Traditions reveal more than ceremony—they reveal hearts.
The council suspended the simulation for twenty-four hours. Not out of concern for safety, but because the Festival of Bonds was mandatory attendance. An academy tradition that predated current political tensions.
I'd forgotten about it entirely. Too focused on surviving assassination attempts and navigating conspiracies to remember calendar events.
Celeste reminded me while helping me prepare. "You need to attend. Skipping would be noticed. Used against you."
"Everything's used against me at this point."
"Which is why you can't give them additional ammunition. The Festival celebrates mate bonds, pack connections, Alpha partnerships. Refusing to participate would suggest you're uncomfortable with your own bond."
She had a point. Missing the Festival would feed into narratives about the bond being problematic or shameful.
