With the festival now just three weeks away, everything had shifted into high gear.
Every student participating was required to meet with their respective program coordinators to finalize preparations.
Jade and I made our way to the dance studio, where we'd be meeting Ms. Evira.
I was nervous.
Not because of the meeting itself, but because today was the day my track would be revealed to the group.
I exhaled sharply, adjusting my bag on my shoulder as we walked through the corridor.
Jade shot me a sideways glance. "You good?"
I nodded, but she wasn't convinced.
"Athena, you're literally messing with your bracelets right now. You only do that when you're nervous."
I glanced down at my wrist, realizing my fingers had been idly twisting the leather bracelets wrapped around it.
I dropped my hand immediately. "I'm fine."
Jade snorted. "You're about to perform in front of the entire community of Lowmere in three weeks. If you weren't nervous, I'd be worried."
She wasn't wrong.
The Cultural Festival's dance segment was one of the biggest highlights of the event, and this year's performance was even more hyped due to how unexpectedly the date had been moved forward.
Which meant everything had to be perfect.
I took a deep breath, trying to shake the tension.
But as we moved through the hallways, I noticed something else.
Guards.
They weren't patrolling casually, they were stationed at key locations. The main corridors. The entrance leading toward the performance halls. Even the common areas.
Jade must've noticed too, because she muttered under her breath, "Damn. They really weren't kidding about the security increase."
I nodded, scanning the area as we walked.
"I don't like this," I admitted. "They're trying to make everything feel normal, but this?" I gestured toward a pair of enforcers standing near the entrance to the theater wing, their eyes scanning students as they passed. "This doesn't scream 'routine.'"
Jade sighed. "Yeah. And they think throwing a festival in front of us is going to keep people from noticing?"
Because nothing about this felt normal.
We stepped into the studio, where Ms. Evira and Quinn were already waiting.
The moment Quinn saw me, she lit up.
She opened her arms dramatically, grinning. "Come here, my little rockstar."
Quinn's enthusiasm was impossible to ignore.
I barely had time to react before she wrapped me in a tight hug, rocking me side to side.
"You have no idea how excited I am for this." She pulled back, gripping my shoulders. "Your track is finally getting revealed! Do you know how long I've been waiting for this moment?"
Ms. Evira, sharing her enthusiasm, grinned wide. "She's not exaggerating. Quinn hasn't stopped talking about it since you two left the music studio on Veylindra."
I huffed a small laugh, exchanging a look with Jade, who smirked.
The room filled up as the other dancers arrived, throwing curious glances my way. Some whispered, already speculating about the song. Others simply waited, watching.
Ms. Evira stepped into the center of the room, her energy electric.
"Alright, now that everyone's here, it's time for the big reveal of the track you'll be dancing to." She gestured toward me, eyes gleaming. "Like you already know, this piece has been composed by our very own prodigy, Athena."
I resisted the urge to shift under the sudden weight of expectant stares.
Quinn, clutching a memory crystal, waved it in the air. "You ready, girl?"
I nodded, even though my chest was tight with anticipation.
This was it.
The room stilled as she pressed the crystal to the playback panel. A pulse of light flickered, and then, the first note hit.
A soft, haunting melody wrapped around the room, each note laced with emotion. My voice, soft at first, delicate but steady, slipped through the speakers like a whisper before rising with the music.
Then, the beat dropped.
A surge of power. Rhythm. Emotion.
Heads lifted. Movements stilled.
The energy shifted as the track carried through the studio, raw and commanding.
Jade, who had been sitting beside me, visibly froze. Then, slowly, she turned to me, her mouth slightly open.
"Athena." Her voice was barely a breath. "Are you freaking kidding me?"
Quinn, standing beside Ms. Evira, let out a loud whistle. "Oh, hell yes!"
Dancers exchanged glances, their faces shifting from curiosity to pure adrenaline. Some were already moving, bodies instinctively reacting to the rhythm.
Ms. Evira? She wasn't composed at all.
She whooped, clapping her hands once before grabbing my shoulders. "Girl. This. This right here? Is how you own a stage."
I let out a shaky breath, tension slipping from my body as the song came to an end.
And then, the room erupted.
Applause, cheers, voices overlapping as dancers shouted their excitement. A few jumped on their feet, already imagining how it would look in motion.
Jade grabbed my arm. "Athena, that was insane. You just set the bar so damn high."
I barely had time to process it before Quinn and Ms. Evira cut through the noise.
Quinn held up a hand. "Alright, alright, listen up!"
Ms. Evira grinned. "We've been thinking. And we have an idea."
My stomach dropped slightly.
Quinn turned to me, her eyes practically glowing. "As you all know, we have only three weeks to create a banging show. Limited time does not mean producing a shitty act."
Laughter rippled through the room, but she was dead serious.
Then, she and Ms. Evira both turned to me.
"Athena," Ms. Evira said, "you're not just the composer of this track."
Quinn beamed. "You're the singer."
I blinked. "And?"
Ms. Evira clapped her hands. "You will be singing live, with live musicians. And the group will dance to the choreography alongside you."
Silence.
Then, Jade muttered, "Holy shit."
I stood there in shock..
Live? Singing live?
With an entire dance ensemble moving around me?
Quinn grinned, clearly enjoying my reaction. "So, what do you say, rockstar?"
I stared at them.
Quinn, practically glowing with excitement, Ms. Evira, grinning like she had just revealed the greatest plan of all time.
Jade nudged my shoulder, her eyes wide. "Athena. Say something."
I opened my mouth. Closed it.
