Asher didn't linger in the arena. He gave them one last glance—five cousins buzzing with adrenaline, pride, and a nervous excitement they were still trying to hide—and then he stepped out of the circle of students.
He didn't need to stay.
They deserved their moment.
So he waited.
Up on the guardian platform, he remained still as a statue, arms folded behind his back, cloak brushing lightly against the marble as cheers continued to roll across the arena. The academy staff bustled around him, instructors whispering, spectators pointing, but no one approached. No one dared interrupt Asher Magnus unless he initiated it.
He watched his cousins from a distance.
Maxwell puffing his chest as other boys crowded around him.
Amanda pretending to be annoyed while clearly enjoying every second.
Sylens nodding politely to admirers he didn't quite know what to do with.
Sophia overwhelmed but glowing with pride.
Lia smiling shyly as older students congratulated her.
