Chapter 122 — Our Favourite Person

Chapter 122: Chapter 122 — Our Favourite Person

~ Raven ~

Raven shut her eyes.

Of course.

She wasn’t even surprised anymore. Apparently, she had reached the point where hearing her name on a broadcast only made her wonder how bad it was going to be.

Beside her, Thalia was already sitting up straighter.

"Don’t," Raven said.

"I haven’t said anything."

"You’re going to."

Tessa raised her slate, while Brielle turned to get a better view.

"Some time ago," Bellringer said, "I asked this academy a simple question."

The original poll appeared, with the four names and crests Raven had hoped never to see arranged together again.

Dante Prymont. Rowan Ashbourne. Nikolai Hale. Cassian Blade.

"And before we go any further, I owe you an apology."

Raven narrowed her eyes.

I doubt I’m going to like this apology.

"The poll was premature. I asked you to make a decision without enough evidence." He paused. "Fortunately, Miss Rivers has since been extremely generous."

"Oh, piss off," Raven muttered.

"Shh," Tessa said.

"We begin with Blade."

The photograph appeared first: Cassian’s hand at Raven’s throat, her chin tilted up toward him. She had seen that picture more than enough already, but apparently the rest of the academy hadn’t.

It was followed by the Hunt footage, showing her collapsing against his chest.

Mate.

Tessa made a small noise.

"Don’t."

"I didn’t say anything."

"Old news, admittedly," Bellringer continued. "Which brings us to something more recent."

The screen changed, and Raven’s stomach sank.

Someone had recorded the library from an upper gallery. The image wobbled, with an elbow briefly blocking the view before revealing Raven inside Cassian’s glowing boundary. Students stood outside it, watching her.

"No."

Another clip showed her dragging a book from the stack and opening it with enough force to make her irritation obvious.

"I want to be fair to Cassian Blade," Bellringer said. "He is a serious young man who generally behaves as though speaking to people is an unreasonable demand on his time."

The footage cut to Cassian standing at the edge of the boundary. He said something the recording didn’t catch, then walked away.

"So imagine my delight at discovering that his idea of spending time with Miss Rivers involves locking her in a glowing box and leaving her something to read."

Thalia covered her mouth to hide a laugh. Raven gave her a flat look before turning back to the screen.

The recording skipped ahead, showing Raven still inside while Cassian disappeared between the shelves. Then it jumped to the moment the boundary broke beneath her hands.

"She let herself out, incidentally. Make of that what you will."

Brielle turned toward her with a raised eyebrow.

"You told us you put that up yourself."

Ah.

"Not now," Raven said.

"There is also another matter concerning Blade," Bellringer continued, "for which I regrettably have no footage."

Raven went still.

"Several witnesses report seeing Miss Rivers leaving a private archive room looking rather less composed than usual. Blade came out behind her."

The mask remained on-screen.

"Unfortunately, nobody thought to record it. A golden scandal happening right in front of them, and not one person had their slate ready. Disappointing."

Raven felt her face grow hot as she remembered Dante standing in the corridor with the other Prymont students while she adjusted her collar.

Don’t say anything.

"Raven," Tessa began.

Raven kept her eyes fixed on the screen and pretended she hadn’t heard.

"Moving on to Ashbourne."

Raven welcomed the change of subject for approximately one second.

"In our previous poll, Rowan Ashbourne fell somewhere between ’absolutely not’ and ’seek professional help.’ His supporters will be pleased to hear that we have new material."

"They shouldn’t be," Raven muttered.

Another shaky recording of Central Hall appeared. Students were filing past the person holding the slate, occasionally blocking the view.

Then Raven heard her own voice.

"Rowan."

Brielle turned sharply toward her.

"I want to talk to you."

Bellringer paused the clip.

"Rowan Ashbourne, who filed a formal Redress against her. Apparently, that hasn’t prevented them from getting on a first-name basis."

"That’s not—"

The footage resumed, showing Raven glance at the surrounding students.

"Alone."

Tessa leaned back against the bed, laughing.

"There’s more."

The next recording had been taken from farther away. Raven and Rowan walked beneath the arcade while the image bobbed with the footsteps of whoever was following them.

They left the main path and approached the garden. The recording caught them disappearing beyond the hedge, then ended.

"And that," Bellringer said, "is where our correspondent lost their nerve."

Raven closed her eyes.

"Two people who supposedly cannot stand each other went into a secluded garden, and our witness decided their own safety was more important than finding out why."

A pause.

"Cowardice has cost us all."

Raven opened her eyes just as the screen changed again.

"And now, today’s combat class."

"Oh no."

This recording was much clearer. Whoever had filmed it had an uninterrupted view of the square, and Raven could make out other raised slates among the watching students.

It began with her charging Dante.

She watched herself rush at him with her guard down, then hit the stone when he caught her and threw her off balance.

"Enough," the instructor called through the recording.

Dante offered his hand, and Raven slapped it away.

Bellringer froze the image.

"Let’s appreciate that for a moment."

Thalia pressed a pillow against her mouth.

"Most students can barely bring themselves to approach Dante Prymont. Miss Rivers slapped his hand away and demanded to know what the fuck his problem was."

The footage resumed.

"What the fuck is your problem?"

