The headmaster’s office was nothing like Rian expected. It wasn’t grand or gilded, not soaked in ancient prestige like the rest of the academy. Instead, it was sparse. Cold. Functional. A single desk sat near the back, crafted from some dark, dense wood, its surface spotless aside from a single folder and a bronze paperweight in the shape of a wolf’s paw. The walls were lined with high, narrow windows, allowing streaks of afternoon sunlight to slant in—just enough to catch the motes of dust hanging still in the air.
Kael stood at Rian’s side like a sentinel, arms crossed over his chest, jaw tight. He hadn’t said much since she’d told him what happened. Only that he was taking her to the headmaster. His silence had been absolute, and somehow, that was worse than shouting. It felt like judg
