Page 65 of Hero of Havoc

“We believe it’s Leonardo Corrigan,” my brother declares, my heart stuttering in my chest as I sway, thankful for Baron’s presence as I let the added information take weight in my mind without shattering me.

“The whispers of a Kingdom Champion were manageable before, but how are we supposed to brush something like this off?” Silas asks, and I peer down the line of seats, finding him for myself since I’d been too caught up to even realize he was here.

“Unfortunately, that’s a good question, Silas,” Viola confirms, her knuckles whitening as her lips pinch. “It’s certainly accelerating the kingdom’s issues, which is exactly what they want.”

“He wants, you mean?” Francesca bites, and Viola shakes her head.

“Leonardo? Of course, but it was quite clear this was the same mindset for all of the kingdoms when it was first mentioned at the ball,” she replies, and Francesca rears back, confusion narrowing her eyes before I quickly realize she wasn’t present for that.

I should be impressed that I know and she doesn't, but everything that has come from it leaves me wishing I were still in the dark. Now, with the mention of Kingdom Champions and Leonardo Corrigan reappearing in the same sentence, I feel torn inside.

As if sensing my uncertainty, Sax reaches for my hand on the table, reminding me that I’m sandwiched between the twins.

“To share or not to share?” he mouths, and I gulp.

Taking a deep breath, I sit taller in my seat. “At the ball, Leonardo Corrigan also killed the leader of the Third Kingdom. What will come of that?”

The thought has swirled in my mind on repeat, and I’d rather approach these kinds of subjects first before I offer something more personal.

“How do you know that?” Bonnie blurts, folding her arms over her chest as she glares at me.

Silas scoffs. “Because she was obviously privy to a meeting you weren’t. Just like I wasn’t. Get over yourself and focus on the bigger picture, or fuck off. Your attendance isn’t essential, you know,” he bites, making my eyebrows rise in surprise.

Maybe I’m not the only one irritated by the constant interruptions over something so self-centered. Then again, I am the one he’s referring to, and I don’t know how I would feel if I were in the dark. I’d like to think I would bask in it, but there’s something inside of me that knows that isn’t the case.

I’m just going to assume I wouldn’t be so whiny about it.

Professor Viola clears her throat, redirecting everyone’s attention to her. “How the Third Kingdom handles that situation is none of our business. I can only assume they have their own protocols for choosing someone to replace her,” she explains.

“So if Leonardo kills another leader without consequence, and then pulls a stunt like today, I can only assume he’s going to continue to barrel through any obstacle we throw at him. That leaves us with very few options,” Archer states, and Hugo nods.

“If any,” he adds, and the look on his face makes the panic worse.

My brother loves to consider every eventuality, pick the one with his preferred outcome, and take that route. From here, it looks like he doesn’t have any.

“What do we do?” Professor Garside asks, jaw tight as he glances from Professor Carbon at his side, to Viola, who straightens her spine and swipes her hand down her suit jacket.

“He’s not going to relent,” I blurt when no answer comes.

“What makes you say that?” Viola asks, tilting her head at me, and I shrug.

“As Hugo said, he’s killed another leader without consequences, along with the person trying to clean up his original mess, and my father. Making a display like today isn’t going to deter him; it’s only going to fuel him more. Leonardo Corrigan is a man without thought, without care, and without hesitation. From what I have seen of that man, which is far more than I would ever wish for, things are only going to get worse.”

“How do we stop that from happening?” Francesca asks, her gaze burning into the side of my face as my eyes widen with surprise before I can school my emotions.

“You’ll be glad to know I don’t have the answer to that.”

She rolls her eyes. “Then who does?”

15

IVY

“How are we just supposed to trust in them? They’re doing nothing,” Teddy grumbles, dragging a hand down his face. He hasn’t stopped ranting since Viola called the meeting to an end, unable to answer Francesca’s question.

I’m not filled with hope.

“There has to be something we can do,” Sax adds, nodding along with our Water Protector as we make our way across campus.