Silas entered the gymnasium, flanked by Tiffany, Professor Valerian, and Professor Hawthorne. The large space was crowded with students, including familiar faces like Jace, Lyra, Nadia, Rowan, Damien, and Alastair. Before Silas could greet his friends or his enemies for that matter, Headmistress Amara Vaunsguard approached, her face a mask of frustration and determination.
"Mr. Blackwood," she said, her voice sharp. "I require answers, and I require them now."
Silas stood his ground, meeting the headmistress's gaze. He could sense the weight of her questions before she even asked them.
"Where have you been for the past month?" she demanded. "Why did you disappear without a word? I thought you were going to address the situation with Mr. Devereux, yet after a couple of weeks, he was back to his old behavior."
