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"Why?"

"Because manifestations don't happen conveniently."

Right. Combat. Field conditions. War. Of course.

"Anything else?"

"Sleep." I laugh. Professor Vayne does not. "That was not a joke."

"That makes it worse."

"Go."

By lunch, the entire Academy seems to know my evaluation is tomorrow. I don't know how. Actually I do. Academies run on gossip more efficiently than wards run on magic. A second-year I barely recognize wishes me luck in the corridor. A fae student asks whether Blood Echo can expose cheating.

Cassian answers for me. "Yes."

I stare at him. His face remains perfectly serious.

The student pales and walks away.

I turn slowly. "Why?"

Cassian shrugs. "Public service." Nyra hides a smile.

Caelen arrives at our table with two plates. He sets one in front of me. "I already have food."

"That's soup."

"So?"

"Soup is not food before physical training."

I look at Nyra. She immediately looks away. Cowards. All of them.

"I have training?"

"Apparently." Caelen sits. "Corvell booked a private field."

I stop. "What?"

"He didn't tell you?"

"No."

Caelen smiles. Not pleasantly. "Oh, this should be entertaining."

I find Rhyven in his office twenty minutes later. I don't knock. He looks up from a stack of patrol reports. "No."

I shut the door behind me. "I haven't said anything."

"You entered like that."

"Like what?"

"Trouble."

I fold my arms. "Did you book a training field for me?"