Pearl’s POV
The air in the corridor was already thick with whispers as Demyan and I entered the lecture hall. I had grown used to the curious stares that followed us, two of the academy’s most watched figures, sitting side by side, always together. But today, my chest carried a weight that had nothing to do with the crowd.
It had everything to do with Rowan.
We walked toward our usual seats, Demyan’s shoulder brushing mine, his presence as commanding and steady as ever. He had a way of pulling the world around him into silence, a force that demanded obedience without a single word. Normally, I found comfort in that power. Today, however, it only reminded me of the storm waiting to be unleashed.
Because the moment I lifted my gaze, I saw him.
Rowan sat at the far corner of the hall, hi
