THE SEVENTH SIN

Sample · THE BOY WHO AWAKENED NOTHING

Somewhere beneath the city, something opened its eyes. The first time Kael Veyron heard his name whispered by a dead man, he was standing in front of three thousand people. Unfortunately, the dead man was nowhere to be seen. And Kael had bigger problems. “Next!” The examiner’s voice echoed throughout the Awakening Hall. Kael stood at the back of the queue, watching another young man place his palm against the enormous crystal embedded in the centre of the stage. The crystal flashed gold. A series of symbols appeared above it. ABILITY AWAKENED: SOLAR IGNITION. CLASSIFICATION: CLASS FOUR. The crowd erupted. “Class Four? At eighteen?” “That boy’s going to the Royal Academy!” “His family must be celebrating already.” The young man on the stage could barely contain his smile. Kael looked away. He had heard enough celebrations for one morning. For the past six months, his classmates had discussed nothing except their upcoming awakenings. Some had hired private instructors. Others had purchased expensive supplements believed to improve their chances of awakening powerful abilities. Kael had done neither. His family couldn’t afford it. Besides, his mother had always told him that a person’s worth wasn’t determined by the strength of their abilities. She had died three years ago. And lately, Kael had begun to wonder whether she was the only person who believed that. “Kael Veyron!” His stomach tightened. That was his name. Three thousand faces turned toward him. He straightened his jacket and walked toward the stage. The examiner, a tall woman with silver hair, studied the tablet in her hands. “Age?” “Eighteen.” “Family classification?” “Unregistered.” She raised an eyebrow. “Unregistered?” “My family doesn’t have any recorded abilities.” A few people in the audience laughed. The examiner didn’t. “Place your hand on the crystal.” Kael approached it. The crystal was larger than his head, its transparent surface illuminated by thin strands of blue energy. He had imagined this moment a thousand times. Sometimes, in his imagination, he summoned lightning. Other times, he controlled shadows or stopped time. Once, he imagined awakening an ability so extraordinary that the entire hall fell silent. He had even imagined Darius Thorne looking at him with something resembling respect. That last one had been particularly satisfying. Kael placed his palm against the crystal. Nothing happened. He waited. Five seconds. Ten. The examiner frowned. “Keep your hand there.” “I’m trying.” A few students snickered. The crystal remained transparent. No light. No symbols. Not even a flicker. The examiner adjusted her glasses and examined the device. “Perhaps the crystal is defective.” She placed her hand against the opp...

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