38. (DANE POV)

(DANE POV)

When Cami briefed us about the lockdown, she laid out the seriousness of the situation with an urgency I hadn't seen before.

She was trying to tell me something without saying it.

The entire campus was to be sealed off due to a turf war sparked by the presence of a girl from a prohibited family. This dispute had escalated dangerously, now posing a threat to the safety of everyone at the academy.

The stakes were suddenly much higher. All humans were confined to their rooms alongside their masters, relying solely on trusted attendants for their essentials.

Magness's sudden arrival now made perfect sense. He wasn't just here to torment me or stir up old fears. He needed me to dive into the fray and help him navigate this upheaval.

The task was daunting, not just because of the physical dangers involved but also because a delicate political balance needed to be maintained to quell the unrest.

Something I specialized in.

This wasn't just another assignment or a simple fa