The academy let the year go in the only language institutions have for letting go, which is paperwork.
Term-end postings.
Housing renewals.
A closure notice for the festival grounds that read, in its entirety, pending structural review, which was a committee's way of writing there is a god in the floor.
Class Z read their renewals at breakfast.
All of them.
Same room, same roster, plus a registry rider Dani had drafted herself confirming her attachment, plus the east-yard custody clause with Soren's terms printed clean.
Maren passed the packet around the table twice because she liked watching everyone touch the proof.
"They renewed the charity class," she said, tail moving. "In writing. With clauses."
"They renewed the response asset," Dani said.
"They renewed us." Maren stole the packet back. "Let me have the version where we won."
"You can both have your versions," Soren said. "Sign the real one."
◆◆◆◆
The last week of term ran domestic, and Soren let it.
