Across the sprawling, torch-lit grounds of the Grand Academy, Rex navigated the silent corridors until he reached a small, private study room.
This space was typically reserved for the dense, abstract debates of advanced magical theory, but tonight, the air inside was charged with something far more visceral: desperation wrapped in devotion.
Four familiar faces awaited him, gathered around a low table with the particular, unguarded closeness of women who had survived enough trauma together to let formality dissolve into raw honesty.
The moment the door clicked shut behind him, Talyra was moving. She didn't hesitate, crossing the room in three strides to throw her arms around his neck.
Her embrace was fierce, almost bruising, the kind of unrestrained affection she ruthlessly armored against in public. Her face pressed against his shoulder, her voice muffled but vibrating with emotion.
"We're going to fight for you down there, Rexy... Do you hear me?"
