Aria's POV
Getting back to Elder Kalliope's office without falling apart was one of the hardest things I'd ever done. My hands were shaking, my heart was racing, and every fiber of my being wanted to run straight to Caspian and tell him everything.
Instead, I walked calmly into the office, apologized for taking so long, and sat through another twenty minutes of territorial law discussion while my brain screamed about red-marked files and professors who knew my real identity.
Hayes escorted me back to the dorm in his usual silent, efficient way, apparently unaware that his charge had just walked into a trap that was already closing around her.
The moment he left us alone, I grabbed Caspian's arm and pulled him toward the far corner of the room, as far from the door as possible.
"It's w
