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He begins walking slowly around the outer ring of the chamber. "The Academy has spent your first week teaching inheritance." He passes beneath carved pillars. "History." Another step. "Manifestation." He stops. "But there is one subject your tutors rarely discussed." Silence. Professor Vayne looks at us. "Control." He lets the word settle. "Tell me who believes control means power?"

Several hands rise. Mine included. Professor Vayne notices. He nods. Then asks— "Who believes control means safety?"

More hands. Nyra's. Cassian's. Even Selena's. Professor Vayne continues. "Who believes losing control is failure?" Almost every hand. He surveys the room. "Interesting."

He lowers his own hands. "Every one of those answers is incomplete." He begins walking again. "The most dangerous leaders in history all possessed extraordinary control." He stops beside one of the carved pillars. "So did the greatest healers." A different pillar. "So did tyrants." Another. "So did mothers comforting frightened children." His eyes meet ours again. "Control itself is morally empty." Silence. "It becomes dangerous only when paired with intention."

He walks toward the center of the room. The stone floor is engraved with six enormous circles that overlap one another. Like a flower. Or a target. "Dominion is not the study of domination." His voice becomes slightly firmer. "It is the study of influence over yourselves." A pause. "Over others." Another. "And over the spaces between both." He looks around the room. "Most wars begin because someone mistakes domination for leadership." No one moves. Even Rowan has stopped making jokes.

Professor Vayne continues. "Many of you arrived believing leadership means giving orders." He smiles. "It doesn't. It means accepting responsibility for consequences you cannot fully control." I write the sentence down immediately. Professor Vayne claps his hands once. Not loudly. The runes carved into the floor begin glowing. Pairs of circles illuminate. Students look around uncertainly. "Choose a circle."

We obey. Nyra joins Rowan without hesitation. Cassian ends up across from Selena. I step into an empty ring.

Professor Vayne studies the remaining students. Then— "Mr. Corvell."

A familiar voice answers from near the back of the room. "Professor."

My head turns automatically. I hadn't noticed the third-years entering through the side doors. Neither had anyone else. Six Chief Wings Officers stand quietly along the wall. Observing. No uniforms today. Only simple training clothes.

Professor Vayne gestures toward the floor. "Join Miss Vaelith."

Rhyven sighs. Not dramatically. Just enough that everyone hears it. He walks toward my circle with the expression of a man accepting unavoidable paperwork. Dax grins openly from the wall. Caelen pinches the bridge of his nose. Soren looks delighted.

Rhyven stops opposite me.

"Hello." I offer politely.

He nods once. "Vaelith."

I fight a smile. Professor Vayne watches the exchange. Says nothing. Then addresses the entire room. "Today's exercise contains only one instruction." He pauses long enough for everyone to focus. "Without speaking. Without touching. Without using magic." He looks around every circle. "Make your partner take one step backward." Silence. Complete silence. Rowan raises one finger. Professor Vayne points toward the ceiling. She lowers it again with visible disappointment.

Rhyven folds his arms. I fold mine. Neither of us moves. Across the room, dozens of students stare at one another. Waiting. Thinking. Misunderstanding. Professor Vayne begins walking slowly between the circles. Hands clasped behind his back. Watching. Listening. Teaching without saying another word.

No one moves. For nearly a full minute, the Hall of Sovereignty is silent except for breathing and the quiet scrape of boots shifting against stone.

Professor Vayne walks calmly between the circles. He does not hurry anyone. He does not repeat the instructions. He simply watches.

Around the room, uncertainty begins to unravel into instinct. A vampire boy steps confidently toward his partner. The girl opposite him immediately takes a step backward. He smiles.

Professor Vayne's voice cuts through the room. "Reset."

The students blink. "But she moved."

"She reacted." A pause. "You did not make a choice."

The smile disappears. The pair returns to their original positions.

Elsewhere, a wolf attempts intimidation. He broadens his shoulders. Raises his chin. Narrows his eyes. His partner—a Medusa girl—stares back without expression. Neither moves. After thirty seconds, the wolf sighs dramatically. "I've never wanted someone to dislike me less."

The Medusa smiles politely. "I'm enjoying this."

Even Professor Vayne's mouth twitches. Across the room, Nyra and Rowan are already arguing. Silently. Or trying to. Nyra points gently toward herself. Then toward Rowan. Then shrugs. Rowan responds with increasingly elaborate gestures involving imaginary maps, dramatic bows and what appears to be a bird. Nyra blinks. Slowly shakes her head.

Professor Vayne stops beside them. "Miss Hart." Rowan immediately straightens. "You have somehow managed to mime shouting." Several students laugh.

He walks away. Cassian and Selena take an entirely different approach. They simply wait. Watching one another. Occasionally tilting their heads. Neither appears uncomfortable. They seem to be conducting a conversation without words. I glance toward them briefly. Selena raises one eyebrow. Cassian smiles faintly. Nothing happens. I have no idea who is winning.

Then there is Rhyven. He stands opposite me with his hands folded across his chest. Perfectly still. Golden eyes fixed calmly on mine. No challenge. No mockery. Just observation. The silence stretches. I refuse to look away. He refuses to blink first. This is ridiculous. I am not stepping backward. Apparently neither is he. Three minutes pass. Professor Vayne circles the room once. Returns. Stops beside us. He says nothing. He simply observes. Then continues walking. As though the absence of progress is itself informative.