And you’re asking us to trust that distinction, Wallace said.
I’m offering to make the distinction transparent through structure, I corrected. Monthly reviews. Faculty oversight. Documentation proving I’m not manipulating her. Not because you should trust me but because the system demonstrates it objectively.
Another pause.
Then I met Marigold’s eyes briefly before addressing faculty again.
Your concern isn’t really about defense effectiveness. It’s about whether Marigold Grimley—eighteen-year-old half-witch with a traitor’s last name—is competent enough to make sound decisions when romantically involved with the heir to Wickem’s most infamous manipulative family.
Dead silence.
She is, I said flatly. Her tactical judgment is better than mine in most situations. Her corruption detection is the only reason we’ve prevented attacks on key wellsprings in the past month. And her decision to integrate our systems was strategically sound.
I leaned forward slightly.
But I understand why my involvement raises questions. So redirect the scrutiny to me. Document my access. Review my methods. Question my motives. Just don’t undermine her authority because she made the correct tactical call to use resources I offered.
I don’t need you to… Marigold started.
I know you don’t, I said, gentle but firm, still addressing faculty. But this is more efficient. Faculty concern about Lightford methodology can be addressed through oversight. Faculty concern about her competence can’t be fixed structurally. It either exists or it doesn’t. Since it shouldn’t exist, let’s not waste time on it.
Sprig exchanged glances with Cribley and Wallace.
Monthly review meetings, Sprig said finally. Full documentation of surveillance protocols. Faculty liaison with veto authority over integrated system decisions. And if we see any indication that access is being abused…
You shut it down immediately, I finished. Understood.
Starting tomorrow, Cribley added.
Starting tomorrow, I agreed.
Wallace was watching me with an expression I couldn’t quite read. Not suspicion anymore. Something closer to… respect?
You could have defended yourself, she said quietly. Argued that the concern was unfair.
The concern was legitimate, I said. Given my family history, questioning whether I’m using intimacy for tactical advantage is reasonable. Better to address it structurally than let speculation fracture what we’ve built.
Sprig stood. We’ll draft the oversight protocols tonight. You’ll both review them tomorrow morning.
We were dismissed.
Marigold didn’t speak until we were halfway across campus. Then she stopped walking to turn and look at me.
You stepped in front of me.
I redirected institutional concern to where it could be addressed structurally.
Don’t. Her voice was tight. Don’t make it sound tactical. They were questioning my competence. My judgment. Whether I’m too inexperienced and too involved to see that you’re manipulating me.
I met her eyes. Which is ridiculous. Your tactical record proves otherwise.
That’s not the point! She stepped closer, frustrated. The point is you let them question your integrity to protect my authority. You made yourself the problem so I wouldn’t be.
I remained silent. I could deflect, frame it as pure strategy, and maintain emotional distance.
Instead, I said, Your authority matters more than my reputation. You’re holding Wickem’s defense together. Faculty questioning your competence creates structural vulnerability. Faculty questioning my motives creates solvable oversight requirements.
You took a hit meant for me, she said quietly.
