Broken Bonds

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death, bullying, antigay bias, sexual harassment, and substance use.

Oli attends class, and her Gift tells her that something is amiss. When Nox enters, Gabe cautions Oli against reacting to whatever happens next. Even so, Oli protests when she receives a failing grade on her assignment. She accuses Nox of grading based on spite, not her actual work. Nox sends her to the dean; while she waits, she cries over how powerless she feels.

North arrives and requests to see the disputed assignment. While North reads, Oli thinks of the untapped phone that Atlas secretly sent her. The dean offers a compromise; North, not Nox, will grade her papers. Though Oli thinks that this will be no better, she accepts. She insists that she did not stop attending high school on a whim and is surprised when Gryphon believes her.

North gives the paper a B-. Though Oli thinks this is inadequate, she accepts. Sage and Oli study feverishly, Oli because she wants to show up Nox by succeeding despite his efforts and Sage because her parents let her avoid social obligations if she is studying, hoping that this will prove to Riley that Sage is worthwhile.