Ember Academy
"And you have to promise not to repeat it, because if it gets back to the wrong ears I will actually die."
"I promise."
"The nobles don't lose." Mira glanced at the door, like it might be listening. "That's not, like, a saying, it's just true. They don't lose students, they don't lose arguments, they don't lose anything, because when something looks like it might slip away from them, they don't fight to keep it." She met Sera's eyes, and for a moment all the quick bright energy dropped out of her voice entirely. "They collect it instead."