After paying Lorna for her work, Cane walked back toward Tower Seven with Sofie chattering excitedly beside him.
"I can't wait to get started," she said, bouncing slightly on her heels.
Cane kept a light grip on her hand as they passed through the main gate. A few students glanced their way—some recognizing Cane, most admiring the pretty girl at his side.
"My guys!" Clara skidded to a halt in front of them, her freckled face flushed from running.
"Hi, Clara," Sofie greeted her with a sweet smile.
Clara, with her usual over-the-top confidence and unfiltered charm, barely nodded back.
"I heard you got the Guayanar seed!" she blurted, practically vibrating. "Is that true?"
Cane nodded. "Picked it up as part of a favor for the Archmage. I also snagged a log of Living Wood at the auction."
Clara's mouth dropped open. "You got both? Seriously?"
She was attuned to the wood element—specializing in crowd control spells that could snare, root, or redirect entire mobs. A few weeks back, she'd shown Cane a hand-drawn focal schematic passed down through her family. It was clever, complex, and incomplete—missing a core component: the Guayanar seed. Nearly impossible to find.
"I've got the log propped against the wall in my dorm," Cane said. "Want to check it out?"
Clara blinked, visibly touched. "Cane… you didn't have to go that far."
He shrugged. "You showed me the design. Figured it deserved a shot."
Cane unlocked his door and waved them in. As the others entered, he crossed to the window and cracked it open. The Living Tree's sweet, resinous scent filled the room—pleasant in small doses, cloying if left unchecked.
Clara approached the log reverently and laid her palm against the bark. Her eyes drifted closed.
"Amazing," she murmured. "I can feel the connection—to every seed, sprout, tree, and root for miles. It's all tied together."
"I picked up a few notes about it at the auction," Cane said, sitting on the edge of his bed. "This'll be the base for your Control Focal."
Clara looked up, wide-eyed. "You know if you cut this into a hundred pieces and plant them, you'll get a hundred new trees?"
"I'm aware," Cane said, smiling. "I'll join you in your Wood Element class tomorrow. I want to talk with your instructor."
"Professor Sigil?" Clara grinned. "She's a Dryad. Be prepared for… anything."
Cane chuckled. "That sounds ominous."
"She's terrifying and amazing." Clara wrapped both arms around the log. "Can I keep this in my room?"
Cane tapped his chin. "Actually... that's not a bad idea."
"What?" Clara blinked. "Did I say something amazing again?"
"You can't help yourself," Cane said, watching Clara practically glow with excitement. "When we're done with your focal, I'll make you a bed out of the leftovers."
Clara gasped, hands flying to her chest. "Oh man, I want to sleep in that bed."
"I should get going." Sofie leaned over and gave Cane a quick kiss on the cheek, then turned to Clara with a wave. "I've got to start packing—I'm moving."
"You're what?" Clara jumped up, instantly blocking the door like a startled guard dog. "Packing up? Moving? Where?!"
Sofie blinked, caught off guard. "Uh… Clara?"
"You're leaving us?" Clara threw her arms wide. "I won't allow it. Nope. No way."
"What about our late-night kitchen raids? All those breads and cheeses?" She closed her eyes in mock agony. "The lemon icy desserts…"
"We can still do those," Sofie offered, nearly toppling backward when Clara dove in and hugged her. "I had a spare key made."
"YES!" Clara cheered, then sighed dramatically, draping herself across Sofie like a martyr. "Let's raid the pantry tonight."
"Where are you going, anyway? Back to your parents' tailor shop?"
Sofie grinned. "Actually… the senior staff is restarting morning and afternoon announcements. I've been offered the position as the Voice of the Academy."
Clara let out a gasp that could've cracked windows. "You're gonna be famous!"
Cane smiled. "You want help packing?"
Sofie shook her head. "Nah. I don't have much, and besides… I don't want you seeing my unmentionables."
"Your what now?" Cane blinked, suddenly aware that Clara and Sofie were communicating with subtle eye rolls and unreadable expressions.
"What unmentionables?" he asked suspiciously.
Sofie blushed, barely able to keep a straight face. "I can't say, Cane. That's why they're unmentionable."
Cane sighed with a smirk. "Fine. I won't mention them."
When Sofie arrived at the small dorm room she'd called home for over two years, a folded note was pinned to the door.
Sofie,
As soon as you're ready, contact me and I'll bring movers and the morning announcements so you can prep.
—Ana Grahl
She pushed the door open. Until now, the excitement of her new job had kept her from realizing how big the change really was.
Her friends in the kitchen. Her boss, Marge. This tiny room—the first place that had ever truly felt hers.
She stepped inside. The little window that once seemed huge now felt like a narrow slit in a stone wall. Her desk wobbled as always, the same old sock still wedged under one leg to stop it from rocking.
Letting the melancholy settle for just a moment, she began to pack. Her personal items fit into a couple bags and one carefully loaded box of fragile keepsakes. Once ready, she activated the psi rune on the wall to contact Ana Grahl.
Ana arrived within minutes, flanked by two men pushing handcarts. Petite and sharp-eyed, Ana had chestnut hair and a sprinkle of freckles across the bridge of her nose—enough to make her look younger than she probably was.
"Your new place is furnished," Ana said briskly. "You'll need linens, blankets, and basic toiletry items. Grab what you want to carry yourself and come with me."
Sofie slung one bag over her shoulder and lifted the box of keepsakes. "Where are we going?"
"Sun Tower," Ana replied, walking fast—like a woman with six more stops after this one. "Named for its windows. Tallest building on campus. Most of the administrative staff live there. I do, too."
