She hadn't come to see me. That much was clear.
Elena was here to be seen.
Every word she spoke, every gesture she made—designed to comfort, to disarm. To shine. Not just to the other girls.
But to the academy. To the nobles watching from balconies. To the court.
I sipped the last of my tea and stood.
Enough.
As I moved through the garden, I felt the shift. Eyes that had once glanced past me now lingered. Not out of admiration.
Out of calculation.
"Leaving so soon?"
Reina appeared beside me like a shadow in the sun.
"I've seen what I needed to."
"Including your sister's debut, I assume?"
"That was hard to miss."
She laughed, soft and smooth.
"I never thought Elena would grow up to be so... promising."
"Neither did I."
There was a beat of silence. Then her voice turned syrup-sweet.
"You're not worried she might overshadow you, are you?"
I looked at her. Smiled.
"Reina, if I were you, I'd worry less about who shines and more about who's holding the match."
Her smile faltered, just for a second.
And that was enough.