Chapter 321: The Weight of Words

Holly swallowed.

The room felt too quiet, too tight around her chest, as if the walls themselves were listening. For the first time since Orion had begun speaking, she didn’t have a sharp retort ready. Her confidence—what little remained—had finally cracked.

"I... I’ll learn," she said.

Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Orion lifted his head slowly. "Speak up."

Holly stiffened, jaw tightening. She hated this. Hated how small she felt standing there, hated how everyone’s eyes seemed to be on her even when they weren’t. But she forced the words out anyway.

"I said I’ll learn," she repeated, louder this time, though resentment crept into her tone. "I’ll learn what it means to be a trainee. And a member of the pack."

Orion studied her for a long moment.

Then, to her surprise, he smiled.

It wasn’t mocking. It wasn’t cruel. It was calm—satisfied, even.

"Good," he said. "Then we’ll start with your first lesson."

Holly frowned slightly. "What—"

"Apologize," Orion said simply. "To Nia. And to the others."

Holly’s eyes widened in shock. "What?"

"I said apologize," Orion repeated, unbothered.

Her head snapped toward him. "Why would I do that? We already resolved this. It’s done."

"No," Orion replied coolly. "What you think you resolved is not the issue."

He straightened, his voice firm. "You belittled your fellow trainees. You degraded them. That has not been resolved. And you will apologize—specifically to Nia."

Holly turned slowly, her gaze locking onto Nia.

For a brief moment, something unreadable flickered across her face—hesitation, perhaps. Then her lips pressed into a thin line.

"I’m sorry," she said stiffly.

The words were flat and hollow.

Nia stared at her.

Really stared at her.

Then she scoffed.

"I don’t need your apology," Nia said.

Holly blinked. "What?"

Nia stepped forward slightly, her posture straight, her expression calm but sharp. She turned her head toward Orion.

"Holly is right about one thing," Nia said evenly. "My sister and I are among the oldest trainees here."

Laia’s brows lifted slightly, but she said nothing.

"For years," Nia continued, "we’ve failed every placement test."

Holly stiffened.

"And she’s right that people call that weak," Nia said. "So no, I don’t need a half-assed apology from someone who doesn’t even believe it."

Holly opened her mouth, but Nia wasn’t finished.

"She called us weak," Nia went on, voice steady, "and maybe we were, but that’s also part of why I don’t want her apology."

She turned then, finally facing Holly fully.

"I’m going to show you," Nia said quietly, "that I have what it takes to be a guard in this pack."

Holly scoffed, but there was less bite to it now.

"We will pass the test," Nia continued. "We will show you what it means to be a better fighter. I don’t need your apology, Holly. All I need is for you to watch."

Her eyes hardened. "Watch me... watch us get better."

The words landed with weight.

Nia turned back to Orion. "I’m not kind," she said bluntly. "And I won’t pretend to be. I don’t accept her apology. I’d rather give her the shock of her life when I pass that test."

For a moment, the office was completely silent.

Then Orion smiled.

He nodded once, slow and approving. "Very well."

Holly stared between them, something dark twisting in her gut.

Orion turned then, his attention shifting. "Garron."

Garron straightened immediately, pushing himself up from his chair.

"This," Garron said, his voice carrying easily through the room, "incident is exactly why you need to come to me when something like this happens."

He looked at all of them in turn—Nia, Laia, Joren, then Holly.

"I don’t care if you think you’ve resolved it," he continued. "I don’t care how small it seems. I am your instructor. I am responsible for your training."

His gaze sharpened. "Next time—no matter how little—you tell me."

No one argued.

Orion nodded once. "Good."

Then his attention returned to Holly.

"There’s more," he said.

Holly’s shoulders tensed. "Of course there is."

"You will not be changing your weapon."

Her head snapped up. "What?"

She tried to protest, but Orion wouldn’t let her.

"You are stronger with a longsword," he said calmly. "And you know it."

"That’s not—"

"You misused the opportunity I gave you," Orion continued, unfazed. "I allowed trainees to explore other weapons so they could grow. You used it as another excuse to place yourself above others."

And maybe even try to seduce him, but he didn’t say that out loud.

Holly’s fists clenched.

"So that privilege no longer applies to you," Orion said. "You will stick to your longsword."

Her voice trembled with anger. "You can’t be serious."

"I am," Orion replied.

"And there’s more," he added.

Holly’s stomach dropped.

"You get one trial," Orion said. "One."

The word echoed.

"If you fail the upcoming placement test," he continued, "you will return to your former workstation."

Holly stared at him in disbelief. "You can’t be serious."

She turned sharply toward Garron. "Do you support this? This injustice?"

Garron met her gaze evenly. "I do."

Her eyes widened. "You think this is fair?"

"I think it’s light," Garron said honestly. "And I think the only reason it’s light is because no one was hurt."

He shook his head slightly. "This isn’t injustice, Holly."

She bristled, anger rolling off her in waves.

Orion watched her quietly. Then he smiled.

It wasn’t cruel—but it wasn’t kind either.

"If you don’t like it," Orion said lightly, "you’re free to stop being a trainee right now."

Her breath caught.

"You wouldn’t get the opportunity to take the test," he continued. "No chance to move forward."

He shrugged. "Of course, that would leave a mark. You’d be the trainee who never even got the chance to take the test. The one who fumbled it before she could try. And everyone will gossip about you the same way you gossip about them."

Holly glared at him.

Orion simply lifted a shoulder. "It’s your choice."

Silence stretched.

Slowly, painfully, Holly nodded. "I heard you."

Orion nodded back. "Good."

He glanced around the room once more. "You’re all dismissed."

Holly didn’t wait.

She turned on her heel and stormed out of the office, the door slamming shut behind her.

Nia, Laia, and Joren didn’t rush. They gathered themselves calmly, exchanging brief glances before following after her.

Outside, the cold air bit sharply.

Holly stood just ahead of them, arms crossed tightly over her chest. When she heard footsteps, she turned, glaring at them.

Nia met her gaze.

For a moment, it looked like Holly might say something.

But instead, she spat into the snow at her feet and walked past.

Laia frowned, then called out to Holly.

"Holly, wait up," she said.

Holly couldn’t understand why Laia was calling out to her, but she paused. Laia ran up to her, stopping just in front of her. Before Holly could speak, she spat three times into the snow.

"That’s from all of us."

Then she smirked.

Without another word, she turned and jogged back to Joren and Nia, leaving Holly standing there, stunned and furious.