The halls of Alpha Academy had never felt so silent.
The battle near the Eastern watchtowers had left its scars—on the forest, on the wards, and most of all, on them. Ari stood at the highest balcony in the East Wing, the wind tugging at her cloak, watching the horizon bleed into lavender and ash. Dawn was a quiet thing now, no longer soft with promise but stretched thin with uncertainty.
Ronan found her there. He didn’t speak at first—just stood beside her, their shoulders brushing faintly, eyes locked on the same fractured sky.
The wind whispered secrets through the tower halls of Alpha Academy.
Ari stood at the edge of the Headmaster’s balcony, her eyes fixed on the glowing veil rippling across the mountains. Below, the Academy bustled with restless energy—students patrolled in pair
