And I knew, with a certainty that settled deep in my bones, that this night hadn’t just changed one story.
It had begun another.
The Academy did what it always did when things threatened to splinter—it opened the dining hall.
The doors eased wide with a soft creak, warm light spilling into the corridor along with the scent of bread and herbs and something faintly sweet. The sound of cutlery and low voices drifted out, gentle and grounding, an unmistakable invitation to sit down and remember how to be human again.
I didn’t hesitate because we’d never finished our meal.
“Come on,” I said, guiding Celeste forward with a firm but gentle hand at her back. “You need food. And water. And a chair. In that order.”
Celeste let herself be steered, though her gaze flicked behind us once, sharp and unsettled. She didn’t resist, but I felt the tension humming through her, magic and emotion tangled tight beneath her skin.
Behind us, Gideon cleared his throat.
“I won’t be staying,” he said.
The words cut cleanly through the hallway.
Everyone froze.
Keegan turned first, his body already angling subtly into a barrier. Nova’s gaze sharpened. Stella stopped mid-step, shoulders drawing back as if preparing for impact.
Gideon’s posture was rigid, resolved.
“The circle is closed. The immediate threat is over. My presence here only complicates matters.”
“That’s one way to phrase it,” Stella said coolly.
“I’ll leave the grounds tonight.” Gideon continued.
“No,” I said.
The word wasn’t loud, but it landed.
Gideon turned toward me slowly, brows knitting. “This isn’t your decision.”
“It absolutely is,” I replied, meeting his gaze without flinching. “You don’t get to walk out now. Not after everything. Not without oversight.”
Keegan’s jaw tightened in approval.
Gideon’s eyes flicked to him, then back to me. “You can’t honestly believe this is wise.”
“I believe,” I said evenly, “that you leaving alone, exhausted, stripped of the shadows’ strength, and still very much on the Priestess’s radar would be reckless.”
Nova nodded once. “She already captured you once.”
“And she’ll try again,” I added. “If you walk out of the Academy tonight, you’re vulnerable.”
Gideon’s mouth tightened. “I can handle myself.”
“That’s not the point,” I said. “The point is that if you’re doing anything, going anywhere, making any decisions that affect Stonewick or my family, I need to know about it.”
His expression hardened. “You don’t get to manage me.”
“I’m not managing you,” I said. “I’m keeping you where I can see you.”
The air between us snapped taut.
