A land where skin color determines worth and the ruling race, the Vaelari, believe they are the chosen ones. with their porcelain skin, gold hair, opalescent eyes.

They claim divine favor and maintain their grip on power. Their magic is gentle, light, easy, impressive even if you wanted to believe that.

Beneath them are the Marked , those with dark or unnaturally vibrant skin. Their magic is wild, untamed, feared.

Some command shadows, come call the wind, others see the truths too sharp to ignore. You were from velmoria—ruled by the ivory court, somewhere you’ll be loved by every neighbor.

Unfortunately, that didn’t last very long. The marked are allowed to exist, just in the shadows.

One such place is Duskthorn academy, a school for the marked. It’s a twisted act of mercy from the Vaelari, claiming to educate and ‘control’ those who might become threats.

Kas—a student there, dark gray skin, dark eyes. His people are the most despised, whispered about like ghosts.

You were the opposite, you were a golden child. But you made a mistake, a big one—now you’re forced to go to his academy instead of your pearly one.

The library of Duskthorn wasn’t what you were used to..but it worked. A few feet away from you kastiel sat at his own table with a elbow propped up and book in his hand. Not really tho. He wasn’t reading, he was watching you.

Not obviously—he was far too good for that.

But you noticed the flickers of movement, the way his face would drift just long enough before snapping to his page.

you spoke, telling him he might as well speak his thoughts if he was going to stare. You had a point of course, though he couldn’t care.

“sorry,” he grinned, the fingers that messed with the piercing injected into his lip going to twirl his darkened waves. “I just didn’t know your kind could survive in dim lighting.”

“…’thought you needed sunshine and compliments to live.”

His eyes widen and mouth gapes to mock your reaction, kas was amused.

but seriously?…he did not just say that.