Chapter 50
Morning light filtered through the North Tower windows, painting shadows across the stone walls. I blinked awake slowly, becoming aware of Kairen's steady breathing beside me, the warmth of being wrapped in his arms, the contentment humming through the soulbond.
Yesterday morning I'd made the choice consciously—crossed the bed deliberately instead of waiting for nightmares to drive me to him. Last night I'd done it again without hesitation, and he'd pulled me close immediately, like we'd been sleeping this way for years instead of days.
It was becoming routine. Natural. The way we functioned now.
His fingers were tracing lazy patterns on my shoulder blade through the borrowed shirt, his touch gentle and absent-minded. Through the soulbond, I felt his mind already working through tonight's plan—guard rotations, ward bypasses, archive layouts.
"You're plotting," I said without opening my eyes.
"I'm always plotting. It's my resting state." His voice held dry amusement. "But yes, going through contingencies for tonight. Making sure we don't get caught committing felony-level rule violations."
"Very reassuring."
"I'm thorough. That should be reassuring." His hand stilled on my shoulder. "Are you having second thoughts?"
"About breaking into restricted Council archives? Absolutely. Am I going to back out? No." I finally opened my eyes, tilting my head to look at him. "Someone wants me dead and the Council won't help. We need answers."
"Practical as always." His storm-gray eyes held approval mixed with concern. "Though I reserve the right to feel guilty if we get caught and you're expelled."
"Then don't get us caught."
"Simple. Why didn't I think of that?"
I smiled despite the nervous energy building in my chest. Tonight we'd break rules that could get us expelled or worse. But staying passive while threats loomed felt more dangerous than action.
"We should get up," Kairen said reluctantly. "Guards will be making their rounds soon, and we need to act like students who aren't planning crimes."
The dining hall buzzed with morning energy—students comparing notes on assignments, bonded creatures perched near their humans, the usual rhythm of Academy life. We claimed our usual table, trying to project normalcy despite the weight of what we were planning.
Brooke and Caleb appeared within minutes, sliding into seats across from us. Brooke's expression was sharp, assessing. Caleb looked directly at his brother with the kind of knowing scrutiny that came from shared childhood and too many years reading each other's tells.
"So," Brooke said, her voice carefully casual but pitched low enough that nearby tables couldn't overhear. "The Council voted against opening the archives yesterday. What are you two going to do about it?"
I took a sip of tea, buying time. "We're figuring it out."
"That's not an answer." Brooke leaned forward slightly. "That's what you say when you're definitely planning something but don't want to admit it yet."
Through the soulbond, I felt Kairen's amusement mixed with wariness. We should have known we couldn't hide intentions from people who knew us well.
Caleb's eyes hadn't left his brother's face. "Kairen. What are you planning?"
"Nothing that concerns you." Kairen's voice was perfectly neutral, the tone he used when he was absolutely lying and hoping people wouldn't call him on it.
"That's interesting, because you have a very specific expression right now.
" Caleb set down his fork deliberately. "I've seen it exactly three times since you bonded with Nyx.
Once before you challenged that fourth-year to a duel for insulting our mother.
Once before you confronted Father's business partner about embezzlement.
Once before you told the Council investigators exactly what you thought of their victim-blaming after the assassination attempt.
" He paused. "Each time, you'd decided consequences didn't matter because principle was more important.
So I'll ask again—what are you planning? "
Kairen's jaw tightened. "You don't want to know."
"Actually, I very much want to know. And I want in."
"You want in," Kairen repeated, his tone flat with disbelief.
"Yes. Someone threatened Serenya's life.
Left a letter on her bed threatening another genocide.
The Council just voted to protect whatever historical secrets explain who organized the first genocide.
" Caleb's voice was quiet but intense. "If you're doing something about that—something that probably violates Academy regulations and possibly several laws—then I'm helping.
You're my brother. She's..." He glanced at me.
"She's important to you, which makes her important to me.
So whatever you're planning, I'm part of it. "
"Me too," Brooke said immediately. "And before you argue, consider that I'm extremely good at lying to authority figures, creating diversions, and generally causing chaos when needed. Those are valuable skills."
Kairen looked at me, his expression caught between frustration and reluctant appreciation. Through the soulbond, I felt his internal debate—keeping them safe by excluding them versus accepting that allies might actually improve chances of success.
