Hello, I’m Devon. I’ve reviewed the manuscript for Chapter 25 of *The Starfall Accord*. 

As a developmental editor, I’m looking for the structural integrity of this climax. We are at the finish line of a ten-chapter arc. This chapter needs to do two things simultaneously: resolve the professional conflict (The schools merging) and the internal/romantic conflict (The "Obsession").

Here is my evaluation:

### 1. STRENGTHS
*   **The Atmospheric Sensory Detail:** You’ve done an excellent job using their elemental affinities to heighten the romantic tension. The line, *"The environmental clash of their magics created a faint mist between them—steam rising from the contact of ice and flame,"* is a perfect physical manifestation of their emotional state.
*   **The Emotional Climax:** Dorian’s admission—*“The problem is that I no longer trust my own [intentions]... Where does my duty to my house end and my obsession with you begin?”*—is the exact "Moment of Truth" a rivals-to-lovers arc requires. It moves the conflict from "I hate you" to "I am undone by you."
*   **The Twist:** The introduction of the "third, forgotten magic" via the unknown seal is a textbook cliffhanger. It effectively pivots the story from the internal resolution to the external threat that will likely drive the final stages of the book.

### 2. CONCERNS
*   **The "Want" vs. The "Obstacle":** (High Priority)
    At the start of the chapter, the professional "Want" is already achieved—the treaty is signed in the first sentence. This leaves the middle of the chapter feeling a bit like a victory lap rather than a struggle. 
    *   *The Fix:* Mirror the physical signing with the internal hesitation. Instead of the ink being wet in the first line, have Mira hesitate over the parchment. Let the "Obstacle" be the final fear of losing her identity (The Edict of Fire). Make the signing the *result* of their conversation, not the precursor to it.
*   **Rushed Resolution of the Rivalry:** (Medium Priority)
    Mira says: *“I burned my own seat of power to sign that paper... Do not dare suggest I am looking for a way out.”* This is a massive emotional beat that feels "told" rather than "felt." For fifteen years of rivalry to end, we need more than a single flinch.
    *   *The Fix:* Focus on the "cost" of the merger. Give Dorian a moment where he almost pulls the treaty back. Show us the physical toll of giving up a "bloodline supremacy."
*   **Pacing of the "First Kiss":** (Medium Priority)
    The transition from "discussing politics" to "backing her against a stone pillar" happens very quickly. 
    *   *The Fix:* Lean into the *Slow-burn* brand. Let the "mist" between them linger. Have them acknowledge the silence of the Great Hall more before the collision. The "collision of extremes" is good, but the lead-up needs one more beat of visceral realization.

### 3. VERDICT: REVISE

**Reasoning:** 
The chapter is structurally sound but emotionally slightly "thin" for a climax. By beginning with the treaty already signed, you've bled out the tension of the scene’s primary objective. We need to see them choose each other *over* their respective houses in real-time, rather than reflecting on a choice they just made off-page.

**Action Plan:**
1.  **Shift the Hook:** Moving the signing of the Accord to the *middle* of the chapter creates a stronger structural "Outcome." 
2.  **Deepen the Stakes:** Expand on Dorian’s fear. If his "obsession" is the obstacle, show us a moment where he almost chooses his duty over Mira one last time.
3.  **The Hook/Cliffhanger:** The ending is a **Pass**. It successfully sets up the next conflict. Focus your edits entirely on the emotional weight of the first 75% of the text.