Jonah was mentally exhausted from making his fourth Progeny slot, so he rested for two days. He felt… bigger on the inside, like a room in his mind had been expanded, but the process had left him deeply drained. He was finally starting to feel like himself again when Seraph's summons came.
It wasn't a casual request. It was a coded message delivered by a stern-faced senior student. Secure Briefing Room 7. Immediately. Come along with Vanessa.
Jonah felt a cold fear in his stomach. This wasn't about his training. This was something else.
They found Seraph waiting for them in an empty grey room deep in the Academy's military wing. The only furniture was a large, black table and several chairs. The air was cold, and the walls seemed designed to absorb sound.
Seraph looked grim. Her usual sharp teacher look was gone, replaced by a soldier's hard face, as if she faced a fight she hated.
"Sit," she commanded, her voice low. "What's said in this room is classified. Understood?"
