Chapter 32 The Rising Storm

• The wind howled outside the shattered windows of Ava's room as she stood by the ledge, looking out over the darkened landscape of the Elemental Academy. Storm clouds gathered on the horizon, thick and swirling, their ominous presence mirroring the turmoil inside her. The Storm Relic pulsed in her chest like a living thing, its energy syncing with her heartbeat—quickening, growing stronger, feeding off her anger, her hurt, and her need for answers.
• The Academy, her home for the past year, was no longer a sanctuary. It felt like a prison, where every hallway was filled with eyes watching her, waiting for her to stumble, to give them a reason to strip her power away. The Council had betrayed her, casting doubt on her every action since the battle. Elias, her closest friend, had been keeping secrets, spying on her for the Council.
• The weight of that betrayal still gnawed at her, sharper than any blade.