Chapter 22: Arcane Symposium, Part Two

{Reina}

Another day, another thrilling dinner with Daddy Dearest in this mausoleum we call home.

The air's thick with lavender. Mom's signature scent, still haunting these halls long after she left us. The pain hits my chest, but I shove it down where it belongs, straightening my blazer as some nameless servant guides me to my nightly performance.

I'm stabbing at this perfectly cooked, perfectly bland salmon while Dad scroll-parents through dinner, probably checking CrysTech's stocks or whatever the fuck CEOs do instead of actually talking to their kids.

"Your grades?" He doesn't even look up from his screen.

"Top of the class." I examine my black matte nails, perfect lies falling from perfect lips. "As usual."

Like hell I'm telling him Akari's initial test scores beat mine by a hair. He'd probably have an actual stroke, and then who would ignore me at dinner?

"Mm." More scrolling. "And that... incident yesterday?"