Book excerpt: In a month, I've gone from magicless to one of the most powerful dark mages in the world. You'd think that would make my life easier. But all that power is only potential until I learn how to wield it, and my enemies have a huge head start. While I'm picking up every skill I can, adversaries both within Villain Academy and beyond it are working to knock me down. My fellow scions? I can count at least a couple of them among those enemies. The others... Let's just say the lines between light and dark have gotten a lot more blurred. Nothing's safe here--not my mind, my heart, my magic, or the few people who're proving themselves my allies. When the danger turns deadly, will I be able to save all of them and myself?