestrated magical weather manipulation to create artificial twilight so nightwalkers could operate freely. It was unconscionable. Beyond anything I'd imagined even Jerome would stoop to. And if not for my seventeen-year-old stepbrother and three five-year-olds, the casualties would have been catastrophic. "Final count," Thorne reported, appearing beside me with a tablet displaying casualty assessments. "Three adult deaths—Professor Chen, Security Officer Martinez, and Nurse Williams. All died protecting students during the initial assault. Seventeen wounded, four critically but stable. No student fatalities." "No student fatalities," I repeated, letting that sink in. "How is that possible? Jer