Aria's POV
"Before we proceed with the tragic accidents," Elder Kalliope said, settling into a chair like she was hosting a dinner party instead of planning multiple murders, "I think our young infiltrator deserves to know the full scope of what she's stumbled into."
"Is that necessary?" Aldrin asked.
"Educational. She's shown such dedication to learning Academy secrets. The least we can do is satisfy her curiosity before we eliminate it."
I wanted to tell her exactly where she could put her educational lecture, but staying alive long enough to find an escape route seemed more important than satisfying my anger.
"The Academy," she continued, "was never intended to be a simple educational institution. From its founding, it has served as a selection mechanism for future leaders of the L
