Two days dragged on like torture. Thales didn't say a word beyond what was necessary. When Aurora made a mistake, he didn't correct her. He just stared coldly, arms crossed. When he told her to repeat something, he did so in a dry voice:

“Again.”

Aurora obeyed, even with her arms trembling, even bleeding from her palms. His silence hurt more than screams.

She avoided him outside of training. She hurried past him in the hallways, turned her face away in the cafeteria. ...