Vulcan sat alone in his chair, fingers placed on his chin as he waited for Ronan to finish selecting his skills from the restricted library.
The meeting room felt heavier now, emptier without the others present, and that emptiness gave him space to think clearly without interruptions.
Ronan had changed.
Irene had said as much after the entrance exam.
Vulcan had dismissed it initially – children often mistook confidence for improvement. Especially when they were surprised by an unexpected outcome.
But today proved Irene's instincts correct.
The change ran deeper than Vulcan had anticipated, far beyond what simple Academy exposure could explain.
The first sign appeared during that dinner, weeks ago.
Ronan had confronted him directly, refusing the order to back out of the entrance exam with surprising composure.
He'd assumed it was desperation – a final attempt to chase Iris before losing her entirely.
That explanation had made sense at the time.
