Between those four remaining students, Gray already knew three of them.
Selene stood with her usual quiet composure, light-blue hair tied back, expression unreadable.
Maelis watched him with a complicated mixture of emotions she did not bother to hide. Ronan's face was set in hard, serious lines.
The fourth figure remained slightly apart from the others, body almost entirely concealed beneath a heavy black coat that swallowed both presence and outline.
Even Gray's senses found it difficult to read anything clear from that one.
The first to step onto the platform was Ronan.
He walked forward under the weight of every eye in the arena, the enchanted gauntlets Gray had once discarded now fitted firmly over his hands.
There was none of his usual loud, careless energy.
His expression was extremely serious, almost grim.
When he stopped opposite Gray, he took a single breath and raised his voice so that it carried cleanly across the silent stands.
