As Caspian slowly slid open the carved wooden doors, his hand trembled. He blinked, his eyes adjusting to the lantern light within.

Wood smoke filled his nose, reminding him of harsh, chilly nights spent around campfires with his battalion. He pushed the memory away, focusing instead on cataloging every detail of this place.

Thick beams of rich red wood supported high vaulted ceilings. A massive stone fireplace dominated one wall, flames dancing. Woven tan flooring that smelled of fresh grass. Tapestries of colorful creatures that matched the guardians outside. Three sliding doors led off the main room—one open archway revealed a glimpse of a dining hall, the others closed.

Windows. Large enough to dive through if needed.

Caspian clenched his fists, a faint crackle of static building around him as his mind raced. He flexed his fingers, trying to dispel the charge before—

“Easy there, Cas. Oh, I should have asked. Can I call you Cas?” Ash asked behind him.

“Sure,” Caspian strained, the nickname stirring old memories. He swallowed hard.

“Why don’t you take a moment to settle in?” Ash suggested. “Join the others by the fire. I’ll be right back.”

Caspian nodded. He watched as Ash made his way to a door, slid it open, and walked down a long corridor.

Left alone, Caspian’s gaze drifted to the group gathered near the fireplace. They looked up as he approached; their expressions of curiosity and wariness mirrored his own.

A young woman with vibrant teal hair and deeply-hued skin, nearly the shade of midnight, stood as he neared. Her smile was bright, but Caspian noted the strange shadows that danced around her feet.

“Hi there!” She chirped, words tumbling out rapidly. “I’m Liri, but most folks call me Star. Welcome to the misfits retreat. What’s your name?”

Caspian tensed, sparks tickling between his fingers. “Caspian,” he replied, resisting the urge to step back as she invaded his space.

Liri’s eyes widened as she looked at his hands. “Ooh, lightning magic! That’s amazing. You know, we have a sea named after you in my lands. I love the ocean. Well, I never actually got to see it, living in the undergrounds and all, but I’ve read about it in books. Is it true the waves sound like—”

“Liri,” a weary voice cut through her chatter. A gaunt, sallow-skinned man with long red hair and a large silvery pendant around his neck regarded Caspian suspiciously from his seat by the fire. “Not everyone wants to be interrogated the moment they arrive.”

Caspian noticed the temperature drop slightly as the man spoke, his breath misting in the suddenly chilled air. It reminded him of the frostbreakers he’d faced in battle, and he felt his muscles tense involuntarily.

“Sorry,” Liri said, her cheeks darkening. “I talk a lot when I’m nervous. It’s been a while since—” She stopped herself, the shadows at her feet growing momentarily before she visibly reined them in.

The red-haired man inclined his head towards Caspian. “Oren,” he said, his rich tenor voice carrying an unsettling chill. “Guess we should at least know each other’s names if we’re stuck here for twelve weeks.”

The third resident, a tall, willowy person with flowing blue hair that moved of its own accord, offered a measured nod. “I’m Xanthis,” they said, their voice barely carrying over the crackle of the fire. It's a pleasure to meet you, Caspian.”

An awkward silence fell over the group, broken only by the pop and hiss of the fire. Caspian shifted uncomfortably, acutely aware of the crackling energy beneath his skin. In the quiet, he caught snippets of Ash’s voice from the other room.

“...Cairn is still out collecting our final two arrivals. Their portals should open soon.”

Portals. Caspian filed that information away. If there were ways in, there had to be ways out.

Liri broke the silence.

“So, Caspian,” she started. “What’s your story? I mean, everyone here’s got one, right? Otherwise, we wouldn’t be in this place.” Her smile faltered for a moment before returning full force. “Me? Well, you can say I’m a bit of an oddball. Not to dump everything out on the table, but I was locked up in prison for the past five years. No one even bothered to check if I was still alive. It's a good thing my shadows stretch far. Otherwise, I would have starved to death. Oh, and—”

“Liri,” Oren interrupted, frost forming on the fabric armrests of his chair. “Let him acclimate. The poor guy just got here.”

Either the buzzing in his chest or the condescending tone in Oren’s voice was enough to make Caspian speak. “I’m not some delicate flower,” he growled, electricity arcing between his fingers. “Especially not for you, frostbreaker.”

