Beyond the oak doors, Master Garrick's chamber glowed under a dozen wavering candles. Shadows stretched long across the stone walls, carrying with them the arrogance of youth and the stench of smug satisfaction.
"Those vermin—Natasha and Shaun—they squealed like pigs!" Rufus slammed his fist against the desk, his lips curling in delight. "Did you see their faces? Pathetic!"
"I tripped that peasant in the courtyard. A perfect display of weakness." Lorien tugged at his dishevelled collar, grinning. "The crowd must have loved it."
"Indeed," Caelus drawled, reclining with a smirk. "Their despair was… amusingly predictable."
"But we must be careful next time," Darius muttered, eyes flicking nervously toward the door. "Master Edward's been sniffing around. Today we slipped through, but if he finds us again—"
"Relax," Rufus cut in, leaning back smugly. "We've got Master Garrick's protection. With him behind us, it's easy to manipulate things. Master Edward would've skinned us alive without his cover."
Lorien's grin sharpened as he stepped forward. "Yes, and you promised us a reward, Master Garrick. Do we get it now?"
Their laughter rang through the chamber, proud and reckless. But Garrick's patience snapped. His robes swished as he rose, fist crashing against the desk with a boom that silenced them all.
"Reward?" His voice lashed like a whip. "You fools nearly jeopardized everything! Did I not command discretion?"
The four froze. Rufus's smirk withered. Caelus swallowed hard.
"You paraded your cruelty before half the academy! Do you understand the stakes? Lady Katherine's designs demand shadows, not tantrums in hallways!" His eyes blazed, pinning each of them in turn. "And now, thanks to your recklessness, Edward and Lily suspect us. If Grandmaster Maya learns of this, she'll crush us without hesitation."
"But Master—we only wished to—" Rufus stammered.
"Enough!" Garrick's glare cut him down. "Your petty arrogance risks everything. Lady Katherine does not plan for days or weeks—she plans for the future of this academy. And you… you play at bullies."
The silence that followed was suffocating. Their bravado melted into trembling excuses.
"We were wrong…" Rufus muttered, adjusting his collar.
"We only wanted to please you, Master Garrick. And Lady Katherine," Lorien fidgeted.
"Forgive us," Caelus said quickly, his voice shaking.
"A miscalculation. We promise we will be careful next time," Darius added flatly, bowing his head.
Garrick's sneer lingered, but he finally straightened, cold authority restoring his composure.
"There will be no next time. Cease your games until I command otherwise. I will speak with Lady Katherine myself."
"Yes, Master," they chorused, retreating in shame.
The door shut behind them, leaving Garrick alone in the candlelit silence.
"Fools," he muttered, striding across the chamber. "I was wrong to trust this plan to children. Their carelessness could unravel everything."
Yet a flicker of satisfaction crept into his expression. He paused at the threshold, his robes whispering with his movement.
"But… the scheme still holds."
He exhaled slowly, resolve hardening. "Lady Katherine must be informed."
With that, he stepped into the corridor, his footsteps echoing like a herald of storms, heading straight toward Lady Katherine's chamber.
**********
After a long walk through the dim corridors, Garrick finally reached the heavy doors of Katherine's chamber. The moment he stood before them, the air thickened.
A crushing pressure bore down on his chest, his knees threatening to buckle. His hand trembled as it hovered above the door. Beads of sweat rolled down his temple, and his heart pounded like a war drum echoing in a cavern.
For a moment, he hesitated—caught between duty and dread. Then, swallowing hard, he steeled his resolve and lifted his hand.
Knock. Knock.
"Lady Katherine," he called, voice strained, "may I enter? I bring news."
From within, a voice answered—silken and commanding, seductive yet laced with undeniable authority.
"Come in."
The doors groaned open. Garrick stepped into the chamber, lowering his head instantly. Torchlight flickered along polished marble walls, casting serpentine shadows that seemed to coil and watch.
The room was draped in opulence—velvet curtains, gilded fixtures, and the faint fragrance of exotic incense that clung to the air like a spell. At its heart sat Lady Katherine. Her silhouette, framed by the wavering light, was poised yet predatory, beauty sharpened into power.