Because honestly? I didn't know what to say.
A rush of emotions collided all at once.
Excitement. Panic. Thrill. Absolute terror.
I had never performed before. This was clearly new territory.
Live vocals. Live musicians. An entire choreographed performance unfolding around me.
I swallowed. "I... wasn't expecting that."
Quinn laughed. "Yeah, no kidding. But come on, tell me you're not even a little bit hyped."
I was.
But I was also freaking out.
Ms. Evira placed a hand on her hip. "Athena, listen. This isn't just some random last-minute idea. You composed this song. You sang on this track. This piece exists because of you. And that means no one, absolutely no one can bring it to life like you can."
I exhaled sharply, my mind racing.
Jade crossed her arms. "Okay, let's break this down. Can you do it? Yes. Will it be a hell of a challenge? Also yes. But let's be real, you'd kill it."
The rest of the dancers watched, waiting.
Some murmured excitedly among themselves, already imagining the final performance. Others just stared, curious to see how I'd react.
Quinn tilted her head. "So, rockstar? Are you in?"
I took a breath.
This was huge. Terrifying. Unreal.
But deep down, beneath the nerves, beneath the weight of it all, I wanted this.
I looked at Ms. Evira. Then at Quinn.
Then, finally, I nodded. "I'm in."
The studio erupted into cheers.
Quinn threw an arm around me. "Hell yes! This is going to be legendary!"
Ms. Evira clapped her hands. "Alright then! No time to waste. Let's get started."
And just like that, everything was set in motion.
Jade and I left the dance studio sweaty, exhausted, but excited.
Despite some challenges at the beginning, syncing the live vocals with the choreography, adjusting transitions, and working through a few difficult sections, we had managed to nail the first part of the song.
Nova and Rey, two of the dancers in our group, were instrumental in weaving cultural movements into the routine. Their ability to blend traditional and modern styles was seamless, and I had to admit, I admired their skill.
More than that, I liked them.
They were talented, easygoing, and dedicated, making the long rehearsals bearable.
The four of us walked together, making our way to our last class for the day.
Just as we passed through the main hall, movement caught my eye.
At the far end, Headmaster Jadean stood in deep conversation with one of the guards, his posture stiff, controlled.
Ms. Amara was beside him.
The moment we neared, both turned toward us.
Headmaster Jadean forced a smile, an attempt at appearing normal.
But I could see through it.
There was something underneath.
Something not meant for us to notice.
"Girls," he greeted, tone smooth but lacking its usual ease. "How are the rehearsals going?"
Jade, never one to sugarcoat, arched a brow. "It better be a good show, Headmaster. With the tight time frame we've got, we're doing the best we can."
Headmaster Jadean's blue eyes found mine.
He nodded slightly. "I am hoping it will be a great one. The kind that leaves a lasting mark."
Something about the way he said it unsettled me.
I held his gaze for a beat longer than necessary, trying to read between the words.
Something was off. Very off.
"Well, we better hurry up for our next class. Good talk Headmaster." I said, breaking whatever that was.
As I turned, my gaze met Ms. Amara's.
This morning's incident surfaced in my mind: the rune, the suffocating shadows, the warning she had given me.
She held my gaze for a second, then gave a discreet nod.
A silent message. She was handling this.
I tried to convey my gratitude in my expression, hoping she understood.
Then, without another word, we walked away.
But that feeling? It stayed with me.
The school day soon came to an end, and I was already on my feet, hurrying outside to the waiting car.
I had texted Lara earlier, asking her to send her driver ahead of time so I could make it to The Velvet Lounge on schedule.
Jade and Ezzy had tried to get me to stay longer, but I promised them I'd catch up tonight on a call.
As I slid into the sleek black car, the driver, Zarich, turned slightly in his seat and greeted me with a respectful nod.
"Lady Athena."
Zarich wasn't just a driver. He was also a Council guard, one of the trusted few assigned to Myrren.
I fastened my seatbelt as he pulled away from the school, merging into the flow of traffic toward Lysoria's city center.
For a moment, we exchanged small talk, but my mind wasn't really in it.
There was something else I needed to know. I glanced at Zarich, choosing my words carefully.
"Zarich, weren't you supposed to drive us back home from Lune Noire last night?"
Zarich frowned slightly, eyes flickering to the rearview mirror before he answered.
"Lady Lara told me to head back to the Council building, and that she would call when you were both ready to leave. Said you'd be there for a long time."
I stilled.
"She never called?"
He shook his head. "No. I assumed you found another ride home."
Silence stretched between us.
I processed the information carefully before forcing a small, casual nod.
"Yeah… yeah, we got a ride home safely."
So far, it kind of made sense.
Lara might have been so wasted she barely managed to keep herself upright, let alone dial Zarich to pick us up.
But still…
A feeling itched at the back of my mind.
I tried to recall the last clear moment I had at Lune Noire, but it was hazy and fragmented.
I had no memory of leaving. No memory of getting home.
I forced myself to breathe evenly, pushing the unease down.
"You alright, Lady Athena?" Zarich asked, his voice calm, but his eyes flickered toward me in the rearview mirror, sharp and assessing.
I quickly nodded, shifting my gaze to the passing skyline.
"Yeah, just tired."
He didn't push, but something about his silence told me he wasn't entirely convinced.
I turned my attention to the twinkling lights of Lysoria, the towering glass structures reflecting the glow of the city.
The Velvet Lounge was only a few minutes away now.
And there was only one person who could help me fill in the missing pieces.
Lara.
And I was going to get some answers.