Back at the academy, Jelo, Mira, Atlas, and Ken walked toward the dorms under a haze of whispers. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the academy grounds, but the usual bustle of students had transformed into something different. Something heavier. Students lined the pathways, gathered in clusters near the dormitory entrances, their conversations dying to hushed murmurs as the four of them passed.
Eyes tracked their movement with unconcealed curiosity.
Jelo kept his gaze forward, jaw tight, aware of every stare that landed on him like a physical weight. Beside him, Mira walked with her head slightly lowered, exhaustion evident in the slope of her shoulders. Atlas trudged along, hands shoved deep in his pockets, while Ken maintained his usual composed expression, though even he seemed uncomfortable with the attention.
The whispers weren't subtle.
"That's them, right? The ones who went through the portal?"
