Her heart beat faster. Her cheeks ached from smiling. Silviu Conti was forgotten—pushed to the farthest corner of her mind, where he could gather dust with all the other unimportant things.
She set the phone aside, pulled the blanket up to her chin, and closed her eyes.
This time, sleep came easily.
---
The morning sun was too bright.
Iva groaned as light slanted across her face, dragging her from a dream she couldn't quite remember. For a moment, she didn't know where she was. The ceiling was different. The walls were different. The bed—
Then memory crashed back.
The academy. The dorm.
And the general assembly.
Iva shot upright, her heart lurching.
"What time is it?" she demanded, her voice rough with sleep.
"The general assembly! Headmaster Attia! First years! I’m going to be
