Morning broke bright and deceptively calm over Mystic Academy.
The courtyards were already full of students, laughter and chatter echoing between the stone archways, as though the previous night's chaos had never happened.
Darenn and Irving walked side by side toward the Headmaster's office, their boots clicking against marble. The sunlight filtering through the stained-glass windows painted gold and violet streaks across their faces, a fitting disguise for the unease both of them carried.
Irving adjusted his gloves, his voice low. "Irving thinks this feels wrong. Everyone's smiling again too fast."
Darenn nodded slightly. "They don't know what happened, and that's the point. The fewer who know, the safer it is. We've locked down the site, erased the runes. Noir's keeping watch."
"Still…" Irving exhaled through his nose. "Irving certainly knows that Gavin will ask questions. He always does."
Darenn's jaw tightened. "Then let him. If we're too uptight, he'll be suspicious."
