"The Academy wasn't just about strength—it was about control."

The bruises from Darius's relentless training regimen painted my arms and ribs in shades of purple and gold, but whispers traveled through the Academy's corridors faster than any physical healing could erase the evidence of my trials. The ancient marble halls seemed to amplify every hushed conversation, their polished surfaces reflecting not just torchlight but the weight of speculation that followed in my wake.

Everywhere I ...