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"You're not subtle."

"Neither are you." Caelen touches my elbow. Time to leave. Probably. We turn.

"Eirea." Father again. I stop. Look back.

For one second, he's not Council. Not Don. My father.

"Leave it alone." Quiet. Not an order this time. Something else. Concern? Fear? I can't tell. That bothers me more. I leave.

The corridor outside the Council chamber feels too narrow. Nyra makes it six steps before exploding.

"Archaic folklore?"

Cassian sighs. "Here we go."

"He said it was irrelevant."

"Yes."

"Vayne refused to answer."

"Yes."

"The Headmaster specifically called it irrelevant."

"Yes."

"Which is an incredibly specific thing to say about something irrelevant."

Cassian looks toward Caelen. "Can I go back to bed?"

"No."

"Cruel."

I walk ahead. Angry. Not because Father refused. I'm used to that. Because he knew. Every one of them knew the phrase. Nobody asked what we meant. Nobody needed context. Just— Where did you hear it?

"They're lying." Nyra says.

Rhyven answers. "We don't know that."

I turn. "You believe them?"

"No."

"Then—"

"I believe we don't know enough to call it a lie." Annoyingly responsible man.

Caelen looks at him. "What do you think?"

Rhyven is quiet for several steps. "I think they know more than they're saying." There. We all agree.

"Good news." Cassian says. We look at him. He smiles tiredly. "Apparently it's completely irrelevant."

Nyra looks ready to murder him. "I hate you."

"Understandable."