As Darissa's door closed behind him, Asher let out a long sigh, one that carried the weight of quiet defeat. He had started the day with the intention of recruiting William, but that attempt had ended in rejection, since William had made it clear that he came as a package deal with Finch. Now, to make matters worse, Darissa and Ryaen had turned him down as well, explaining that they had already formed a team with the princess herself.
"It seems I'll be heading back to William's room," Asher muttered gently as he began walking down the dimly lit hallway. His footsteps echoed faintly against the polished marble floor. There was no one else left whom he could reasonably recruit. Yes, the Academy was full of strong individuals, some even outside the top ten, but Asher preferred to surround himself with people he understood, rather than strangers whose abilities and temperaments were unknown to him.