"Oh…" Sofie had never stepped foot in Sun Tower. Her life so far had been limited to the kitchens, the admin office, and Tower Seven.
"Where do I eat?" she asked.
"At any of the dining facilities," Ana answered as they reached the yellow double doors of Sun Tower. She stopped just inside and unlocked a door already bearing a brass plate etched with Sofie Sweetwater.
A quick glance down the hallway revealed only three other doors.
"Why aren't there more rooms on this floor?" Sofie asked, brow furrowing.
Her voice trailed off the moment she stepped inside.
The suite was massive.
Two wardrobes. A broom closet. A large vanity with a chair. Beyond a privacy divider stood a full bed, an oversized desk, and a broad window overlooking the Academy's central fountain. Everything gleamed.
"These are all suites," Ana explained. "Through here, dear."
She led Sofie through an arched doorway into a cozy office space with a second desk, floor-to-ceiling shelves, and a chair that looked like it might be made of clouds and good decisions.
"This will be your office. I apologize that it isn't in a separate location—the previous suite was reassigned years ago, and the position's been vacant since."
Sofie smiled, still absorbing it all. "No… this is perfect. I love it."
Ana nodded and set a thick stack of papers on the desk. "Start here. These are everything you'll need for the announcements. Your badge"—she handed over a gleaming silver one, shaped like a star—"replaces your kitchen bronze."
Sofie took a deep breath and nodded. "Any advice?"
Ana gave a thoughtful smile. "Be yourself. Make the job your own. The announcements marked with my signature are mandatory—everything else is optional. Start slow. Keep it light."
"Thank you, Miss Grahl," Sofie said softly.
"Just Ana, dear. I'm looking forward to hearing you."
In the hall, Ana handed her a key, a runic designator, and a small pamphlet explaining how to use the desk's announcement system. Noticing Sofie's slightly overwhelmed expression, she placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"I work until six most evenings. After that, I'm just down the hall. Come find me if you need anything."
Sofie nodded, her voice caught in her throat. "Thanks again, Ana."
Sofie sat at her new desk, the star-shaped silver badge resting beside her elbow like a quiet reminder of everything that had changed.
The chair was just as soft as it looked—plush, with rolling wheels and embedded rune controls for heating, cooling, and posture support. She shifted slightly and let out a soft sigh of delight. Comfort and magic—whoever designed this seat deserved a medal.
Running her fingers along the curved arms, she picked up the top sheet of the morning announcements and skimmed the first paragraph.
"Goodness…" Her eyes widened. "Cane's name is in the first line…"
A thwarted assassination attempt.
The creation of interwoven adamantium battle robes.
A mythic-grade Glacial Ice Rune.
And Cane's Folly—used in battle, with catastrophic results.
Sofie shook her head, half in awe. "When does he even sleep?"
She worked through the mandatory announcements first, highlighting key phrases and transitions. Then she turned to the optional postings—some important, others charmingly mundane. One warned students not to trample the newly re-planted flowers outside Falcon Court. Another offered free harp lessons in the library atrium.
With everything sorted, she began planning.
Cane stepped into the hall just as Fergis opened his door across from him, yawning with the enthusiasm of someone who deeply regretted waking up.
"Mornin'," Fergis grunted, rubbing one eye. His other eye scanned the hall suspiciously. "No runes… yet. Maybe Nos finally got bored."
Cane snorted. "I seriously doubt that."
"Guys!"
Both turned to see Clara waiting at the base of the stairs, hands on her hips and bouncing in place.
Fergis raised an eyebrow. "Waiting for us?"
"For Cane," Clara said primly. "He's coming with me to Wood Elemental today."
Fergis grinned like he'd just spotted a tavern brawl from across the street. "Can I come too?"
"Um… no." Clara cut him off immediately. Fire was the natural rival of Wood. Showing up with the infamous Firekiss Fergis was a guaranteed way to get booted from class. Or worse—judged.
Before Fergis could protest, a gentle chime echoed across the Academy—ringing out from towers, courtyards, and classrooms alike.
A voice, warm and clear, spilled through the air like sunlight through window glass.
Good morning, everyone! This is Sofie Sweetwater coming to you live from Sun Tower, bringing you today's morning announcements.
First off, on the Warfront...
Our recently graduated seniors, known now as Gryphon Company, have received a commendation for their defense of the border city of Vanhoven.
The Black Legion has been defeated.
In a pivotal frontline battle, after devastating first contact, Raptor Battalion rallied in a desperate last stand—as Corporal Madeline "Mad" Yanu activated Cane's Folly, a mythic-rated artifact created right here at the Academy.
When asked how she managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, Corporal Yanu had this to say: "I aimed Cane's Folly at the heart of despair."
Following allegations that the Zuni Empire violated the Rules of War, both reparations and concessions have been made. The territories of Vesh and Toridil have been returned to Ora, and Zuni forces have withdrawn to the Aegis River. In exchange, Ora has agreed to a War Pact amendment: no artifact capable of destruction on the scale of Cane's Folly will be permitted in future conflict.
And now, for local news...
Sofie transitioned to short snippets about Academy life and town events—updates from the dining hall, reminders about robe fittings, and a call for volunteers to help maintain the orchard trees.
If you have a news item or announcement for the afternoon segment, there's now a dropbox outside Sun Tower. Submit your requests—but let me be clear: I'm not helping you start personal feuds or pass love notes. You can make your own romance, thank you very much.
This is Sofie Sweetwater reminding you: if you see someone today without a smile, give them yours. I'll be back this afternoon. Until then—have a sunny day.