Chapter 29

~Valeria~

“You need a break from that shithole they call an academy,” Landon said the moment I answered the FaceTime call. His face filled my screen, seeming more upset over the stories he had heard of my suffering.

I sighed, shifting against my pillows. “Unless you have a magic wand to make everyone shut up, I don’t see how that’s possible.”

Landon leaned back against what looked like an expensive leather chair. “Actually,” he drawled, “I’ve got something even better.”

I raised a brow. “And that is?”

“There’s a gala this weekend—high-end, exclusive, the kind of event that could actually do you some good.”

I hesitated. The idea of walking into a room full of powerful strangers, pretending I belonged, made my stomach twist.

“I don’t know, Lan…”

He tilted his head. “Come on, Val. Think of it as a chance to network. Expand your circle. Show people you’re more than the rumors.”

I bit my lip, still unconvinced. “I’d rather stay home and study with Caius.”

“Study? Come on, Val.”

“There wil