12 Empty Dreams

The air is thick with tension as Sevika and I stride into the grand hall of the Piltover council chamber. Polished marble floors gleam beneath the elaborate chandeliers, their cold light casting harsh shadows on the faces of the councilors seated in their high-backed chairs. The contrast to Zaun is stark, and for a moment, I resent the pristine order of it all. It feels suffocating after the vibrant chaos of the Undercity.

Sevika walks beside me, her jaw set in a hard line, shoulders tense beneath her coat. She hasn't said much since we left Zaun, but her silence speaks volumes. Her bionic arm gleams under the artificial light, the faint hum of its mechanisms the only sound she makes. She's furious, though she hides it well.

At the head of the table sits Councilor Camson, his expression as rigid as the iron crest on his lapel. His dark eyes narrow as we approach, and I can already sense the rebuke forming in his mind. To his left, Shoola reclines slightly, her gaze steady but unreadable.

"Councilors," I greet them formally, trying to suppress the tremor in my voice. "We've returned with information about the rebel movements in Zaun."

Camson's lips curl in disdain. "We've already received the report," he says, his voice clipped and cold. "And frankly, it contains nothing of value."

Sevika shifts beside me, her bionic arm twitching. "We found more than what's in that damn report," she growls, her voice low and dangerous.

Camson raises a hand, silencing her with a dismissive wave. "Your unauthorized excursion into Zaun was reckless. It could have cost us the life of the last heir to the Medarda clan." His gaze locks onto mine, sharp as a blade. "Do you have any idea what kind of risk you took?"

I meet his stare head-on, unwilling to let him intimidate me. "I was aware of the risks, Councilor, and I took them willingly. We've confirmed that the rebels are well-organized, and their leader remains unknown. That alone is worth—"

"Worth nothing!" Camson snaps, slamming his hand on the table. "You jeopardized yourself and, by extension, Piltover's standing. This city cannot afford such recklessness."

Sevika's knuckles whiten around the edge of the table. "If you'd actually set foot in Zaun instead of hiding behind your council desk, you'd know how real the threat is."

Camson's face darkens with anger, but Shoola speaks before he can retort. "Enough," she says, her voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "Sevika, your actions were indeed rash. However, they were not without merit."

I exhale, relieved, but the reprieve is short-lived.

Shoola leans forward. "That said, the council must take action. Sevika, you are hereby suspended from any dealings with Piltover for the next few weeks. Consider it a warning."

Sevika's eyes widen with fury. "Suspended? For what? Doing your job for you?"

Camson smirks smugly. "You're lucky it's not permanent."

The words hang in the air like a death sentence. Sevika's jaw tightens, and I can see the betrayal flicker across her face before she masks it with anger. She turns on her heel and storms out without another word.

"Sevika, wait—" I call after her, but she's already gone.

I hurry after Sevika, the heavy doors of the council chamber slamming shut behind me. She moves like a storm, her footsteps echoing down the marble halls, each one sharper than the last.

"Sevika, please!" I reach out, grabbing her arm.

She stops but doesn't turn. "What?" Her voice is rough, strained, like she's barely holding herself together.

"I'm sorry," I say, the words feeling inadequate. "I didn't expect them to react like this. I thought—"

"That's the problem," she cuts me off, finally turning to face me. Her eyes are blazing with anger, but beneath it, there's something else—hurt. "You thought. You didn't know. You are always playing innocent instead of facing the truth."

I swallow hard. "I'll fix it. I'll talk to them, use my influence—"

"Don't," she snaps, stepping back. "You think your name can fix everything? That your soft words will change the minds of people who only see Zaun as a problem to be managed?"

"That's not fair."

"Isn't it?" Her laugh is bitter, hollow. "You get to walk away from this, clean and safe, while I'm left with nothing."

"You have me."

The words tumble out before I can stop them, and for a moment, they hang in the air between us, raw and vulnerable. Sevika's expression softens, just a fraction, but it's enough to crack through her anger.

"That's not enough, Mel," she says quietly. "Not when it means losing everything else."

I feel my heart clench. "Then what do you want me to do?"

She shakes her head, a sad smile ghosting across her lips. "Just... stay out of this. I can fix all of this myself."

Without another word, she turns and walks away, leaving me standing alone in the empty corridor, the weight of her words pressing down on me like a crushing tide.