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Damaris shrugs. "Nope. Whoever it is, they seem weirdly invested in my nutritional wellbeing."

Despite myself, I smile. I just hope it isn't Adrian.

I pull out my own sandwich and lean against the edge of the worktable while Damaris taps his slate again. The silver filaments hum, then rearrange themselves into a loose spiral, pulsing in time with a low tone from the emitter.

"Resonance mapping prototype," he says. "Or that's what I'm calling it until Professor Leth decides my naming conventions are an insult to science."

I watch the filaments brighten when he snaps his fingers near them, drifting toward the sound. "They're reading vibration?"

"Micro-frequency and environmental echo." He sounds proud of it, which he should. "In theory. In practice, one of them tried to fling itself into a drainage grate an hour ago."

I grin. "That feels less ideal."

"Professor Leth called it a promising failure, which I think is academic code for please stop breaking things in public."

We both laugh at that, and for a minute we just stand there eating and watching the filaments drift through the air.

Then Damaris glances over at me. "So. How was your day?"

I exhale and take a sip of coffee. "I don't know, man. Halvern just… doesn't like me. Or he likes making me nervous. Maybe both."

Damaris's brows go up. "That sounds ominous."

"He's hosting some private reception next week. Officially it's for donors and trustees, but apparently half the planet's most important families will be there."

Damaris whistles low. "That's the thing Adrian was freaking out about."

I glance over. "What thing?"

"The reception. He's been weird all week. Every time somebody mentions it, he looks like he swallowed broken glass."

"Adrian always looks miserable."

Damaris shakes his head. "Not like this. Apparently people have been flying in from all over the Reach for it. Even the engineering department's been talking about it."

I stare down at my coffee. "Well, apparently I'm playing."

His head jerks toward me. "You're what?"

"Halvern wants me to perform."

He just stares. "Oh, boo…"

"Yeah."

"That's insane." Damaris snorts and leans back against the edge of the worktable, sandwich still in one hand.

Somewhere farther down the terraces, the sharp whine of hoverbike engines cuts through the air, followed by a burst of laughter and the kind of shouting that usually means somebody's trying to show off.

"Speaking of terrible decisions, Adrian's already planning some massive after-party for the reception. Damn near half the design department is talking about it. If you want to come, you can."

I blink at him. "You're inviting me to another party?"

"Somebody around here has to stop you from becoming a hermit." He takes another bite of his sandwich, then points it at me. "This is college. It's supposed to be fun."

I huff out a laugh. "I'm having fun."

"Oh yeah." Damaris eyes me. "You definitely look like you're having fun."