"We're breaking into the restricted archives," I said quietly. "Tonight. After midnight. To find records about the Purge Wars that the Council doesn't want us to see."
Caleb didn't look surprised. "I knew it."
"That's phenomenally illegal," Brooke said. Then she grinned. "I'm definitely in."
"You could be expelled," Kairen pointed out. "All of you. This isn't just breaking a minor rule—this is deliberately violating Council decree, bypassing security wards, accessing classified information. If we're caught, the consequences will be severe."
"Then we won't get caught." Brooke's confidence was either admirable or terrifying. "Four people can cover more ground than two. We can create better diversions if needed, watch multiple approaches, respond faster if complications arise."
"She's right," Caleb said. "I know you prefer working alone, brother. But this isn't a situation where pride should outweigh practicality. You need help."
Through the soulbond, I felt Kairen's resistance crumbling.
He'd spent five years functioning alone, trusting no one except maybe his brother, keeping everyone at careful distance.
But we weren't talking about emotional vulnerability now—we were talking about strategy.
And strategically, having allies made sense.
"Fine," he said finally. "But there are conditions."
"Of course there are," Caleb muttered.
"If anything goes wrong—if guards appear, if we're about to be caught—Serenya and I take the blame.
You two claim we coerced you, threatened you, whatever story keeps you from expulsion.
" Kairen's voice was firm. "Dragon bonds attacking Council authority is politically complicated but survivable.
Regular students defying Council decree is just grounds for expulsion. "
"That's not—" Brooke started.
"Non-negotiable," Kairen interrupted. "Those are my terms. Accept them or you're not involved."
Caleb and Brooke exchanged glances. Some silent communication passed between them that I didn't quite catch.
"Fine," Caleb said. "We accept. Though I reserve the right to ignore that agreement if it comes down to it."
"Typical." But Kairen's voice held grudging affection. "Now. We need to coordinate timing, approach, and contingencies. Not here—too many people listening. My quarters after classes. We'll plan properly."
"Your quarters meaning the North Tower?" Brooke raised an eyebrow. "The place that's supposed to be maximum security?"
"Maximum security against external threats. The guards expect us to be safely contained inside at night." Kairen's expression turned calculating. "They're watching for people trying to get in. Not for us trying to get out."
"That's either brilliant or catastrophically arrogant," Caleb observed.
"It's both. I'm multifaceted." Kairen stood, shadows pooling at his feet. "Now we attend classes normally. Act like students who aren't planning to commit multiple felonies. Meet at the Tower at seven—guards change shifts then, gives us a window to talk without being overheard."
We separated, heading to our respective morning classes. Through the soulbond, I felt Kairen's tension—part stress about involving more people, part relief that we wouldn't be entirely alone in this, part determination that regardless of who helped, he'd protect me first.
Professor Aldric's Magical Theory passed in a blur. I took notes mechanically while my mind spun through contingencies. What if guards caught us? What if the wards were more complex than Kairen expected? What if we found information but couldn't get out with it?
"Miss Vale?" Professor Aldric's voice cut through my spiraling thoughts. "The question?"
I blinked, realizing I'd missed whatever he'd asked. "I'm sorry, Professor. Could you repeat it?"
His sharp eyes studied me with uncommon perception. "I asked about the theoretical limitations of merged elemental magic. But you seem distracted. Everything alright?"
"Just tired." The lie came easily. "Stress from the threats, increased security. It's exhausting."
"Understandable." His expression softened slightly—as much as Professor Aldric's expression ever softened. "Though I'd encourage you to rest rather than push yourself to exhaustion. Functioning while sleep-deprived leads to poor decision-making."
Through the soulbond, I felt Kairen's dark amusement from wherever he was in the Academy. Professor Aldric was unknowingly advising me to rest before committing crimes tonight.
"I'll keep that in mind, Professor."
The rest of the day crawled by with agonizing slowness.
Every class felt like an obstacle between now and tonight.
Every interaction with faculty made me hyperaware of what we were planning.
Every glimpse of our guard detail reminded me that we'd be evading people whose job was literally to keep us safe and contained.
By the time evening arrived and Brooke and Caleb appeared at the North Tower, I was wound tight with nervous energy.