"My lady…" Garrick's voice cracked before he steadied it. He shuffled forward, bowing deeper, clutching a crumpled report in his hand. "I bring news of our… endeavour."
"Speak, Garrick. Were my orders carried out flawlessly?" Katherine reclined upon her velvet throne, her silks spilling like dark rivers, a cruel smile curving her lips.
Garrick dropped to one knee, bowing low, clutching the crumpled report as if it could shield him. His voice quavered despite his attempt at dignity.
"M-My Lady… our plan progresses. Fifteen Commoners expelled in the past three months. Our pawns—both disciples and teachers—have performed admirably. The academy grows… purer, as you desired."
"Fifteen?" Katherine's eyes glinted crimson in the torchlight. "A decent start, Garrick. Almost… impressive. But what of the second task I entrusted you with?"
Her smile sharpened, and her gaze cut like glass. Garrick's throat tightened. Sweat beaded his brow as his hands trembled against the report.
"My Lady, about that… Rufus and his group acted as ordered. They cornered the Commoner boy, Shaun, and that tainted Aristocrat, Natasha. But… there was a complication. Their recklessness drew attention. Edward and Lily witnessed the aftermath. They even summoned them for questioning. Edward nearly uncovered everything, but I intervened before truth could slip. For now… the scheme remains intact. But it was… close."
The air thickened. Katherine's smile vanished. Her hand gripped the throne's armrest until her nails pierced velvet.
"You fool." Her voice was soft, venomous. "Years—years—we've bled Commoners from this academy in silence, unseen by Maya or Lord Gabriel. And you let this creep into Edward's notice? Do you have any idea what you've risked?"
She rose in one fluid motion, her silks whispering like a gathering storm. The chamber seemed to darken as her presence towered over him.
"Secrecy is our blade, Garrick. One slip, and Maya's wrath will not only fall upon you—it will burn everything we've built. Tell me… must I question your competence?"
Garrick's heart hammered like a war drum. His body buckled under her voice. He collapsed fully onto both knees, forehead nearly touching the marble floor.
"Forgive me, my lady! I beg you—I will not fail again! Grant me another chance to prove my loyalty to your vision. Please—"
"Your words are dust," Katherine hissed, eyes like crimson embers. "Your worth hangs by a single thread. Fail me again, Garrick… and exile will seem merciful compared to what awaits you."
Silence pressed in. Garrick's ragged breaths echoed in the torchlit chamber, the grandeur of her throne amplifying his smallness, his disgrace. Finally, trembling, he forced himself upright, head bowed so low he dared not meet her gaze.
"I… understand, my lady. I will prove my worth."
The air thickened, the candles sputtering as Katherine's restrained fury licked through the chamber. Garrick adjusted his spectacles, fingers brushing over a dusty tome.
"The audacity of Gabriel Heavestar," he spat, silk robes rippling as he sneered. "To let filthy Commoners stain these sacred halls. Without his decree, they'd never dare breach Silver Heaven's gates."
Katherine's lips curled, her fists tightening. "To unearth 'talent' among filth, as if nobles lacked sufficiency. Gabriel seeks equality, not power. He scours the mud for rare gems, blinded by his foolish kindness. He truly believes peasants can rise to magus. Pathetic."
"Then why didn't anyone stop him?" Garrick's voice dipped, wary.
"Do you think it's so simple?" Katherine's voice was venom wrapped in silk. "The Heavenstar name is untouchable. His power, his reputation—fortress walls. Even the streets adore him. Stand against Gabriel, and the city itself would riot. His decree gave Commoners boldness. Without him, not a single peasant would have dared step into these halls."
The chamber seemed to lean closer around them, the opulence mocking their whispered conspiracy.
"Precisely why we work in shadows," Katherine continued, her eyes glinting. "The Dragonblade family bows to no one. Each year we erode their numbers. Not one Commoner will last long enough to rise. Gabriel's precious initiative will collapse in disgrace. Knowledge is our birthright, Garrick—not theirs."
