-Finn-
Kira's smile faltered, the light dimming from her expression, and my chest tightened. Zeus padded softly beside Alexia, ears flicking, tail low but alert, sensing the sudden shift in mood.
"But that's not the only news," she said quietly.
The joy from moments ago bled away, leaving the air cold and heavy. Dread slid in like a weight across my shoulders. Zeus pressed close to Alexia's side, a grounding presence, his amber eyes scanning the courtyard for any signs of trouble.
Kira's fingers twisted together as she searched for the right words. "Things have gotten worse with the Council."
The courtyard seemed to shrink around us. Even the lingering hum of magic felt muted, like the very stones didn't want to carry her voice forward. Zeus's ears pricked; he sniffed the air, muscles coiling subtly, ready to act if the tension escalated.
"They passed a new set of rules," she went on, her tone sharp with anger she could barely swallow. "The 'Magical Stability Accords.' That's what they're calling them. Sounds noble, right? Stability. Safety. But that's not what it is. It's control."
My stomach turned cold. "What kind of rules?" I asked, though part of me already knew the answer. Zeus's tail flicked in irritation, sensing the injustice in the words, his body pressing subtly against Alexia as if lending silent support.
"They want students bound younger," Kira said. Her jaw clenched as she forced the words out. "Before their magic matures. They say it will 'prevent another Gideon,' but everyone can see the truth. They don't want power they can't control. They don't want anyone to rise beyond their leash."
Her voice dropped lower, bitter. "They're demanding surveillance charms woven into the wards. Always watching, always listening. Headmistress Shade has fought them, told them Whisperwind isn't a prison, but the Council is pushing harder every day."
Silence fell between us. Zeus's amber eyes flicked from Kira to Alexia, reading the unspoken tension, his body taut, tail brushing the stone floor like a silent warning.
My hand closed around the hilt of my sword, a reflex I couldn't shake. Metal cool under my palm, familiar weight grounding me. The Council had exiled Alexia once, not because she was dangerous, but because she refused to bend. Now they were tightening their chains around everyone else. Zeus shifted closer to Alexia, brushing against her leg, a reminder that we were not alone.
Soren's gaze darkened, a shadow crossing his steady composure. Jasper shifted uneasily, and Asher muttered something under his breath, too low for me to catch. Zeus's ears twitched at each subtle movement, scanning, alert.
Alexia said nothing. She listened in silence, her fists clenched at her sides, her jaw set so tightly the muscle twitched. I knew that look. She was already calculating, already building possibilities in her head, weighing what this meant for her, for us, for every student who dared to breathe freely inside Whisperwind's walls. Zeus's tail flicked once, a subtle acknowledgment, and he leaned slightly against her, a silent promise of protection.
For a heartbeat, I thought she would speak, thought she would cut through the quiet with something sharp and unyielding.
But before the words could leave her lips, another voice rang across the courtyard. Clear. Unmistakable.
"Alexia."
We turned. Zeus's hackles rose slightly, a low rumble vibrating in his chest, sensing the authority and weight behind the voice.
Headmistress Morgan Shade stood a few feet away, her dark robes stark against the golden wash of afternoon light. The air seemed to bend around her presence, heavy and commanding, though she barely moved. She didn't need to. Authority clung to her like a second skin. Zeus's ears twitched, sensing the tension radiating from both sides, and he settled firmly at Alexia's side, ready to act if needed.
Her black eyes swept over us, sharp as blades. They softened only briefly when they settled on Alexia. Zeus exhaled softly, a reassurance that he understood the weight of this encounter and would stand guard.
Kira immediately dropped her arm from Alexia's, as though caught doing something forbidden. The rest of us instinctively shifted back a pace, creating the space Shade's authority demanded without her having to ask. Zeus's tail flicked, brushing the stone floor, his stance protective.
"I need to speak with you," Shade said, her voice calm but edged with a weight that made it clear this wasn't a request. "In my office. Now."
The word now hit with the force of a command spell, even though no magic rode behind it. Zeus's ears flattened briefly, sensing the urgency, but he remained at Alexia's side, unwavering.
Alexia didn't flinch. She turned her head just enough to look back at us. Her eyes were steady, unshaken, and in them burned a silent promise—I'm fine. Don't worry. Zeus pressed gently against her leg, a quiet anchor to her calm.
I met her gaze and gave my own, though my throat had gone dry. I'll be here. Whatever happens, I'll be here. Zeus's amber eyes met mine briefly, a silent acknowledgment of shared vigilance.
Shade extended a hand, a subtle gesture that was less invitation and more inevitability. Alexia stepped forward, her chin high, her fists loosening as though she'd decided—whatever storm waited in that office, she would walk into it unafraid. Zeus followed closely, ears swiveling, tail sweeping in quiet assurance, shadowing her every step.
The courtyard was still again, so quiet I could hear my own pulse in my ears. Zeus's soft pads brushed the stones as he circled Alexia once, a guardian before the unknown.
As the Headmistress turned, the folds of her robes swept across the stones with a sound like whispered warnings. Alexia followed, her figure sharp against the fading light. The sight carved itself into me: her walking into the unknown, her back straight, her steps certain. Zeus's gaze lingered on her until she disappeared from view, then he returned to my side, tail low but alert.
When they disappeared from view, Kira exhaled shakily, some of her earlier fire flickering back. "This is bad," she whispered. "If the Council gets their way, Whisperwind won't be Whisperwind anymore. It'll be their cage."
Soren's jaw tightened, but he said nothing. His silence wasn't empty—it was a blade being sharpened. Zeus's ears flicked toward Soren, as if sensing the tension and commitment in his stance.
Jasper rubbed the back of his neck, his guilt returning like a shadow crawling back into place. "She'll stand against them," he said, almost to himself. "She has to."
"She will," I said, forcing strength into my voice even as unease coiled in my gut. Zeus pressed against my leg briefly, his presence a reminder that we faced the storm together, anchored and ready.
Because whatever storm the Council had started, this fight wasn't finished.
It had only just begun.