Raven glared at the screen as Dante’s reply played.

"You stopped thinking."

The recording skipped forward through their argument.

"What, did Cassian piss you off again?"

Dante went still.

Bellringer replayed the moment.

"No," Raven said, sitting straighter.

He played it a third time, slower now, making it impossible to miss the change in Dante’s posture at Cassian’s name.

"Turn it off."

"Not a chance," Tessa said.

The recording lurched as Dante’s pressure struck the court. Students staggered, and the view briefly dipped toward the ground before the person filming recovered.

The clip jumped ahead again.

"Are you fucking jealous?"

Tessa doubled over. Brielle covered her face, while Thalia laughed into the pillow.

"It was a question," Raven protested.

"We heard," Tessa managed.

On-screen, Dante turned toward her with a smile and a laugh that sounded even more forced through the slate.

"Of what, Rivers? Go on. Help me out."

Bellringer skipped ahead to Dante stepping closer, then slowed the footage.

Raven had to watch her own breath catch before his hand reached her head. Her startled expression changed to outrage as he ruffled her hair, and she pulled away while he walked off smirking.

Oh, for fuck’s sake.

The recording followed him far enough to catch his departure beneath the archway.

"No relevant context has been removed," Bellringer announced.

Fucking liar.

"Prymont’s supporters have had an excellent day."

"Which brings us to Nikolai Hale."

Bellringer paused.

"I have nothing."

Raven laughed despite herself.

"Hale once looked like a serious contender. He walked her home, touched her hair in front of witnesses and took a noticeable interest in his newest Wing member. At the time, that seemed significant."

He leaned back.

"Since then, Blade has started locking her in libraries, Ashbourne has accompanied her into a secluded garden, and Prymont has had what I can only describe as an incident."

Tessa was still wiping her eyes.

"Hale, I say this with affection. You’re falling behind."

"He’s not even trying," Tessa said.

"Now, a few of your responses. I’ll be brief."

Bellringer brought up another panel.

"Deb still names Nikolai as her personal favourite. Romantically, however, she remains firmly in Blade’s camp. She wants the unreadable one to get there first."

"Deb’s got taste," Brielle said.

"Deb’s got a problem," Raven replied.

"Nancy Beverly, Elle, Kimberly Hahn, Nok Pullum and Claire Ademovic have also weighed in. Thank you all for contributing to what has become a remarkably heated discussion."

Bellringer paused.

"The poll, regrettably, has remained open."

The results appeared.

CASSIAN BLADE — 44%

DANTE PRYMONT — 40%

NIKOLAI HALE — 10%

ROWAN ASHBOURNE — 6%

"Blade and Prymont now hold eighty-four per cent of this academy’s collective romantic delusion. Hale has ten, while Ashbourne retains six. To those still voting for him, your determination has been noted."

This place needs harder coursework.

Thalia rested her head against Brielle’s shoulder, still laughing despite her swollen eyes. Tessa had given up sitting upright, and even Brielle was smiling.

Raven stopped trying to defend herself.

If being the subject of this ridiculous broadcast gave Thalia something to laugh about, she could endure it a little longer.

"One last thing."

Raven looked back at the screen.

A photograph had replaced the poll. Taken from an upper window, it showed the gate outside Hale Wing and five girls standing in front of her.

Her white hair was unmistakable.

"Wait," Tessa said. "Isn’t that just before you came upstairs?"

Another photograph appeared, closer this time. Rosalind Crowe stood beside Adelaide Fenn, her face clearly visible.

Raven sat straighter.

"For anyone unfamiliar with them, these students are associated with the First Circle," Bellringer said. "An unofficial group of highly ranked Court women who allegedly exchange information, coordinate influence and help one another maintain their positions."

He paused.

"Allegedly. Everyone may tell their lawyers to sit back down."

Nobody in the room laughed.

"What I can confirm is that, shortly before this broadcast, Seventh Seat Raven Rivers was approached outside Hale Wing by several members of that group. They were seen speaking together."

"Raven?" Brielle asked.

Raven kept looking at the screen.

"I am not claiming she has joined them."

Beside the photograph, a new panel showed Raven’s rise through the Court. It began at Twentieth Seat and moved upward until it reached Seventh.

"A great many students have cheered Rivers on throughout that climb," Bellringer said. "Students without powerful names or families who could make things easier for them. A former servant forcing her way up the rankings gave those students someone to support."

Raven’s fingers tightened around her slate.

She was beginning to understand where this was going.

"Those same students tend to have rather strong opinions about the First Circle, whose members are allegedly very good at ensuring the same names remain near the top."

The photograph stayed on-screen.

"Perhaps Rivers was simply having a conversation."

Raven stared at herself standing opposite the five girls.

"Perhaps there’s nothing more to it."

Bellringer let the silence linger before continuing.

"But a great many people supported Raven Rivers because she looked like proof that someone like them could get through that door."

Raven went still.

"It would be unfortunate if the first thing she did on the other side was close it behind her."

The broadcast ended.

Raven stared at the darkened screen. The jokes about Cassian, Rowan and Dante no longer seemed important.

Oh, fuck.

Slowly, she raised her head.

Tessa and Brielle were staring at her. Beside them, with her eyes still swollen and the blanket drawn over her feet, Thalia was staring too.