"There's a line between bullying and something worse. When they cross it, you have to decide what kind of person you are."
***
The arrogant drawl of Vance Thorne carried clearly through the trees. That distinctive sneering tone that seemed permanently embedded in everything the noble said.
Rhys sank into a crouch behind the oak's massive trunk. Peered cautiously through gaps in the underbrush as four figures emerged into the small clearing ahead.
Vance strutted at the center. His House Aurum uniform was pristine despite their woodland trek. Golden trim caught what little sunlight filtered through the canopy.
Garrett Wells and Marcus Finn walked beside him. Second-year students who followed Vance everywhere like hunting hounds trailing their master. Laughed at his jokes regardless of whether they were funny. Enforced his will with the casual violence of those who'd never faced real consequences.
