The first place I headed after leaving Mom was Liam's dorm. Normally, the Yard housing was only for freshmen. But that was a human rule. For the duration of our stay, witches had our own private floors in each of the brick buildings surrounding the Yard, the same rooms in fact for the entire three years. So I had no trouble tracking back across the grass to Matthew Hall and Liam's room.

He answered my knock with a smile, as always, though his happy expression faded when he saw ...