"Don't get me wrong, I am still a hero and I still have destiny pushing me forward. I can't just walk away from that." He looked at me. "But I can acknowledge that something's wrong. That I'm being manipulated and that people are dying because of information they discovered."

"And what are you willing to do about it?" I asked with a slight smile.

"I don't know yet.....but I'm willing to listen and to learn. To maybe...maybe...work together when our interests align." He paused.

"He's genuine," Victoria said. "I've tested him. His Council connection is real, but it's not absolute. He's starting to question. That's dangerous for them and he aren't supposed to think critically."

I studied Adrian. He's this book's protagonist, he would have his uses and would come handy in times. And if he's getting too much then I can just discard him. It shouldn't be that hard.

And this would give me the opportunity to study him. I'll even ask Lucille to plant something on him later.

"Fine," I said, lowering my sword. "You can listen. But if you betray anyone in this room....."

"You'll kill me. I know." He moved to the table, studying the documents. His face went pale. "They... they're hunting people who know the truth? I thought....."

"Yes," Kaeel said. "Which is why we're careful and why we meet in hidden rooms and not meeting so casually. Why we trust sparingly."

"And I'm the Council's golden boy?" Adrian's voice was bitter. "The one they've invested everything in. The one who's supposed to defeat all of you and complete the cycle triumphantly."

"Supposed to," I said. "But you're here and questioning."

I raised my brows when I said that.

"Maybe that's why they want me monitored." He pointed to his own entry on Victoria's document. "Your notes say 'showing independence.' What does that mean?"

"It means you're not blindly following the hero path anymore," Victoria said. "You're making choices based on your own judgment and that's dangerous to them. If you stops being predictable, the whole system destabilizes."

"So I'm a target too." He sounded both surprised and defeated.

"Eventually. But right now, you're too valuable. They've invested too much in you. They'll try to bring you back into line before eliminating you."

"How reassuring."

Just then a distant bell tolled. Eight times. Evening.

"We need to move," Kaeel said. "The Imperial Hotel will be locking down soon. Everyone needs to be in their assigned quarters before the guards start questioning why students are wandering around."

"Agreed," Victoria said. "Final briefings. The Opening ceremonies tomorrow at dawn and the bracket postings tonight at midnight. First matches begin tomorrow afternoon. Everyone stay in groups of three minimum. No one goes anywhere alone. Questions?"

"The League operatives that you've managed to find," Lucille said. "Descriptions?"

Victoria pulled out sketches. "First man, mid-thirties, scar over left eye, poses as tournament official. Second is a woman, twenties, red hair, poses as merchant selling team supplies. Third is a man, forties, muscular, poses as security guard. Fourth is oman, thirties, aristocratic bearing, claims to be royal observer. That's the ones we've managed to find so far."

We all memorized the faces.

"If you spot them," Victoria continued, "don't engage and don't let on that you know. Just report to me or Kaeel immediately."

"What about the Baron?" Isabella asked. "He's here right? Probably watching us too and waiting for his own chance."

Nobody even gave Adrian face as they spoke about his adopted father and he himself wisely kept shut with a grimace on his lips.

I smirked.

"Let him watch. He can't arrest you on tournament grounds as it's neutral territory rules. After the tournament, when you return to kingdom jurisdiction..." Victoria shrugged, then she looked at Adrian. "That's when the legal battle begins."

"Comforting," I muttered.

"This is resistance work," Victoria said. "Comfort is not included, Now go, get to the hotel and rest if you can. Tomorrow, the real performance begins."

We left in small groups, staggered departures, taking different routes to the Imperial Hotel.

My group of inner circle plus Adrian, surprisingly moved through back streets, avoiding main roads together.

"This is surreal," Adrian said. "Yesterday we were worrying about tournament brackets. Now we're evading assassins and uncovering cosmic conspiracies."

"Welcome to my life," I said.

"How do you stay sane?"

"Who says I'm sane?"

Adrian walked slightly apart from us, maintaining distance but staying within the group. "You've been dealing with this for months," he said quietly. "The cycles and the manipulation? All of it."

"Since day one," I confirmed.

"And you didn't tell anyone and didn't ask for help."

"Would you have believed me?"

"No. Probably not." He was quiet for a moment. "I'm sorry. For what happened to Felix. I heard about it. That he was researching the poison used on you, and..."

"And he got killed for it," I finished. "Just like Ruins Academy's captain, just like my parents and others."

"Your parents?" Adrian stopped walking. "But I heard.....then the carriage accident two years ago wasn't an accident?"

I smiled tightly. "It was the same poison used on me but it seems Felix discovered something that got him killed too."

"Gods." Adrian looked genuinely shaken. "I didn't know. I swear, I didn't know."

"Well..." I met his eyes. "But the people manipulating you...?"

I didn't want to continue, because I'm also feeling a bit baffled by him. What was Adrian's end goal by coming here? The Council and the League.... could it be that the Council themselves are targeting the League and they want to use Adrian for that?

Interesting.

We reached the Imperial Hotel without incident and we parted ways.

The building was a massive five stories of white marble and crystal, with enough rooms to house all eight academies plus spectators. Guards were posted at every entrance, checking credentials carefully and with cold professionalism.

"Team Ravana," I told the guard, showing our documentation.

He checked it against a list. "Third floor, east wing. Rooms 301 through 315. Security protocols are in effect so no visitors after midnight and no leaving the floor without escort."

"Understood."

Inside, the lobby was chaos. Students from eight academies, all trying to check in simultaneously. I spotted several team captains as well.

A tall woman in Crimson Spire colors, directing her team with naval precision. The Stormwatch captain already checked in and watching the crowd. A Mystholm student arguing with a guard about room assignments.

And in the corner, barely visible was the woman Victoria had described, a red hair, the one that's likely to be one of League operative.

She was watching us.

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