Kael spent the following days preparing himself for what was to come.

  During his training, he concentrated on restoring his body while gradually developing a fighting style based on his abilities, guided by the knowledge he gained from his morning lectures with Professor Nora, which often took place before sunrise.

  From that point on, Nora’s lessons became entirely practical. She only introduced theory in regard to his ability: how to endure it, understand it, and draw as much power from it as possible within the limited time he had.

  The greatest breakthrough came when Nora finally understood the nature of Kael’s cooldown, the most frustrating limitation of his power that restricted its use to once a month. Through intense research, Nora discovered that the cooldown period could be reduced by using a rare herb that only grew for one day each year.

  Nora explained that the cooldown acted as a kind of safeguard, a mechanism that Kael’s body had developed to protect itself. Each use of the ability inflicted backlash, and repeated use without restraint would eventually destroy Kael. The herb allowed them to temporarily suppress this mechanism. Kael could activate his ability more often, but only at a fraction of its full strength. This wasn't enough to win a fight, but it was perfect for training and understanding.

  Kael took the herb every morning, and together, they experimented. Nora had him perform simple exercises, controlled movements, and mental drills while activating his ability. Sometimes, he had to predict which hand she would hold the coin in before letting it fall or anticipate her other insignificant actions.

  Each day ended with a mild headache, but nothing serious, and they continued without pause.

  In the afternoons, Kael spent time with his friends, walking through the snow, eating together in the cafeteria or a small café, or doing nothing while watching Ausma glide through the sky. These moments were the only ones that allowed him to push aside his looming thoughts about what was coming.

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  Lia often behaved strangely. More than once, Kael noticed her watching him, as if she wanted to say something important, but then she would close her mouth and act as if nothing had happened. He wondered what she wanted to ask, but he never brought it up.

  Cassandra continued to ignore him in class. Yet, Kael had the unsettling feeling that it was an act, something she forced herself to do. Sometimes it seemed as though she wanted to speak to him but couldn't. He couldn’t tell if that was intuition or wishful thinking, so he left her alone.

  What truly unsettled him was the silence from the Unspoken. Bereon’s final words echoed in his mind every day: Kael searched for signs—symbols, irregularities, anything that might hint at a message—but nothing changed. No orders. No warnings.

  He considered returning to their hideout and confronting them directly more than once, but decided against it. Leaving the academy too often would draw attention, and too many eyes were already on him.

  Even now, he noticed gazes that felt different from before. Not admiration. Not hatred. Suspicion. Caution. He stayed careful and avoided unnecessary attention. Nora had assured him that their private lessons wouldn’t raise suspicion.

  Most evenings, Kael sat on his windowsill with Ausma perched beside him as he wrote in his diary. He recorded everything: his life at the academy, his thoughts, his doubts, and his feelings. It wasn’t for himself.

  It was for those he would one day leave behind.

  A week before the New Year’s celebration at the palace, Kael sat by the window once more. The diary was now thick with pages. Ausma rested quietly beside him, her eyes closed as if to share this final moment of peace.

  Kael had just finished writing about the day they had planned the intrusion into Astra’s room to search for clues about her disappearance. He reread the entry and chuckled softly at the remembered conversations. Then, he felt the sting of sadness at the lies he had told.

  He stared out the window.

  I hope they can forgive me when they read this, he thought.

  He closed the diary, then opened the first page, which he had left blank until now. After a moment’s hesitation, he wrote three sentences.

  For you.

  If the world takes me somewhere you cannot follow,

  then know that you were my anchor.

  A small smile formed as he read the words. He closed the book and hid it carefully where it would only be found after he was gone.

  Just as he finished, a knock echoed through the room.

  Kael frowned at the unexpected visit at such an hour. He opened the door and froze.

  Cassandra stood before him, her composure shattered and her eyes filled with urgency.

  "You're the only one I can ask."