The question came with a subtle sting, almost carrying a hint of malice beneath its polished delivery. For every reason Ibarin had listed moments ago, anyone with even a sliver of common sense would have chosen the Central Academy in a heartbeat, especially with a talent like hers.
There was no logical reason to refuse such an opportunity… unless it was for one of the very reasons he had just stated aloud. And now, gnawing at the back of Ibarin's mind, was a darker possibility, one he couldn't quite shake.
Could it be that she had refused the academy because of him? That her decision was not about the institution itself, but about who ran it? And if it truly was because of something to do with the academy, wasn't that still a reflection of the system he had shaped, the environment he had created?
