“It’s about resilience,” Rooric said, cracking his knuckles. “About proving you can handle the pressure.”

Kale stood silent, a sentinel complicit in whatever cruelty was about to unfold.

Before she could utter a protest, their hands grabbed her. The force of years of training, combined with arrogance, manhandled her toward the crystal-clear water of the plunge pool. Jax’s grin widened, triumphant, as he shoved her forward. Her knees hit the edge. She went under.

Water swallowed her whole. Her lungs burned, bubbles escaped her lips, and the world dissolved into icy chemical blue. They held her there for ten seconds—an eternity compressed into a heartbeat of humiliation.

When they finally yanked her free, dripping and gasping, the laughter came. Harsh, victorious, echoing off the walls. Her uniform clung to her, her dark hair plastered to her face. They believed she was broken.