Page 74 of Tempest Awakening

Headmaster Northfall's expression remained carefully neutral, but I caught a flicker of something—concern? frustration?—in her eyes before she smoothed it away. "Of course, Lord Protector. Your expertise will undoubtedly be valuable in crafting this year's trial."

Her tone was respectful, but I sensed an undercurrent of tension. It was clear she didn't agree with Silvius's decision, but she had no choice but to accept it.

Silvius smiled, a cold, satisfied expression that sent a shiver down my spine. "Excellent. We'll ensure that only the truly worthy move forward in the process. After all, we can't lower our standards for... special cases."

His gaze flickered to me, and I felt the weight of his disdain. It was clear that in his eyes, I was anything but worthy.

Headmaster Northfall cleared her throat, clearly trying to steer the conversation in a more positive direction. "Speaking of preparation, we have a solution in place to ensure Ms. Whittaker is adequately prepared for the trial and beyond."

She glanced at Theron, who stiffened almost imperceptibly. "As you're aware, Master Burke has assigned Instructor Blackwell as Ms. Whittaker's mentor. His expertise will be invaluable in helping her catch up on the magical knowledge she's missed growing up as a human."

I nodded, remembering Master Burke's decision. Despite knowing about the arrangement, I still felt a flutter of nervousness in my stomach. Theron's face was an impassive mask, but the tension in his jaw was unmistakable.

Silvius's eyebrows shot up, and then a slow, amused smile spread across his face. "Instructor Blackwell as a mentor? How... fitting." He chuckled, a sound devoid of any real mirth."After all, it was this very human who was responsible for your suspension from active Rider duty just a few weeks ago, wasn't it, Blackwell?"

I felt my cheeks burn. The incident on the highway—when I'd stepped in to save that homeless man—had gotten Theron suspended? I hadn't realized the full consequences of my actions that day.

Theron's voice was tight when he responded. "The situation was complex, Lord Protector. Ms. Whittaker's actions were... unexpected."

Silvius waved a hand dismissively. "Of course, of course. Water under the bridge now, I'm sure." But the gleam in his eyes told me he was enjoying this far too much. "I think this mentorship is an excellent idea. After all, who better to teach our little human the ropes than someone who's experienced firsthand the... complications she can cause?"

The implication was clear: Silvius thought Theron resented me, and he was counting on that resentment to make my journey even harder.

Headmaster Northfall's eyes darted between Theron and me, a small crease of concern forming between her brows. "Instructor Blackwell is one of our finest. I'm sure he'll provide Ms. Whittaker with the guidance she needs, regardless of past events."

I swallowed hard, trying to process all of this. Theron was my mentor, yes, but now I understood the weight of our shared history. The man who'd been so cold to me, who clearly had reasons to dislike me, was responsible for my magical education. And now Silvius was practically gloating about it?

I glanced at Theron, hoping to gauge his reaction, but his face remained unreadable. Whatever he was feeling about this arrangement, he was keeping it tightly under wraps.

Silvius stood, his movement smooth and deliberate. "Well, I believe we've covered everything of importance. Isolde, do keep me informed of our little experiment's progress." His eyes flickered to me, cold and assessing. "I'll be watching with great interest."

With a nod to Headmaster Northfall and a dismissive glance at Theron and me, he strode out of the office. The door closed behind him with a soft click that seemed to echo in the sudden silence.

As soon as Silvius left, it was as if a weight had been lifted from the room. Headmaster Northfall's shoulders relaxed slightly, and even Theron seemed to breathe a little easier.

"Well," Headmaster Northfall said, her tone noticeably warmer, "now that that's settled, let's go over some of the more practical matters, shall we?" She smiled at me, and for the first time since I'd entered her office, it reached her eyes.

"Ms. Whittaker—may I call you Tess?" At my nod, she continued, "Tess, there are a few key rules at the academy that you should be aware of. First and foremost, safety is our primary concern. This applies not only to physical safety during training but also to magical safety. You must never attempt any magical working without proper supervision, understood?"

I nodded, thinking back to my disastrous attempt at accessing Core Magic earlier. "Absolutely, Headmaster."

"Good," she said. "Secondly, respect for your fellow students, instructors, and of course, the dragons, is paramount. We're adiverse community here, and mutual respect is what keeps us functioning smoothly."

As she spoke, I couldn't help but think of Silvius and his blatant disrespect. I wondered if he considered himself above these rules.

"And finally," Headmaster Northfall's tone became a touch more serious, "we have a strict fraternization policy. Romantic relationships between instructors and students are absolutely forbidden. Between students, while not forbidden, are strongly discouraged, especially during the application phase."

I felt heat rise to my cheeks, suddenly very aware of Theron's presence beside me. I didn't dare look at him. But it wasn't just Theron my mind jumped to. Unbidden, images of Mason's strong arms and Kane's piercing gaze flashed through my thoughts.

“Well, well,”Thalon's voice suddenly echoed in my mind. “It seems my rider has quite the appreciation for the male form. Interesting.”

I nearly choked, my face burning even hotter. What? Thalon could see those thoughts? Oh god.

“Don't fret, little one,”he continued, clearly enjoying my embarrassment. “Your secrets are safe with me. Though I must say, your taste is... intriguing.”

I quickly pushed the images away, mortified. What was I thinking? As if any of them would be interested in plain, ordinary me. They were all gorgeous, powerful supernatural beings, and I was just... well, human.

“Don't sell yourself short,”Thalon chimed in, his tone softening. “You're more special than you realize.”

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