The morning sun streamed into my room, but my mind was still caught in the twilight of the arboretum, the conversation with Elara echoing in my thoughts. "You are not alone, Elara Vance." The words still gave me a thrill, a shiver that had nothing to do with the cool morning air. Our alliance, built on shared secrets and a mutual pursuit of buried truths, felt both incredibly dangerous and uniquely right.
A soft knock at my door pulled me from my reverie. "Come in," I called, expecting Aster or Wren for our usual early morning study session.
Instead, my family's head butler, Thomas, entered. His posture was ramrod straight, his silver hair neatly combed, and his perpetually serious expression softened only slightly when he looked at me. He was a familiar, comforting presence from my secluded home life.
"Young Mistress Lyra," he said, his voice a low, respectful rumble. "Forgive the early intrusion, but a message arrived from the estate that required my immediate attention to deliver to you."
"Thomas, it's good to see you," I replied, sitting up, a knot of unease forming in my stomach. He rarely visited the academy unless something significant had happened. "What news brings you to the capital at such an hour?"
He cleared his throat, his gaze deferential. "The family sends its regards, and hopes your studies progress well. There is news from the capital. Lord Valerius, Lord Cassius Valerius, has recently made a grand public donation to the Royal Academy, funding a new wing dedicated to Elemental Magic research. It was announced with much fanfare and praised by the Crown."
My lips thinned. Elemental Magic. A wing dedicated to it, funded by a man whose family secretly practiced Soul-Binding and likely allied with the Kaelans and their Elemental Shackling. It was a blatant display of power, a carefully constructed illusion of virtue. "A very public show of generosity, wouldn't you say, Thomas?"
He nodded, a hint of shrewdness in his eyes. "Indeed, Mistress. It has certainly strengthened the Valerius family's standing in the court. And there are whispers, too, of increasing pressure on the smaller, older magical lineages to conform to… certain 'modern' practices, enforced by new Royal Decrees soon to be enacted."
My stomach clenched. "Modern practices," I mused, my mind connecting the dots. More subtle control. More silencing of dissent.
This public donation was a smokescreen, a distraction from the tightening grip of the conspirators. "And what of the Moonshadow estate? Are we affected by these whispers?"
"Our family's reclusive nature offers some protection, Mistress," Thomas replied, though his gaze held a hint of concern. "But the currents in the capital are strong. The Headmaster, too, has been particularly receptive to Lord Valerius's influence, allowing him significant sway in academy affairs."
This was critical. Valerius wasn't just influencing the court; he was directly influencing the academy, the very place Elara was working within. It meant her subtle attacks on Cassian, while effective for now, would escalate the danger faster than anticipated. Lord Valerius wouldn't tolerate a threat to his image, especially not one coming from within his newly funded stronghold.
"Thank you, Thomas," I said, my voice thoughtful. "Your information is, as always, invaluable. Please convey my regards to the family. I will consider this news carefully."
He bowed and exited, leaving me with a heightened sense of urgency. The chessboard was shifting, and Elara needed to know. The Valerius family's move was a declaration, a fortification. And Elara's initial, subtle steps of revenge, while striking at Cassian, might provoke a much larger, more dangerous beast.
I waited until my first class was over, barely containing my impatience. I knew Professor Thorne would be in his office during his free period. I hurried there, my senses alert, picking up the familiar faint scent of earthy magic even before I reached his door.
I knocked softly. "Professor Thorne? It's Lyra."
"Come in," his gruff voice called.