Even victory doesn't erase danger.
The emergency council session convened within hours of the assassination attempt. All twelve members present, their expressions ranging from concerned to calculating to outright hostile.
Darius and I stood in the center of the chamber. Marcus beside us as witness. Caleb had documented everything, photographs of the carved symbol, statements from Faction Alpha students who'd seen the assassin.
Evidence that should have been damning. Should have triggered immediate investigation and security lockdown.
Instead, we got political theater.
"Let me understand this correctly," Theron said, his voice measured but skeptical. "An unknown assailant infiltrated academy grounds during an official simulation. Attacked multiple students. Then escaped without being captured or identified beyond vague descriptions."
"That's what happened," I said.
