A few evenings later, she was only a few steps from her door after a meal in the Common Hall when she heard footsteps behind her—steady and unhurried. She turned slightly, expecting a student or passing professor, but the voice that followed still made her pause mid-step.

  “I thought I’d find you here.”

  Kaelin turned sharply.

  Varek, giving her a brief grin, then leaned casually against the stone archway, arms crossed, his eyes assessing her. The easy confidence he carried during his performance in the training grounds was still present, but there was something else measured, as if he were weighing his words.

  Kaelin lifted a brow. “Stalking me now?”

  Varek’s lips curled into a small smile. “Not at all. Just came to make sure my favorite Starling didn’t break a leg during her dramatic exit the other day.”

  Kaelin folded her arms and muttered to herself, "I am not that clumsy." But her voice wavered slightly, betraying her lingering frustration. She lifted her gaze to him. "But I do wonder why you thought dragging me into your spectacle was a good idea."

  Varek pushed off the archway and stepped toward her. “Jorvan was looking for a fight both times. I gave him a different kind of frustration.” His smile faded slightly. “I didn’t expect you to play along so well.”

  Kaelin held his gaze. “You underestimated me.”

  Varek tilted his head, his expression unreadable. “Maybe I did.”

  Kaelin exhaled through her nose. “What do you want, Varek?”

  His eyes flickered over her, assessing. “A conversation. Without an audience.”

  She hesitated. The last thing she wanted was to entertain more of his games, but the way he said it, his tone lacking its earlier playfulness, Kaelin made her pause.

  After a moment, she sighed. "Fine. But let's walk. If I stand in one place too long, I might turn to stone from exhaustion."

  He smiled faintly, then glanced sidelong at her. "I’ll admit, you'd make an excellent statue—intimidating and all sharp edges."

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  Kaelin huffed. "Careful, or I’ll turn those sharp edges on you."

  "Noted," Varek replied, chuckling as he fell into step beside her. "I think you secretly enjoyed the attention."

  Kaelin narrowed her eyes. "And I think you're full of Duskstrider dung."

  He grinned. "Only about fifty percent. The other half is just well-earned confidence."

  Kaelin rolled her eyes but couldn't quite suppress the corner of her lips from twitching.

  They walked quietly for a time. The grounds had grown quiet, lamps casting pools of golden light across the cobbled paths. A breeze stirred the high branches of the medicinal gardens nearby.

  Kaelin glanced at him again. “So… you're not from here. Where are you from?”

  Varek remained silent for a moment, his gaze forward. “A place far from here. Not as prestigious as Lumen Hollow or as beautiful as Zephyra with its floating islands."

  “And yet, you ended up here, riding a golden Flare that causes a stir wherever she goes. How did that happen?” She tried to keep her tone light, but her curiosity was real.

  He exhaled through his nose. “I raised her myself, found her when she was barely more than a Cloudcub.” His smile softened as if recalling that memory.

  Kaelin frowned. “You found her? Not bred her?”

  He smirked at her surprise. “She was alone. Wild and injured. I couldn’t leave her.”

  There are no wild Skythari anymore, she thought, but didn’t say it aloud. But the way he spoke made her hesitate.

  She expected him to stop there, but he continued quietly. “Took months before she’d let me nearby. Longer to earn her trust. Even longer to fly with her.”

  Kaelin tilted her head, curiosity creeping into her voice. “What made you think to ride her? Flares’ wings are commonly too small to lift off with additional weight. Admittedly, she is unusually large. And her coloring...”

  Before he could respond, a sharp, piercing cry echoed through the academy grounds.

  Varek's body tensed. His entire demeanor changed in an instant.

  “Emberwind,” he muttered, frozen in his place, eyes darting in the direction of the Skythari enclosures, still a distance away, but her silhouette was unmistakable. Emberwind was surrounded by several cloaked figures, and she swiped at them with her claws, hissing furiously. Her wings spread wide, ready to take off.

  The sharp crack of a tranq gun rang out. Wings, once powerful, began to falter, their rhythm slowing as the tranquilizer took hold. Claws scraped against the grass in a desperate bid for control. Another cry filled the air as Emberwind’s massive form staggered, then collapsed, her golden fur catching the dim light as she struggled against the pull of unconsciousness.

  The air had gone unnaturally still. Kaelin’s heart slammed in her chest. In the distance, shadows moved.

  The cloaked figures closed in, their movements coordinated and precise. Ropes were secured around Emberwind’s body, tightened as they worked to keep her restrained. They pulled and wrestled, forcing her wings to fold tight to her sides, and her tail lashed weakly against the ground—a final act of defiance.

  Varek’s breath came sharp and fast. “No.” His voice was raw and dangerous, his feet already moving before his mind could catch up.

  Kaelin, heart pounding, sprinted after him.

  Who are these people?