The Founders' Festival saved its grand finale for last.
Aristella had always believed in spectacle. In the idea that if something looked beautiful enough, no one would question what was happening beneath it. Tonight, the academy outdid itself. Lanterns floated above the courtyards like drifting stars. Music threaded through the air, light and deceptive. Screens hovered in the sky, ready to broadcast the closing ceremony to donors, parents, and half the country.
Mira stood at the edge of the main courtyard, arms folded, watching the preparations like a general surveying a battlefield disguised as a celebration.
Leo bounced on his heels beside her.
"Tell me again why I volunteered to help organize this?" he asked.
Mira didn't look at him. "Because you have a hero complex and poor impulse control."
Leo nodded. "Accurate."
