Beatrice's office had a particular quality of silence that other rooms didn't.
The three brothers stood in the corner and said nothing.
Beatrice sat behind her desk with her hands folded and her expression carrying the specific calm of someone who has seen worse and has not yet decided how much worse this is.
"The abduction of a junior cadet," she said. Her voice was level, each word placed with care. "And the use of forbidden techniques within academy grounds." She let that sit for a moment. "Neither of these can be overlooked. They are crimes. They carry consequences." She paused.
"However. In consideration of the Ironhart family's standing, I am reducing the punishment to a suspension of one whole year." Her eyes moved across the room. "Sir Valdmir."
The man seated across from her had not moved since he sat down.
