Chapter 27

Florence follows Kage through a ransacked castle as he carries an unconscious Regan, passing infected highblood girls feeding on a student. They meet Professor Rodriguez shepherding wounded First Years, including Dani, and escort them to the Avari tower, whose reinforced doors are secured.

In the infirmary, Healer Elycia tends the injured. A recovering highblood, Jacklyn, abruptly turns feral; Kage kills her instantly, concluding that bites transmit the infection. Rodriguez argues for restraint and a cure, while Florence begs Kage to spare the wounded until they know more.

Neville, Florence’s fluffin, reveals he can sense the sickness. In the packed common room, Neville identifies Andrew, who hides a bite; Kage executes him and locks down House Avari, warning all bitten to report to the infirmary. Florence clarifies the pattern: highbloods are vulnerable, the transformation can take hours, and eyes go milky before a berserk attack.

Back in the infirmary, Regan wakes, dazed but safe. Elycia and Rodriguez examine Jacklyn’s blood, noting abnormal postmortem clotting and suspecting a magical origin. They plan immediate sedation and restraints for the infected and prepare anticoagulant drafts to delay turning.

Florence proposes the plague may be a toxin spread by bite and offers a mirthleaf antitoxin. Elycia agrees to test it if anticoagulants fail. As Florence begins brewing, Kage organizes patrols to retrieve staff, including Florence’s mother, while Medra remains unaccounted for, intensifying uncertainty.