The shift in Attia's expression was subtle—a widening of his eyes, a slight parting of his lips—but Iva caught it. The headmaster's composure, so carefully maintained, cracked for just a moment.
"Fated mates," Attia repeated slowly.
"Yes." Caleb's voice was steady. "The Goddess blessed us. And the new Messenger was revealed."
Silence fell over the room.
Attia stared at them for a long, breathless moment. Then his face transformed.
A smile—wide and genuine and startlingly warm—spread across his features. The cold mask that he wore like armor fell away, and beneath it was something Iva had never expected to see.
Joy.
"This is fantastic news," Attia said, his voice thick with emotion. "For our kind."
He leaned forward, his forearms resting on his desk.
"As you know, the numbers of of
