She had no idea it was going to be a stressful day...not that she did anything really... it's just that they wore her out with their request. Them being the Seven Stars.
By mid morning, Lydia had already been approached more times than she could emotionally process.
The academy corridors were alive with preparation for the Founder's Dinner. The air carried mixed scents of roasted meats, fermented fruits, herbs, smoke, and sweet pastries from different cultural kitchens across the campus. Students hurried past with decorations, banners, and trays of ingredients. Laughter echoed from open courtyards where different breeds rehearsed dances and traditional displays. The entire place felt festive, loud, and overwhelmingly alive.
And somehow, in the middle of all that celebration, Lydia was quietly falling apart.
This morning she had barely stepped out of her dorm corridor when Kael Draven appeared in front of her as if he had been waiting there for hours.
