Chapter 4 SKYE #2
"Phoenixes do exist," he says simply. "They always have.
However, the secrets held here at Grimrose stretch far past everything else.
There are creatures and essence types the Council couldn't dream of.
Most of the counselors here follow Dmitri and his associates blindly, never questioning, never looking deeper.
" He turns to face us. "But some of us know better. "
"Then why weren't you here to stop all of this before?" The words come out harsher than I intend. Years of suffering, students losing their essence, all while someone who knew the truth stood by and watched? That’s bullshit.
Varden's jaw tightens, pain flashing across his expression before settling into something weary.
"Because I learned early on what happens to those who oppose Dmitri openly.
Seventeen years ago, there was another staff member who shared my views.
She tried to protect a student with an unclassified essence, a boy who could phase through solid matter.
She went to the Council directly, trying to argue that the classifications were incomplete. "
He pauses, his hands gripping the edge of his desk. "She disappeared within a week. The boy was stripped of his essence and sent to a rehabilitation facility. Neither was ever seen again."
The weight of his words settles over the room.
"After that, I understood. Direct opposition doesn't work. Dmitri has spent centuries building a system designed to eliminate threats before they become powerful enough to challenge him. The only way to survive, truly the only way to actually help, was to become invisible. To appear compliant, useless even, while quietly protecting students where I could. Burying incident reports. Losing paperwork. Assigning the most vulnerable students to counselors I trusted. There aren’t many of those counselors left, unfortunately, but the fact that most students and even staff are unaware there is a headmaster, means I’m doing something correctly.
" He looks directly at me. "Why do you think you were assigned to this academy, Mr. Bardot? Do you think that was random chance?"
My blood runs cold. "You arranged that?"
"I put in a request for a human counselor specifically.
Someone outside the Magila system, someone Dmitri wouldn't immediately perceive as a threat.
Most of those who had a hand in choosing you was purely coincidence or maybe they thought they were just following orders, placing you here as a test. I didn't know you would turn out to be the Praestes.
That was beyond anything I could have predicted.
But I knew we needed someone who could see these students as people first, not essence types to be categorized. "
"How much do you actually know?" I ask, studying his face for any sign of deception.
"Not as much as I'd like," Varden admits.
"I know the seven elements are a lie, a convenient framework Dmitri created to control what he couldn't understand.
I know Mother Nature's gift was never meant to be contained or categorized.
I know that every few decades, someone emerges who doesn't fit, and the Council destroys them before they can prove the system wrong.
" He looks directly at Stellan. "You are proof of that system's failure.
And that makes you either the most important person in this academy, or the most endangered. "
I don’t mention that most of my mates fit outside of the Magila system or that everyone down Harlow’s wing is in the same boat. Varden hasn’t been watching as closely as he says he has.
Stellan's whole body tenses beside me. "So what happens now? Do you report me to the Council? Do they send hunters to strip my essence?"
Varden moves back to his desk, sinking into his chair with a heavy sigh.
"The Council has already been informed. Essence hunters will arrive in seven days to assess the situation around the same time as that meet and greet.
They're coming regardless of what I report.
" He leans forward. "However, I can tell you what they'll be looking for, what demonstration of control would satisfy them enough to leave you alone. "
Stellan starts nodding. “Anything. I’ll do anything.”
The headmaster pauses, choosing his words carefully.
“It’s not that easy. They’ll be looking for control.
They’ll have expected that I told you that you are nothing more than a fire elemental.
They will test your control of your fire.
You will have to contain your phoenix and your essence; however unlike fire elementals, phoenixes thrive on emotion. ”
I frown, looking between the headmaster and Stellan before settling back on the headmaster. “You mean controlling the fire isn’t the problem, but the emotions?”
“Yes. It’s why a phoenix’s fire only burns what it intends to. However, you will need to learn to manifest your phoenix on command and understand your essence so that you can contain it. You will essentially have to learn to not use your phoenix and only use your fire.”
One quick look back at Stellan and I realize how difficult this task might be.
For someone who only transformed for the first time last night, those requirements are nearly impossible.
But I refuse to let despair take hold of us.
I reach back and find Stellan's hand, squeezing it tight. "He'll do it. We’ve got this."
Varden's eyes narrow slightly. "The test is for Stellan alone, unfortunately."
Ambrose steps forward beside me. "Our essences are bonded. You can't test one without affecting the others. That's not how mate bonds work."
