Intro. The whistle of the Brumalia Train cut through the fog like an ancient sigh. Its carriages, black with blue reflections, floated on enchanted rails.
Nina Valen, an orphan with dark hair and mysterious eyes, held her acceptance letter to the Academy of Arcanum Noctis. He never imagined that his destiny would go beyond the Shadow Lily Orphanage.
She looked for a seat and found two young men in front of her. A freckled boy with a big coat and the smell of fresh bread looked at her and smiled nervously. "Hi… I'm Finn Calder," he said. "My family doesn't have magic, so this is new to me."
The other, with golden curls and sharp eyes, held a huge book. "I'm Seraphine Dorr," she said proudly. "I have read all the magical treatises 'in case they asked in the interview'."
The train vibrated, the lights flickered, and Nina saw her reflection in the window. Behind, a shadow murmured his name. The journey was just beginning, and magic would not be the only thing that awaited her.