The sun had barely risen high enough to warm the courtyard stones, but the entire academy was humming already. Whispers darted along the hallways like startled birds. Students clustered in corners, exchanging exaggerated gestures and wide-eyed reactions. News of the fight between Leon and Ivan had traveled faster than wildfire.
One clash that shook the ground.
And now, everyone was waiting—hungry—to hear what the Committee of Order would do about the mess.
The meeting chamber stood deep inside the administration wing, past glass-paneled corridors and walls filled with portraits of former headmistresses and council members. Thick doors—heavy as the authority they represented—guarded the entrance. Inside, the air felt old, stern, pulled tight with years of law and expectation.
