Lyra's POV
The following morning brought another cryptic message beneath my door. This time the handwriting appeared normal, written in standard Alaric script, but the timing felt different. Late at night, with deliberate underlines beneath the hour. My brow furrowed as I studied the note.
Our usual meetings happened before dawn, prior to my Basics classes. This late evening appointment felt unusual, and the emphasis on the time suggested something urgent. I tucked the note with my growing collection and attempted to focus on the day ahead.
The hours passed with their typical rhythm of hostility. Sneering faces in hallways, whispered insults between classes, pointed stares during meals. Just another standard day surviving the social hierarchy of Alpha Academy. After dinner concluded, Poppy and I settled into our usual study routine in the library. Mathematics and tactical theory consumed our attention until the clock chimed well past nine.