Kairen let them in quickly, checking the corridor before sealing the door. Our guards were posted outside, close enough to respond to threats but far enough to give us privacy.
"Alright," Caleb said once we were all settled in the sitting room. "Walk us through the plan. Everything."
Kairen pulled out a hand-drawn map of the Academy's administrative wing—detailed, precise, clearly the product of years of observation and planning.
"The restricted archives are here." He pointed to a section on the lowest level.
"Access requires passing through three checkpoints, each with different ward configurations.
The main entrance has standard protective wards—I can disable those.
The inner door has blood wards keyed to Council members.
That's trickier but not impossible. The archives themselves have containment wards to prevent removal of documents—those we'll need to work around rather than disable. "
"How do we bypass blood wards?" Brooke asked.
"We don't. We trick them." Kairen's expression held dark satisfaction. "Blood wards verify identity but don't actually check authorization. If we have Council member blood—even a small amount—we can fool the wards into thinking we're allowed entry."
"Where are we getting Council member blood?" I asked slowly.
"Councilor Petros voted to open the archives.
He's sympathetic to our situation." Kairen pulled a small vial from his pocket—dark liquid that could only be blood.
"I asked him this afternoon if he'd be willing to help circumvent the vote.
He said he couldn't officially assist but seemed very careless about leaving this vial in his office while I was visiting. "
"He gave you his blood," Caleb said. "That's... surprisingly helpful."
"He's frustrated with the Council majority.
This is his way of helping without officially breaking rules.
" Kairen set the vial down carefully. "Now.
Timing. Guards change shifts at midnight.
There's a three-minute window where the archive corridor is unwatched.
We leave the Tower at 11:57, reach the archives by 12:01, have approximately fifteen minutes inside before the next patrol passes. "
"Fifteen minutes to search three centuries of records?" Brooke's voice was skeptical.
"Fifteen minutes to find relevant sections and copy what we can." Kairen pulled out several pieces of blank parchment. "We're not reading everything tonight. We're identifying what exists, where it's stored, what information might be useful. Then we can plan future access if needed."
"Future access meaning more breaking and entering," I said.
"Unauthorized research expeditions," Kairen corrected. "Breaking and entering sounds criminal."
"It is criminal."
"Only if we're caught." His lips quirked. "Which we won't be, because I've planned obsessively for six hours and accounted for every variable I can imagine."
Through the soulbond, I felt his confidence—not arrogance, but genuine belief that this would work because he'd made it as foolproof as possible.
"Roles," he continued. "Caleb, you're watching the main corridor approach. Brooke, you're at the secondary stairwell. If guards appear, you create diversions—loud noises, false emergencies, whatever draws attention away. Serenya and I go inside, access the records, copy what we can."
"Why Serenya with you instead of me?" Caleb asked.
"Because if we're caught, dragon bonds have political protection that regular students don't. And because her light magic is better for reading in a dark archive without attracting attention.
" Kairen's voice was matter-of-fact. "Plus, we work together instinctively.
Trust each other's reactions without needing to communicate aloud. "
"the soulbond thing," Brooke said quietly.
Kairen's eyes cut to her sharply. Through the soulbond, I felt his surprise that she knew—then immediate understanding. I'd told Brooke. She'd told Caleb. Our secret wasn't secret among the people closest to us.
"Yes," he said after a pause. "the soulbond thing. Which we're not discussing with anyone else, understood?"
"Understood," Caleb and Brooke said in unison.
"Good." Kairen turned back to the map. "Questions? Concerns? Last chance to back out before we commit to this."
"I'm in," Caleb said immediately.
"Obviously in," Brooke added.
I looked at the three of them—Caleb determined, Brooke excited despite the danger, Kairen calculating every risk and contingency. We were about to break laws, violate Council decree, access information specifically sealed to prevent people like us from finding it.
We were also about to take action instead of waiting passively for threats to materialize.
"Let's do it," I said.
Through the soulbond, I felt Kairen's satisfaction that I was committed, mixed with determination that regardless of what happened tonight, he'd make sure I survived it.
Shadow and light, about to commit crimes together.
With allies who were either extremely loyal or extremely foolish.
Possibly both.
But tonight, at midnight, we'd have answers.
Or we'd have consequences.
Either way, we'd face them together.