Serene’s POV
The silence in the room felt heavier than armor.
Serene sat on the edge of her bed, her fingers curled around the broken pieces of the necklace.
Across the room, Damien stood by the window, staring outside.
Neither of them had spoken in several minutes.
Outside, the academy was awake and lively, moving like any other morning.
But inside this room, time had stopped.
Serene’s mind refused to be quiet.
Lyra told them.
The words echoed over and over.
The principal knew.
Which meant the council knew.
Which meant the academy knew.
Her dream…the reason she had come here, the reason she had endured weeks of pretending to be someone else…was hanging by a thread.
Damien finally moved.
He turned away from the window and ran a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated.
“Se
