Kael stood before the bathroom mirror, adjusting the collar of his white suit.
Finally, he thought, studying his reflection. His white hair was gathered in a neat ponytail, and the fabric was tailored to his athletic frame. The festival is starting.
Returning to the Academy four days ago had been surprisingly effortless. The water in the hidden chamber had washed away the stench of the river, and fresh clothes had erased the last traces of the sewers. He had timed his arrival to coincide with the first stirrings of winter preparations, blending in with the crowds of students carrying boxes and decorations outside. No one gave him more than a passing glance, and he reached his dormitory undisturbed.
Once clean, he resumed his familiar routine: helping the staff, training his body, and practicing the limits of his abilities with Professor Nora. This pattern continued until this morning, when the final tents were finished and his thoughts turned to the New Year's Ball awaiting him at the palace in a few hours.
He crossed the room to Ausma, gently caressing the bird's warm head while gazing out the window. "This is the last day," he reflected. Leaving the academy felt liberating in a way, venturing into the unknown, witnessing fragments of a vanished power, and becoming the chronicler he had always dreamed of being. Yet the same thought frightened him as well. The expectations resting on his shoulders, Bereons' confidence in him and Astra's support. That pressed on his chest like an invisible weight.
Ausma's glowing golden eyes met his own.
"Enjoy your last moments in this place," Kael chuckled dryly. "Starting tomorrow, everything will change."
He stopped caressing him, walked to his desk, and picked up Cassandra's letter once more. She wrote that her carriage would meet him at the academy gates at sunset. He reread the letter, then sighed as he folded the paper and picked up his sword.
He walked slowly through the decorated courtyards when he left the dormitory. Students turned their heads, surprised by his unusual appearance and the rare privilege of attending the royal celebration. A few daring girls approached him with fluttering smiles, but he ignored them, his gaze fixed on the distant gates.
He hesitated only in front of one building—the hall that housed Professor Nora's office and the Headmaster's chamber, located just above it. This was the heart of the coming plan.
Kael was so absorbed in the sight of the building that he failed to notice Professor Nora approaching from the entrance.
Only when the professor was nearly upon him did he stir from his thoughts and lift his head.
"Professor," Kael greeted him, bowing. A sign of respect he had adopted after his lectures.
Nora gave a brief nod and continued walking without pause.
Kael sighed, unsurprised by the curt acknowledgment, and hurried to fall in beside him.
"So you're attending the ball as well?" Kael asked, noticing the professor's formal attire.
"It is an obligation rather than a choice," Nora replied evenly.
He glanced at Kael. "You made an effort to comply with the standards, didn't you?"
Kael shrugged. "I thought I could try blending into that society for once."
The corner of Nora's mouth twitched into a faint smile. "You underestimate yourself if fitting in were your only aim."
Kael raised an eyebrow at the remark and looked down at his white suit. "I didn't intend to wear this, but someone chose it for me."
"Astra, I assume," Nora said. His gaze returned to the path ahead. Under his breath, he added, "She knows how to set the scene."
They walked through the lively courtyards of the academy, passing tents where students were celebrating, dancing, drinking, and throwing snowballs at each other. The noise washed over Kael like a distant tide.
"I suspect our lessons will end after today," Nora said suddenly. His tone was light, as if he were discussing the weather.
Kael swallowed and studied the professor's profile. However, Nora kept his expression carefully neutral.
"You were a great teacher," Kael replied quietly.
Nora nodded and looked up at the darkening sky. "The world is truly miraculous. Whenever I think it has no more surprises left, a new one appears." He turned to Kael, his eyes softening for a moment. "So I expect to be astonished often in the future."
Kael did not answer, feeling unsettled by the unusual warmth in Nora's words.
Together, they reached the gates. Nora gave another small nod that looked almost like a farewell this time, and went to join a group of professors waiting for him.
The guards let Kael pass without question. Outside, a carriage was waiting. An old man in a black suit stood before it with his hands folded and greeted Kael with a polite nod.
When Kael reached him, the man inspected him from head to toe and raised a hand.
"Your weapon," he said curtly, as if it were an order rather than a request.
Kael frowned and was about to retort when Cassandra's voice drifted from inside the carriage.
"Oswald, I already told you this isn't necessary. He is my partner for the ball, and you should trust him."
Oswald straightened up immediately. "Of course, my lady." He stepped to the carriage door, opened it, and bowed deeply. "My lady awaits you."
Kael nodded briefly and entered. The door closed behind him and he forgot how to breathe for a moment.
Cassandra looked breathtaking. Her golden hair was elegantly twisted, revealing her slender neck, which bore a delicate gold chain. The black of her dress formed a striking contrast to her vibrant appearance, and the green gem at her throat drew attention to her décolletage in a regal manner.
She chuckled softly at Kael's dazed expression, hiding her mouth behind a fan and revealing only her bright eyes.
"Does my appearance please you?" she asked gently, amused by his reaction.
Kael found his breath again and studied her for a moment, searching for words worthy of her beauty.
"You look beautiful," he said honestly, without a hint of humor in his voice.
Cassandra's eyes flickered back to him, the authority of her composure shaken. The compliment was neither loud nor grand, yet it filled the narrow space between them more surely than any applause could have. She lifted her fan as if it were a shield, but it could not hide the warmth that was climbing into her cheeks.
"I didn't expect such an honest answer," she murmured, half in protest and half in something dangerously close to gratitude.
Kael only smiled and let his gaze drift to the streets outside, giving her time to recover from the emotions she rarely allowed herself to show.
The carriage rolled through the vast city. Kael watched people celebrating with their loved ones. Seeing children play in the snow, mothers sing, and men dance with beer in hand eased the tension within him.
Cassandra followed his gaze. "They look truly happy," she said after a while. Her smile was gentle, but Kael sensed the ache beneath it.
In the end, I couldn't help her, he thought sadly, knowing she must be remembering her deceased sister. There were other fears, too. Questions he had never dared to ask the Unspoken. What if they were involved in that murder? He stopped the thought before it could finish. He was still afraid of answers that might sever him from justice altogether.
Without a word, he shifted and sat beside her, offering his shoulder. Cassandra leaned against it with relief. Together, they watched the city change from the modest houses of the outer district to the opulence of the inner quarters.
Then Kael straightened as the palace gates came into view.
A knight opened the door, glanced inside, confirmed Cassandra's presence, and closed it again.
Kael tensed. He would finally see the face behind the evil he had sensed in recent months.
Astra, Bereos, the dead professor, Motarith's sword, everything seemed to converge on this single night.
Cassandra placed her hand on his arm. "Don't worry," she whispered. "It will be an evening nobody will ever forget."
Kael gave her an uncertain look as the carriage door opened and they stepped outside. She linked her arm with his, and he walked forward into the most momentous night of his life.