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"Can we reject it?"

"No."

"Terrible institution."

Caelen sits across from us. He looks exhausted.

I point. "Replacement?"

"Two."

"What do they do?"

"Fail."

"Promising."

"They'll improve." There. Chief Caelen. I smile.

Rhyven arrives last. Food already in hand. Actual food. Good. I don't need to fix that. He sits. Nobody talks about deployment. That's what we're all talking about.

Halfway through dinner, a messenger enters. Every head turns. Automatic now. He gives the Council aide a letter. No alarm. No summons. Just information. We all slowly return to eating. This is what life has become.

Later, I learn the report came from Elarion. Twenty-one missing now. No new Tiravell disappearance. Lyssara quiet. For now.

At twenty-one thirty, North Residence settles. Not asleep. Never asleep. I sit in the common room reviewing first-year files. Names. Abilities. Weaknesses. Lena. Toren. Mira. Joss. Seventeen people. Rhyven passes behind me. Stops. Looks at the files. "What." I ask.

"Nothing."

"You're bad at that." His mouth almost moves. He picks up one page. "Lena." I say.

"Smoke."

"I saw."

"She improved."

"Yes."

"Keep her central."

"I planned to."

"Good." He puts the paper down. Starts walking.

"Rhyven." He stops. I look at the files. Then him. "Do you think you're leaving?" Silence. There. Question nobody has asked directly.

Rhyven's expression gives nothing. "I think the Council wants the Academy prepared if we do."

"That's not what I asked." His eyes meet mine. I almost smile. Old pattern.

"No." He says. Not no, I'm not leaving. No he doesn't know.

I nod. "Okay." He studies me. Maybe expecting more. I don't give it. He starts walking again. "If you do..."

Rhyven stops. I don't know what I was going to say. Don't die? Come back? I'll handle things? None feel right. "I'll keep them alive." His back stays toward me. For one second. Then he looks over his shoulder. Not playful. Not sarcastic. Something deeper.

"I know." Two words. Absolute. He leaves. I look back at the seventeen files. That trust feels heavier than responsibility. Maybe they're the same thing.