The emergency assembly bell woke me at dawn.
Three sharp tolls echoed across campus, it was signal for mandatory attendance. I'd been at the academy for long and never heard it used.
"Young Master." Damian entered my room already dressed. "Baron Celestius has arrived with a full entourage of royal Court representative and church Bishop, with fifty armed guards."
I threw off my blankets, my gaze sharpened. "How long do we have?"
"Assembly starts in thirty minutes. But..." Damian's expression was grim. "They're already setting up in the Grand Hall. This isn't a visit, I think It's a kind of occupation."
Shit.
I dressed quickly, mind racing. The Baron coming personally meant Adrian had called in reinforcements after yesterday's humiliation. The Royal Court rep meant political pressure and the Bishop meant religious authority.
