“Kerrigan,” Helly said softly, “we cannot accuse people of such things.”

“Aye,” Anahi said with displeasure in her expression. She had gone from helpful to neutral to disapproving. “Master Lorian still deserves your respect. Whether or not you should be behind those bars.”

“Of course, Mistress Anahi,” she said in haste. “I only meant—”

But Lorian cut in with another laugh. “You believe I am the leader of these Red Masks?” He turned back to his colleagues. “Do you not see now? She is trying to place the blame on me. It’s absurd. You can take this to the council if you wish, Hellina, but I am going to move to have her expelled.”

“Expelled?” Kerrigan gasped.

Helly looked dismayed for one second before straightening and giving him an imperious look down her nose. “If you do this, it will end your career. The council election is next year, Lorian.”

His nostrils flared. “Are you proposing that you will oppose me?”

“It is not the time to make enemies,” she said pointedly.

He balked at the blatant threat. A part of Kerrigan cheered for her. That she’d go up against Lorian for her.

“This is not about you two,” Anahi said. “It is about the girl.”

“Agreed,” Bastian said, coming between them. “None of that. What we need is a compromise. Lorian wishes to see the girl expelled. Helly believes that she should be let go. Surely, there is a middle ground.”

Anahi nodded. “I concur with the honorable Master Bastian.”

Lorian and Helly huffed at the same time and looked away from one another.

“Kerrigan was in the wrong place at the wrong time. She likely shouldn’t have been at the protest in the first place.” Bastian looked to Kerrigan, as if to say I told you so. “But unless you can prove that she started all of this, Lorian, I believe that her infraction is more a problem with political action during her training and less to do with inciting violence. For that, I would offer a third choice—probation. Kerrigan would be monitored for the duration of her training and grounded from flying for a month.”

“What?” Kerrigan gasped. “But we start flying tomorrow!”

“It seems fair to me,” Anahi agreed. “A compromise.”

Lorian’s lips tipped up at her objection to the punishment. It wasn’t getting her kicked out, but it was something she clearly cared about.

Helly sighed and shot Kerrigan a pained expression. “I agree with Bastian if you do, Lorian.”

“Helly,” Kerrigan breathed. “But…”

“No, Kerrigan, you were warned about the protests already. This is a fair alternative.”

She shut her mouth. Because if Helly was saying it was fair, that likely meant she thought that Lorian had a chance with convincing the council to kick her out of the program.

“Fine,” Lorian ground out. “Probation it is. But I’ll be the one watching.”