"Why are we being sent to Morvalis so early?" I asked, my voice sharper than I had intended, the words slicing through the heavy tension that still lingered in the dorm room like a blade dragged across stone.
I knew I wasn't the only one thinking it.
Even if no one else dared voice the question out loud, I could feel the collective hesitation thickening the air, he subtle shifts in posture, the way a few of my dormmates glanced sideways at one another, their eyes flickering with unspoken unease and quiet agreement. But none of them stepped forward to challenge Mr. Asher's decree.
Everyone… even Elion.
He lounged against the edge of the single bed with that infuriating, effortless calm, arms loosely crossed over his chest, one ankle hooked over the other. His expression remained completely unbothered, as if being ordered into Morvalis on the very first night was nothing more than an inconvenient stroll through the academy gardens.
