Chapter 55 Gideon's Provocation

• "He was clever, cruel, and dangerously charming."
• The morning assembly had drawn a larger crowd than usual. Students packed the main courtyard, their conversations creating a constant hum that bounced off the stone walls. The council elders occupied the raised platform at the far end, seated in their carved chairs like judges presiding over a trial. Lady Katheris stood among them, her presence turning the platform into something that felt more throne than simple seating.
• I'd felt the weight of attention even before entering the courtyard. Now, standing in the crowd with Caleb at my side and Celeste somewhere behind us, that weight had become suffocating.