Lirien's POV
I arrived at the Academy a little earlier than usual that morning, hoping the quiet time would help me settle my thoughts before classes began.
The courtyard was already alive with the usual energy, students clustered in small groups, laughing over steaming cups of coffee, sharing sketches, or rushing to finish last-minute homework. Sunlight filtered through the tall trees lining the paths, warm and bright, and for a fleeting moment everything felt almost normal. Just another ordinary day filled with charcoal dust, creative frustration, and the comforting smell of fresh paper and paint.
I pushed open the door to our studio and spotted Mira and Kai already settled at our usual table near the back. Mira was flipping through her sketchbook with focused intensity, while Kai doodled something ridiculous in the margin of his paper, probably another one of his cartoonish cat memes.
"Hey, you two," I said, sliding into the seat between them with a small smile.
