-Alexia-
The courtyard still hummed with the echo of my words—We stand together—but the fragile thread of hope began to stretch under the weight of what waited beyond.
Finn was the first to break the silence. "We shouldn't linger here." His voice was low, clipped, the kind he used when instincts screamed danger. His eyes scanned the courtyard edges, the archways where shadows pooled. "If Shade's right, the Council already has eyes inside the wards."
Soren gave a slight nod, posture unflinching as he adjusted to guard my flank. Zeus pressed close against my leg, his steady weight grounding me. Through our bond, I felt the edge of his vigilance—ears pricked, muscles taut, a silent question vibrating through the link: Safe? Not safe?
Rowan didn't flinch at the tension radiating through the group. He stood quiet, one hand brushing Kira's wrist, his calm threading through her like a tether. Kira leaned into him, though her gaze never strayed far from me.
"What now?" she asked, her voice firm but tinged with worry. She knew, as well as I did, that standing together was only the first step.
I drew a slow breath, letting Zeus's presence seep into me like ice water. He wasn't calm—not completely—but he was steady, his instinct clear: Forward. Protect. Move.
"Now," I said, finding my voice, "we start preparing. Shade's given us access to the archives. Records, wards, names, every detail we'll need. If the Council wants to bind us before we're ready, we make sure we're already three steps ahead."
Finn's lips pressed into a thin line, but I saw the flicker of approval in his eyes. Soren gave a single, measured nod. Zeus pressed closer, his head brushing my hip—a grounding, a silent affirmation.
Kira frowned. "And the students? They're not going to sit still if rumors spread. Fear is crawling through the dorms—you can feel it in the air."
Rowan's voice was soft but firm. "Then fear is the first thing you fight." He looked at me directly. "The Council feeds on it. They'll make the bindings sound like safety, not control."
The truth settled cold in my stomach. Zeus's low growl vibrated through our bond, echoing my own unease. Danger. Deception.
I clenched my fists, feeling the power thrumming beneath my skin. "Then we don't give them that chance," I said, voice steady despite the weight pressing down.
We moved toward the archives, the sun dipping lower, shadows stretching across the courtyard. Each step carried a tension that made my chest tighten, the echo of stone underfoot a reminder that time was slipping faster than we could act. Zeus padded silently by my side, ears flicking to every sound, every footstep, every whisper of movement—a living alarm system.
Inside the archives, the scent of old parchment and polished wood wrapped around us. The room was cavernous, stacked with books, scrolls, and ledgers. Dust motes swirled in the last rays of sunlight, caught in the gaps between the tall shelves.
Finn was already scanning the ledgers, his hands brushing over the bindings as though he could read the magic inside through touch. Soren moved to the windows, looking out over the courtyard, protective as ever, scanning for any hint of a Council spy or surveillance charm.
I knelt at a table piled with tomes, letting Zeus press against my side, a warm reminder of loyalty and vigilance. Through our bond, I could feel his sharp attention, the pull of instinct guiding me. My hands hovered over the first book, and the hum of magic in the pages resonated with my own power.
Kira and Rowan stayed back, watching quietly, but I could feel their eyes on us, assessing, learning, waiting for a sign of what came next. Kira leaned slightly into Rowan, a quiet connection that grounded them both, a thread of calm that reminded me some fights didn't have to be loud to matter.
"Here," I said, tracing my fingers over the ledgers, "we can track the wards that are most vulnerable to binding spells. These records will show us where surveillance charms have been attempted, what protections are already in place, and who's most likely to be targeted."
Finn's voice rumbled softly. "We need layers. Multiple defenses, overlapping wards. If they try to enforce these Accords, we need redundancy—something they can't dismantle in one sweep."
Soren's gaze never left the windows, but I felt him nod. "Agreed. And we need contingency plans for the students. Evacuation routes, safe rooms, decoys if necessary. Anything to buy time if the Council shows their hand."
I glanced down at Zeus, feeling the heat of his body, the subtle vibrations of his loyalty. We are ready. We will protect. Even without words, he reminded me that power alone wasn't enough. The fight would need strategy, trust, and instinct—elements that couldn't be measured on a ledger or mapped in the archives.
Kira's voice broke the silence. "And the students who don't understand yet? They'll panic when the rumors start. How do we protect them without showing the Council we're moving?"
I leaned back slightly, fingers brushing Zeus's fur. He leaned into me, warm and steady, the silent assurance of his presence threading into my thoughts. Through him, I could feel a path forward—not easy, not clean, but possible.
"We teach them subtlety," I said slowly. "Information only when necessary, reassurance at every step, and practice in controlling their own power. We start small, test their control, and build them up so they're ready before the Council even knows what's happening."
Rowan nodded, quiet but understanding. "And if they move too fast?"
Finn's jaw tightened. "Then we move faster."
I exhaled, letting the plan settle in my mind. For the first time since Shade's office, I felt the flicker of something like control. Not total certainty, but a thread I could grasp.
Zeus nudged me with his head, almost impatiently, and I allowed a small smile. Even in the shadow of threat, we weren't alone. Not with him. Not with Finn, Soren, Kira, or Rowan. Together, we had a chance.
The Council might be moving, their rules and Accords spreading like wildfire, but we weren't waiting. We were preparing. Layer by layer, step by step.
And I would not let Whisperwind fall.