"But…" Garrick tugged at his collar, unease creeping into his tone. "What if Edward or Lily take this to Lady Grandmaster Maya?"
Katherine leaned forward, her lavender silks clinging like a second skin. Her smile was sharp, predatory.
"Without proof, Maya won't act. She thrives on evidence, not suspicion. She is fierce, yes, but not reckless. That's why she and I—" Her voice dipped into something darker. "—have always been at odds."
Garrick frowned, stroking his beard. "But why would Lady Maya, a noble herself, sympathize with peasants? It defies reason."
For a heartbeat, silence. Katherine's gaze drifted to the window, firelight shadowing her sharp profile. Something old stirred behind her eyes—resentment, regret.
"Let me tell you a story, Garrick," she said, tracing a finger across the polished desk. "Once, a frail kitten approached a lioness, seeking friendship. The lioness dismissed her, called her weak, unworthy of her time. But that kitten allied with a tigress. She grew strong. She became the lioness's rival… a rival she could no longer ignore. If the lioness had accepted her back then, she would have been a pawn. Now… she is an enemy."
The chamber chilled, shadows stretching like claws. Garrick tilted his head, eyes wide.
"A fine tale, my lady. That lioness was a fool. So, tell me—where is that kitten now? Have you tamed her into your service?"
Katherine's sigh cut through the air. She rose in a swirl of silk, her expression weary, almost disdainful.
"Gods, Garrick. Must you be such a blockhead?" She slapped her forehead, lavender sleeves fluttering. "Forget it. My old stories aren't yours to chew on. Focus on what matters—our next move. Not my regrets."
Chastened, Garrick bowed deeply, retreating toward the door. "Understood, my lady. I'll ensure the next step is precise."
Garrick Veynor adjusted the cuffs of his heraldry robes, bowing low as he turned toward the ornate doors. But a thought snagged at his mind—a dangerous one. His lips curled into a calculating smirk, and he pivoted back to Katherine with a rehearsed grace.
"My Lady… before I take my leave, might I suggest something? A matter we've perhaps overlooked."
Katherine didn't look up at first. She pressed a seal into hot wax, the crimson circle gleaming against parchment. Her lavender silk clung to her shoulders like a second skin, the firelight sharpening her jaw into a blade.
"Speak. But be brief," she murmured, her tone edged with warning.
His throat tightened. That look—Gods, that look—made his pulse stutter. Still, he forced his voice smooth.
"Edward Hamilton, my Lady. If he digs too deep into the purges, he could unravel everything. His interference might threaten all we've built. With your permission… I could silence him. Permanently."
The chamber froze. Katherine's hand stilled on the desk. Then—slowly—she rose. The silks of her hanfu whispered like a gathering storm.
"What did you just say?" Her voice cracked like a whip. "You dare suggest harming my Edward?"
Katherine's words struck like a whip, dripping with obsession. Her lips curved—not into a smile, but into something far more terrifying.
Garrick swallowed hard, sweat breaking across his brow. "M-my Lady, I only meant—"
Garrick's breath hitched. He hadn't meant— But her fury drowned him.
"Listen well, worm," she hissed, stepping so close he could taste the venom in her perfume. "If a single hair on his head is harmed by you or your pawns, I will flay the skin from your bones and feed it to the hounds. I will pluck your eyes out and offer them to the crows. I will make your death so long, so wretched, you will beg the grave for mercy—and be denied. Do you understand me?"
Her voice softened, almost tender, but her eyes blazed with madness. "Edward Hamilton… is untouchable. Not because of his strength. Not because of his name. But because he is mine. No one lays a finger on him but me."
She shoved him back with one hand, lip curled.
"M-My lady! Forgive me!" Garrick stammered, collapsing into a bow, pale as ash. "I swear on my name, on my family—I'll not touch him! Never!"
"Good. Now get out. And do not scheme again until I allow it." Her back turned to him, dismissive, sleeves fluttering like wings.
Garrick stumbled out, the heavy door groaning shut behind him. His heart thundered. His pride bled. And one thing was clear—he had strayed too close to the one line even Katherine would never allow him to cross.
**********