Word of the confrontation between Lysander and Cassius spread through the Academy like wildfire. By evening, every student knew that the "failed prince" had not only defended against Cassius Drakos's illegal attack but had displayed healing abilities—the telltale mark of Anima magic.
"You revealed more than we planned," Elara noted as The Broken Crown gathered in their secure meeting room that night. "The Anima display wasn't part of our strategy."
"It was calculated," Lysander replied, flexing his now-healed shoulder. "Darius was pushing for complete exposure. A controlled revelation serves our purpose better than forced discovery."
"He'll report directly to the Emperor," Julian warned. "Your father will know about your developing abilities within days."
"Good." Lysander's expression remained calm. "Let the imperial court whisper. Each rumor builds my reputation while revealing my siblings' concerns."
Marcus shook his head in disbelief. "You're deliberately provoking the Crown Prince of Valterra."
"I'm forcing his hand," Lysander corrected. "Darius operates best from shadows. By bringing his interest in my abilities into the open, I limit his more... permanent solutions."
Sera, who had been monitoring the palace communication networks through her Academy connections, looked up from her notes. "It's already working. Three separate intelligence requests about Prince Lysander have circulated since this afternoon—not just from Darius, but from Princess Seraphina as well."
This was new information. In Lysander's previous life, Seraphina hadn't shown interest until much later. "My sister involves herself earlier than expected," he murmured.
"Is that problem?" Julian asked.
"An opportunity," Lysander decided after a moment's consideration. "Seraphina values intelligence above all else. Her curiosity will temper Darius's more direct approaches."
Their meeting continued with tactical planning. Elara reported that her father's monitoring devices had detected seventeen students with unusual magical signatures—potential recruits for The Broken Crown. Julian outlined noble house reactions to rumors of commoner Awakenings in the eastern provinces. Sera provided updates on faculty members sympathetic to their cause.
As the group dispersed, Lysander placed a hand on Marcus's shoulder. "Walk with me. There's something we need to discuss."
The Academy gardens were quiet under the moonlight, magical lanterns casting soft blue illumination along the paths. Once they reached a secluded alcove, Lysander activated one of Elara's privacy devices.
"Cassius recognized you today," he said without preamble. "I saw it in his eyes when he looked at you after the combat demonstration."
Marcus paled. "That's impossible. We've never met."
"You look remarkably like your father," Lysander replied gently. "House Drakos prizes its bloodline too much to miss such resemblance."
"If Cassius reports his suspicions—"
"He already has," Lysander interrupted. "Which means you need to prepare for exposure."
Marcus slumped onto a stone bench. "My mother's family will be ruined. House Thornwood's alliance with House Drakos rests on maintaining the fiction that I'm fully Thornwood."
"Unless you control the narrative," Lysander suggested. "Revelation is coming, Marcus. The question is whether it occurs on your terms or theirs."
"What would you have me do? Publicly claim Drakos heritage I can't prove?"
"Not yet." Lysander sat beside him. "But start developing your Ignis abilities alongside your Terra magic. When confrontation comes, demonstrate value that transcends the scandal."
Marcus studied him carefully. "You sound like you've navigated similar waters."
"In more ways than you know," Lysander replied with a slight smile.
Their conversation was interrupted by approaching footsteps. Both tensed until they recognized Professor Thorne's distinctive gait.
"Your Highness," Thorne acknowledged, stepping into the alcove. "Mr. Thornwood." His tone carried unusual urgency. "We need to accelerate our schedule."
"The next unblocking?" Lysander asked, immediately alert.
"Tomorrow night. Crown Prince Darius has requested your return to the palace for 'family consultation' three days from now." Thorne's expression was grim. "Once there, you'll be subject to imperial physicians who will almost certainly discover your partially removed blocks."
This development genuinely surprised Lysander. In his previous timeline, his brother had never attempted to recall him to the palace.
"Can we safely remove another block so soon?" he asked.
"Not without risk," Thorne admitted. "But less risky than leaving you vulnerable to whatever your brother has planned."
Marcus looked between them, confusion evident. "Wouldn't the Emperor protect you?"
"Imperial politics are rarely so straightforward," Lysander replied. "My father's protection extends only so far, especially if Darius presents my developing abilities as a potential threat."
Thorne nodded in agreement. "The Crown Prince could easily frame Prince Lysander's magical emergence as dangerous instability rather than natural development."
"Then we proceed tomorrow," Lysander decided. "And accelerate our other plans as well."
After Thorne departed, Marcus turned to Lysander with newfound determination. "If you're facing this risk, I should do the same. I'll begin practicing my Ignis abilities openly."
"Are you certain?" Lysander asked, though he already knew the answer.
"The Broken Crown stands for embracing true potential, doesn't it? Time I honored that in more than words."
Lysander smiled, another piece falling into place. "Tomorrow will be a day of transformations, it seems."
Later that night, alone in his room, Lysander updated his journal with the day's developments. His brother's reaction had come faster and more directly than anticipated, compressing his timeline significantly. The third unblocking would be dangerous—especially with the fail-safes Thorne had identified—but necessary now.
Turning to a blank page, Lysander sketched a modified strategy for the coming weeks. The confrontation with his siblings was accelerating. The Broken Crown needed to expand more quickly. And somewhere in the shadows, the architects of his magical suppression were surely taking note of his emergence.
"Let them watch," he whispered to himself as he closed the journal. "This time, I'm ready for them."
The game had changed, but Lysander would ensure the outcome remained firmly in his control. Tomorrow would bring pain, power, and another step toward reclaiming his destiny.