Evaline:
There was another long pause before he answered. "Because soone I care about needs it. And I would burn myself down before I let them suffer."
That was all he gave . But it was enough.
His truth was just as incomplete and yet just as honest as mine. And sohow, that made all the difference.
We didn’t need to spell out our secrets. We just needed soone to understand that we had them.
And for the first ti since arriving at the Academy, I felt safe enough to relax.
"Thanks for talking to ," I murmured as I shifted on the bed to slide back beneath my blanket.
Rowan pushed himself up and stretched before moving to his own bed. "You ever need to talk again, you know where to find ."
"Hopefully, I won’t be waking you up at two in the morning again for that," I joked weakly, trying to add so humor before sleep.
He chuckled. The sound was low and surprisingly warm. "Don’t worry. I have had worse."
That made go still for a mont. Sothing about him and his story made feel that he had been through a lot, or might still be going through it. But I couldn’t make myself ask any further questions. Not only because I wanted to respect his silence like he was doing with , but because I was in no place to offer him a helping hand in my current situation.
As he pulled the covers over himself, I let my eyes close again. The weight in my chest was still there, but it was much lighter now. Easier.
Though we didn’t share everything, we had shared enough. And in a place where I was hesitant about trusting anyone, Rowan was proving himself to be a friend I might find myself trusting.
Still, I didn’t let my hopes get too high. After all, I knew better than anyone what it felt like to have one’s trust shattered.
* * *
Morning arrived four hours later, and while I barely got enough sleep, I was in good spirits. I felt... better. Clearer. Like a fog had finally lifted from my thoughts.
Maybe it was the talk with Rowan. Or maybe it was just knowing soone else in this massive, unpredictable place carried secrets too. Either way, I didn’t feel as alone anymore.
He was already gone as usual when I slipped out of bed and headed to the girls’ showers.
The day passed quickly. The lectures were dense, packed with theory and practical concepts that would have overwheld if not for my regular visits to the library.
I was following along easily as the second week ca to an end, even answering a few questions in the classes that got smiles of approvals from the professors but eye rolls from so of the other students.
As the final bell rang and the halls began to empty, I headed to the administrative wing to et him - Professor Kieran.
I was felling slightly nervous as I approached his office door. I stopped for a mont to take in a deep breath before knocking softly on the door. It swung open almost imdiately.
"Evaline," he greeted as I stepped in. He was standing tall in a crisp black shirt and charcoal trousers. His long hair was tied back loosely, and his eyes were glinting warmly under the soft light of the late afternoon that was filtering inside through the open window. "Right on ti."
I nodded. "You said to co after classes."
"And I appreciate your punctuality," he said and gestured for to sit across from him.
"I won’t keep you long," he said before adding, "I know it’s been a long week."
"Thank you," I murmured. "Is this about tomorrow?"
He nodded. "Yes. You’ll be starting your internship with the Council. It’s a valuable opportunity, and I hope you make the most of it."
"I will," I said quickly, aning it.
"One of my n will be waiting for you outside the Academy gates at eight in the morning. He’ll escort you to the Council headquarters," he explained. "Once you are there, show your student ID at the main reception. The staff will fill you in on your duties and schedule."
I nodded, ntally noting everything. "Got it. Thank you."
His smile softened. "You have earned this. You are working hard. I have heard nothing but praise about your progress from the other professors."
That surprised . "You have?"
He chuckled lightly. "I may not be teaching your class yet, but I hear things. Apparently, you have got a sharp mind and a hard working spirit."
I smiled faintly. "I’ll take that as a complint."
"You should," he said with a warm smile. "And I’m looking forward to starting my own classes next week."
I was also looking forward to his classes, not only because I found him to be a really kind and warm person to be around, but also because of the great things I have been hearing about him as a professor and his classes.
Taking another deep breath, I began. "Professor... about the deal... the one we made before I ca here."
He stilled slightly but didn’t seem surprised. He leaned back in his chair and studied quietly.
"I haven’t forgotten," he said eventually in a low voice. "And I don’t expect you to either."
My pulse picked up, but I forced myself to remain still. "Then what do you want to do?"
He smiled gently. "Not today. We’ll talk about it next week, once your internship has started and you have settled in. It’s not urgent. Yet."
I exhaled, not sure if I felt relieved or even more anxious.
"Alright," I said finally. "Next week, then."
He nodded once. "Good. In the anti, rest up tonight. You’ll need your energy."
I stood and gave him a polite nod. "Thank you again. For everything."
"You are welco," he said, his gaze lingering for a heartbeat too long before he looked back at the papers on his desk. "Good luck tomorrow."
As I left his office and stepped back into the cool evening air, I realized I wasn’t scared of tomorrow anymore.
Nervous? Yes. Uncertain? Always.
But scared? No.
Because for the first ti in a long while, I had a goal. A direction.
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