The hall seemed to hold its breath.
Atlas looked at Jelo, his expression torn, uncertain whether to fight, refuse, or wait to see what Jelo would do.
The Class 1 students whispered frantically among themselves, some looking horrified, others curious about what would happen next.
Xino watched with barely concealed glee, as if this moment was everything he'd been hoping for.
Then Jelo spoke.
"Fine."
The word was flat. Cold. Final.
Xino's grin faltered for just a fraction of a second, shock flickering across his face. He clearly hadn't expected Jelo to agree so quickly, hadn't anticipated such immediate compliance. For a brief moment, his eyes widened, and his mouth opened slightly as if to confirm what he'd just heard.
But then the shock melted into something far worse.
