The bell rang, sharp and final. Students packed their books, their chatter filling the hall as benches scraped against the stone floor.
Elena stacked her notes carefully, though her ears stayed tuned to the voices behind her.
"She really shut Adrian down," one whispered.
"No, didn't you see? His seal was stronger—"
"But Ryan standing for her like that—"
"Trouble's brewing."
She ignored them, but her pulse quickened. This was exactly what she wanted—Adrian unsettled, Ryan emboldened, and Lila surely listening from the shadows.
"Elena" Adrian's voice.
She turned slowly, her expression cool, but her insides twisted at the way he stood—tall, sharp-eyed, blocking her path like a storm waiting to break.
"You didn't answer me yesterday," he said evenly, though his jaw was tight. "Who taught you that refinement in your seals?"
Before Elena could speak, Ryan cut in, stepping to her side with an easy grin. "Maybe she's just talented. Not everyone needs your permission to shine, Chen."
The air shifted. Students slowed in their exit, sensing the weight of the exchange. Clara hovered nearby, her eyes darting between the three of them, while Sophie leaned against the doorframe, watching like a cat at play.
Adrian's gaze snapped to Ryan. "You talk too much."
"And you brood too much," Ryan shot back, not flinching. "Maybe if you spent less time questioning Elena and more time questioning yourself, you wouldn't look so rattled."
The jab landed. Adrian's eyes darkened.
Elena's heart pounded. This was spiraling, but instead of stopping it, she stepped forward—her move, her choice.
"Enough," she said, her voice cutting clean through the tension. Both men looked at her, one with frustration, the other with defiance.
She let her eyes lock with Adrian's. "I don't owe you explanations. Not now, not ever."
Then she shifted her gaze to Ryan. "And I don't need you to shield me. I'll fight my own battles."
The room hushed. For once, both rivals stood silent, their egos checked by her sharp words.
Clara let out a low whistle. "Damn, Elena."
Sophie smiled faintly, her eyes glinting. "Interesting…"
Elena swept past them all, her steps steady, though her chest thudded with adrenaline. She didn't need Adrian's suspicion or Ryan's protection.