Days passed, and Silverhollow began to settle back into its routine, though the shadow of the graduation night hung over the academy like a cloud. Students whispered in the hallways about what had happened, rumors spreading like wildfire, each more exaggerated than the last. The garden remained sealed off, its once beautiful grounds now scorched and broken.

Zara spent most of her time visiting Jaxon in the infirmary, though he remained unconscious, his condition stable but unchanged. The healers had done all they could, but it was as if something inside him had broken. The vibrant, confident boy she had known was gone, replaced by a fragile shell, and no one knew if he would ever wake up.

One afternoon, as Zara sat by Jaxon's bedside, her mind wandering back to the events of that night, the door to the infirmary creaked open, and Phelan stepped inside.

"How is he?" Phelan asked quietly, his usual arrogance replaced with a rare tone of concern.

Zara shook her head. "No change."

Phelan sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he approached the bed. "I didn't think he'd go this far. I knew he was always trying to outdo everyone, but this... this was madness."

Zara frowned, looking up at Phelan. "Did you know what he was planning?"

Phelan hesitated, then shook his head. "Not exactly. But he had been talking about something big for weeks. He kept mentioning that he'd found a way to tap into a new source of magic-something powerful. I didn't take him seriously. I should have."

Zara stared at Jaxon, her chest tightening. "He wanted to prove himself. To be more than just another wizard."

"And look where that got him," Phelan muttered, though his voice lacked its usual sharpness. He crossed his arms, looking down at Jaxon's pale face. "Do you think he'll ever wake up?"

Zara didn't answer immediately. She didn't know what to believe anymore. "I hope so."

The two of them stood in silence for a moment, the weight of what had happened pressing down on them like a heavy cloak. Despite their differences, despite the rivalry that had always existed between Phelan and Jaxon, there was a shared understanding now-an understanding of how dangerous magic could be when it was pushed too far.

"I'm going to keep training," Phelan said suddenly, his voice firm. "Whatever that thing was, whatever he woke up... we need to be ready in case it comes back."

Zara nodded, though the thought of facing that darkness again sent a shiver down her spine. "I'll be ready too."

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