I shoved the balcony doors open, stumbling into the ballroom. Feverishly, I looked around, gathering a few curious looks from everyone, but I paid them no mind. The moment I spotted the teacher that had found Lilith, I picked up my skirts and rushed after her.
“Stop! Wait, please!” I shouted, and she turned, giving me a disdainful look. “You can’t do this with proof! If I lose fifty more points this year, I’ll be expelled! It’s not fair!”
“Life here isn’t fair, Miss Vale,” she spat. “His Majesty might have indulged your theatrics because you put him on the spot, but that’s not how things work here. This place teaches a lot more than what’s in your curriculum. Everything in court is about performance, perception, and survival. You’ve already failed at one of those tonight.”
I bit my lip
