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Vayne stops. Looks down at him. "No." One word. Relief comes too quickly. I hate that too. "For now."

Vayne adds. There it goes.

Cassian's face changes. "Helpful."

"You're welcome." Vayne walks away. Conversation erupts behind him.

Training begins ten minutes later. No reduction. Of course. The Council may be deciding whether to send half our experienced defenders into another kingdom, but apparently my left-handed blade transition remains a matter of national importance.

Rhyven would probably agree.

Today's exercise is layered response. Two teams. One failing ward. Civilian extraction. Random manifestation suppression. An instructor shouting false information. And a dragon crossing the evacuation route halfway through. Normal day.

I finish the first run in four minutes twenty. Vayne looks at the clock. "Bad."

"I survived."

"Your civilian did not." I look toward Cassian, who is sitting comfortably on the floor playing corpse.

"He looks peaceful."

Cassian lifts a hand. "Best I've felt all week."

Vayne's stare could kill crops. "Again."

Second run. Three fifty-one. Civilian lives. Ward fails.

Technically unacceptable. Again.

Third. Three thirty-four. Ward holds long enough. Cassian survives. Unfortunately. We clear the route.

Rhyven isn't here to say anything about it. I notice that more than I should.

At noon, the Chief meeting is still going. That is not normal. Even for now. The dining hall feels wrong without them. Dax isn't here. Soren. Lyss. Maelis.

All gone. Most professors too. The Academy feels like someone removed half its framework and left the rest standing to see what happens.

Students talk. Of course. Some want deployment. Some don't. Some think Varethia owes Elarion help because if the kingdoms don't support each other now, the entire alliance means nothing. Others argue exactly the opposite. Varethia was first. Varethia still has six missing. One dragon. Unknown enemy. Unknown objective. Why weaken ourselves because the Hollowborn moved? If they moved. That question matters. Nobody can answer it.

At thirteen forty, an announcement comes. All afternoon Chief-led instruction cancelled. Deputy officers assume training command. Oh.

Nyra reads the notice. "They're still meeting."

"Apparently."

Cassian looks toward me. "You think they're deciding?"

"Yes."

"Which way?"

"I don't know."

He nods. "Same."

I spend the afternoon pretending to care about ward mathematics. I fail. Professor Eldrin calls my name twice before I answer. He looks annoyed. I don't blame him.

At sixteen ten, the Council doors finally open. We aren't there. Obviously. But the Academy knows within minutes. Chiefs emerge. Professors. Representatives. Messengers immediately begin moving. One group heads toward the western storage facilities. Another toward dragon grounds. A third toward infirmary supply. Mobilization. My heart drops. "They're going." Someone whispers beside me. I don't know who. Maybe.