Varden studies us for a long moment, then nods slowly. "I won't argue that point with you. Work together if you must. But understand that whoever the council sends will not be as sympathetic as I am. They will be looking for any reason to justify intervention."
"Why are you helping us?" Harlow asks suddenly. "What do you gain from this?"
Varden's expression turns grim. "Because I'm tired of watching students suffer under a system designed to break them.
And because in seven days, this academy will open its doors to parents for the first time in years.
Dmitri wants to show the world that Grimrose is a success, a place of rehabilitation and growth.
He will place the most submissive Magila in front of everyone and discipline those who step out of line.
If the Council strips Stellan's essence during that visit, in front of all those witnesses.
.." He trails off. "It would be the beginning of something far worse than what we have now. "
"So you're not just protecting Stellan," I say slowly. "You're protecting all of us. Every student here who doesn't fit Dmitri's perfect system."
"Precisely. It’s one reason I’ve stayed quiet and buried.
I’m useless in Dmitri’s eyes but it’ll be much harder to get rid of me at this point.
" Varden stands, indicating the meeting is over.
"You have seven days. I suggest you use them wisely.
And be careful who you trust. Not everyone on this staff shares my views. "
As we file toward the door, Varden's voice stops us.
"One more thing." He waits for a beat, his shoulders visibly falling as he sighs.
"What you witnessed with those photographs?
That's how this works. What people don't understand, they fear.
What they fear, they seek to destroy. And when they can't find legitimate reasons, they manufacture them. "
"They're framing Stellan," Jade says flatly.
"They're documenting a narrative," Varden corrects. "Every incident report, every counselor observation, every piece of 'evidence' they collect, it all goes back to the Council. By the time the essence hunters arrive, they'll have a file thick enough to justify any action they want to take."
My hands clench at my sides. "So what do we do?"
"Be careful. Be perfect. Give them nothing real to add to that file.
" Varden's eyes move to Stellan. "And learn to control your phoenix faster than should be humanly possible.
Because right now, you're not fighting for acceptance.
You're fighting to not become the monster they've already decided you are. "
We barely make it into the cafeteria when Rumi pulls us into an alcove, his voice dropping to barely above a whisper. "We need to talk about what we know. What we actually know that Varden doesn't."
"You mean Dmitri," Ambrose says flatly. "What he really is."
The name hangs in the air between us. Even now, after everything, it feels dangerous to say out loud.
"Varden thinks this is about essence classification," I say slowly, keeping my voice low. "And Magila like phoenixes not fitting the system. But it's bigger than that. Dmitri isn't just enforcing wrong categories. He created them. He was the first Praestes—"
"He was human," Stellan breathes, cutting me off. "Like Skye."
"Until he twisted himself into something else." Harlow's jaw pulls tight as he continues. "He broke the rules of essence itself to gain power. That's why he's so obsessed with control. He knows better than anyone that the system is a lie."
Jade cuts in. "So when the essence hunters come, they won’t just be following orders. They'll be following his orders. The orders of someone who committed the exact crime he's trying to punish Stellan for."
"Worse," I add, the knowledge from Mother Nature's revelations settling heavy in my chest. "He's not just controlling the Council. He essentially is the Council. He has been for centuries. Every rule, every classification, every punishment… it all traces back to him. To Akila."
"Then why are we playing by his rules?" Rumi asks, the darkness in his aura flaring up. "Why are we training Stellan to pass his test when we know the whole system is corrupt?"
"Because we're not ready to fight him yet." The words taste bitter on my tongue. "Because right now, survival means playing along while we figure out how to actually stop him. Varden was right about one thing. Direct opposition doesn't work. We need to be smarter."
"We need to be ready," Ambrose corrects. "There's a difference. Playing along doesn't mean accepting defeat. It means buying time."
An enforcer appears at the end of the hallway, we fall silent, the conversation dying as quickly as it started. Dmitri built this system to destroy anyone who didn't fit. And now he's coming for us personally.
"We'll figure this out, right?" Someone calls my name, my gaze darting into the cafeteria to meet Tamara's. Fuck. What could she possibly want after all of that?
Is she helping… or leading us to our demise?
I watch Stellan disappear into the crowd of students heading toward the academic wing, Jade's arm wrapped protectively around his shoulders. Whatever training they manage to squeeze in today won't be enough. Seven days is nothing. Seven days is impossible.
But as Tamara's silhouette waits by the counselor corridor, I realize we don't have the luxury of impossible. We just have to make it possible anyway.
One day at a time. Starting tomorrow.