Thalora

Chapter Twelve: Reckless

The walls of Headmaster Vael's office were lined with towering statues of Thalora's greatest leaders. Generals, scientists, politicians—figures immortalized in stone, their eyes cold and unyielding as they loomed over the council chamber. Each one represented the Academy's legacy of power and intellect, and their presence was a constant reminder of the weight of the institution and their grasp on the galaxy.

Alyssa, Kai, and Lucas stood before the council as the members—seven in total—sat in silence. Among them was Marla Zhen, Vael's lead strategist. Her eyes narrowed as she watched the footage of the recent battle with the Belaaki. Vael was at the center, his eyes fixed on the holographic display in front of him. The battle footage played out in the center of the room, depicting the chaos of the Belaaki attack, the destruction, and the final moments when Alyssa, with Kai and Lucas's help, had taken down the cloaked control ship.

The tension in the air was palpable, thick with the weight of unspoken judgments. Alyssa's muscles were still sore from the battle, but it was the sharp, calculating gaze of Vael that made her feel the most vulnerable. His eyes gleamed with a dangerous mix of disgust and something else—something darker, like curiosity.

The room was dimly lit, the soft glow of the hologram creating strange-shaped shadows on the faces of the council members. Alyssa lifted her tired eyes, which jumped between the different members of the council, each one of them stoic, their expressions a mirror of the statues that adorned the room. They were silent, letting Vael take the lead, but their presence was oppressive.

Finally, Vael stood from his chair. His long, dark blue robes rustled as he moved. His fingers hovered over the control panel of the holographic display, pausing the footage on a particularly violent explosion.

"This," Vael said, his voice low and cold, "was reckless."

Alyssa's stomach twisted. She had known this would come, but the icy edge in Vael's tone sent a shiver down her spine. His gaze moved over the three of them, settling on Kai first, then Lucas, before landing on her.

"You could have gotten yourselves killed," he continued, his eyes narrowing as he studied their reactions. "Taking matters into your own hands, disobeying direct orders to stay put during an attack—this is not how we train our recruits."

Kai shifted beside Alyssa, his expression tight. He glanced at her for a moment, then stepped forward, his voice steady. "It was my idea, sir. I thought—"

Vael's sharp laugh cut Kai off, a sound filled with condescension. "Your idea?" he repeated, his eyes gleaming with disdain. "We both know that's not true, Kai."

Kai's face paled, but he didn't argue. The truth was written all over Vael's face—he already knew who was behind it. His gaze drifted back to Alyssa, and for a moment, the room felt unbearably small. She swallowed hard, fighting the urge to look away.

"It was me," Alyssa said quietly, her voice trembling with the weight of her admission. "I made the call. Kai and Lucas were just trying to help."

The silence that followed her confession was deafening. Vael's eyes never left hers, his lips transforming into something that wasn't quite a smile—more like a shadow of amusement.

"Alyssa Tan," he said, drawing out her name like a snake coiling around its prey.

Before Alyssa could respond, Marla leaned forward in her seat, her dark eyes focusing as she spoke for the first time. "Headmaster Vael is correct in that your actions were reckless, Alyssa. But we cannot ignore the fact that you succeeded where others failed."

The council members exchanged glances, some nodding in agreement while others remained stone-faced. Marla's voice was calm, but there was an edge to it, as if she was carefully weighing her words. "The Belaaki control ship was invisible to our fleet, yet you managed to destroy it."