Oren rolled his eyes, and with it, frost formed around his feet. “Not a frostbreaker, or whatever you think I am. But if you think you can take me on, then do it, Sparky.”

Caspian stepped forward, his fists clenched.

Xanthis slipped between them, their hair undulating like seaweed caught in a current. “Please,” they said. “We are all struggling here. There is no need for conflict.”

Caspian tried to steady his breathing, but memories of ice and blood clawed their way up from the depths of his mind. He was back on the mainland in the middle of a war, ice threatening to overtake him and his friends, his love. They weren’t strong enough for the frostbreakers. Soon enough, they’d—

He couldn’t stop his mind from spiraling, his control fraying. Electricity arced between his fingers, jumping to a nearby armrest and setting it aflame. A bolt of yellowed lightning surged toward Liri.

The shadows at Liri’s feet flung up, forming a protective cocoon around her. The lightning struck the darkness, and the shadows absorbed the energy. Then, with a sound like tearing fabric, tendrils of blackness spewed out, striking Caspian and throwing him across the room.

As he fell, another bolt of energy shot from him and struck Oren. The man’s skin turned translucent, and his eyes glowed with an eerie green light as he glared at Caspian.

“Contain him,” he said in a voice that carried hundreds of screams. He raised a clawed hand, and wisps of glowing mist floated up through the floor, forming bony hands and skulls that crawled toward Caspian.

Panic gripped Caspian’s throat. He’d caused this. He’d somehow made it all worse. Just like with his battalion, just like when—

“Enough.”

The single word resonated with a power that made the air vibrate. A squat woman strode through a door, her form shimmering with golden light. She raised one hand, her gaze sweeping over the mayhem.

With a snap of her fingers, Liri’s shadows receded, and Oren’s spectral minions vanished. The woman swept her hands around the room and looked at Ash. “Shaping up to be quite the challenge this season.”

She turned to address the group, her voice firm. “I’m Fiona, head counselor of this retreat. I won’t always be here to quell your outbursts. We practice a no-harming rule here. So everyone better find your calm now.”

As she spoke, Caspian felt something wash over him, attempting to drain away his tension. He pushed back, unwilling to let it calm his storm. Lightning arced out of him in blues and yellows, leaving scorch marks on the floor.

Fiona’s gaze settled on Caspian, her golden eyes boring into him as she pointed. “Peace,” she said, her voice echoing in his mind.

The storm persisted, and Caspian struggled to grasp onto it, pulling it back until only little sparks danced around him.

“Hmm,” Fiona said, a frown creasing her brow. “It seems that you are still a little too...charged. Until your magic stabilizes, I think it’s best if we isolate you.”

Isolation. The word echoed in Caspian’s mind. He’d been isolated for months now. What was a little more? And perhaps it would give him the chance to plan his escape.

Ash approached, offering a hand to help Caspian up. “It’s for the best,” he whispered. “I’ll be in the room next door, just in case you need anything.”

As Ash led him through one of the sliding doors to the corridor, Caspian heard Fiona addressing the others. “Everyone else, try to relax. Our activities will begin tomorrow when we have everyone and your magic has acclimated to your new home.”

The room Ash brought him to was small and plain, the walls lined with strange symbols that seemed to absorb the static clinging to Caspian’s skin. The constant buzz of energy that had been his companion since he’d arrived dimmed.

“I’m sorry it’s a little bland. Not many people need this room,” Ash said, “but a night in here and your magic should be more stable.”

Caspian brushed past him, sinking onto the small cot. Exhaustion washed over him as the electricity that had been keeping him moving depleted, and the events of the day finally caught up to him.

Ash lingered in the doorway. “I know this is a lot to take in,” he whispered. “But we’re here to help. All of us. Even if it doesn’t feel like it right now.”

“Right,” Caspian muttered. “Thanks.”

With a sigh, Ash closed the door.

Caspian turned his gaze to the single window, which offered a view of the mountain peaks and the dense forest beyond. The sun was setting, painting the sky shades of orange and purple, reminding him of the sunsets over the sea of Tor Deren.

All he had to do was wait, Caspian thought. Wait long enough for them to settle in for the night. Then he’d make his escape.