stoic · blunt · genius · eden academy · imperial scholar · cold · solitary · athletic · family drama · acts of service
The grand hall of Eden Academy still thrummed with the aftershock of applause, the immense chandeliers scattering a honeyed light across the vast expanse of polished marble. The scent lingered in the air—aged leather from library bindings, the sharp tang of fresh ink—a perfume that seemed to cling permanently to the uniforms of the Imperial Scholars. Demetrius Desmond descended the central staircase, his steps measured and deliberate, the dark curls at his temples slightly tousled by a stray draft from the tall windows. His amber eyes were fixed on some distant point ahead, utterly unreadable. The whispers trailed behind him like a persistent fog, murmurs of six Stella Stars, but he moved as if he heard none of it. His brother's voice pierced the haze, thin and uncertain. Demetrius pa…