The next morning at the IAYN was exactly what we all feared it would be. 

Reporters gathered on the expansive lawn that surrounded the academy's primary building, accosting students as they attempted to enter the school. A sizeable crowd of Glaisseans gathered outside the gates, peering through the gaps in the iron grate and pointing excitedly at anything that moved- which was a lot of things, considering that the entirety of the IAYN's eight hundred-member student body was in the process of getting to school. Mics were shoved in faces, backpacks were dropped, and questions were fired in a never-ending mass interrogation. Hovercraft circled around and around in the sky above us, gigantic cameras hanging out of their bellies to capture aerial footage of the chaotic scene.

As usual, in the center of it all, was Lillae. She stood on the marble boundary that circumscribed a pompous water fountain with six cameras pointed up at her face. She gestured dramatically up at the sky, and though I was far enough from the pandemonium that I couldn't hear exactly what she was saying, I knew she was feeding off of the attention like the media magnet she was.

"Good morning, Princess Swan-Rose." 

Oh, great. The only reason I'd retreated so far from the school building was to evade unwanted attention. As usual, I got exactly what I was trying to avoid. 

I looked up to see a woman clad in a ridiculous, glittery orange dress approaching the tree I stood under. Something about her round face and striking, green hair seemed oddly familiar, although I couldn't place where I had seen her before. 

"Good morning..." I trailed off, fishing through my memory for her name. Thankfully, she seemed to know what I struggled with. 

"Macie Levyn-Meyer," she said curtly, extending a gloved hand. 

"From Glaisse Central?" I asked, shaking it. Now I remembered her- she was the host of the aristocracy's favorite news show...but what was she doing at the IAYN? 

"Yes!" she grinned. "Could I have a minute of your time?" 

"Great!" she continued, not bothering to wait for me to respond. "Now, let me assure you, this has nothing to do with Glaisse Central- it's all just personal curiosity. I was just wondering if you, with your royal status and all, had any idea what the King and Queen are planning to do about the two murders that just took place at the IAYN? Because, at least to me, it seems like they're doing nothing. And I know I'm not alone." 

"With all due respect, Mrs. Levyn-Meyer, I'm waiting here, far from the commotion out there, for a reason. I'm not exactly eloquent, and I'm sure you could find someone much more suited to answer your questions." 

It was all I could do not to scream in frustration. Everything made sense now, far clearer than ever before. Levyn-Meyer had been under investigation three times during her thirty six year career with Glaisse Central for possible affiliation with Queen Saralee-following Lessaenite extremist groups, though the allegations were never proved. Now, here she was, in control of Lessaenes' largest media outlet, trying to get people against my aunt and uncle, the very people who had defeated the evil queen! All of this ado about the so called "Academy murders" served one purpose alone...the destruction of the monarchs' reputations. For all I knew, Project Gateway was just a distraction, and the murders themselves had been executed by her extremist contacts!

Don't jump to conclusions, Swan. 

I sighed as one of my mother's favorite things to say popped into my head. Not every suspicious person is a supervillain, Swan. There are no more Icehearts to defeat. Those times are long gone.

There was something almost mechanically determined in the way she said it, something that told me she wasn't just trying to convince me...she was trying to convince herself. 

Not every suspicious person is a supervillain. I blinked violently, forcing myself to give Macie Levyn-Meyer a marginally civil look. 

"Oh, I don't need anything fancy," Levyn-Meyer waved her hand dismissively. "Like I said, this isn't for Glaisse Central. I'm just a concerned citizen wanting to know what's going on here. The children of Lessaenes' most powerful people are no laughing matter; if you're no longer safe at a school that was built to keep you safe, I'm afraid we've all got our futures to be worrying about. Many of Glaisse Central's most influential viewers and I just want to know that the people at the top are taking action on this most pressing issue."

"Thank you for your, er, concern, Mrs. Levyn-Meyer, but I believe the princess has to get to school." 

Nemesis took hold of my hand, leading me away from Levyn-Meyer and closer to the primary building's doors before the nosy host could react. 

"You want to go there?" I gestured to the havoc before us. A massive media blockade stood between us and the doors...the only way to enter the school would be to go through it. 

"Logically, it is a safer choice than spending much more time with the gaudily dressed woman who asks too many questions. People like her are trained to elicit undesirable answers from those whom they question. That's why I extracted you from the situation before she got you to say something you would regret." 

"Thanks," I winced. "Really, thanks, but I still don't think running into the camera storm up there would be the brightest move." 

Nemesis opened her mouth to respond, but before she said a word, our attentions simultaneously turned to the primary building's doors. Tightly closed throughout the morning, they swung open, revealing a furious Dr. Atwater. She raised her megaphone like a weapon, storming down the wide steps into the open courtyard. 

"I would like to remind you all that this is a school!" she announced, planting her feet firmly in the center of the lawn. It took a solid minute for everyone present to realize that the principal was speaking, but once they did, the chaotic scene was quickly subdued. Even Lillae hopped down from the fountain, pushing through the small crowd that surrounded her in order to procure a better view of the seething woman. 

"I fail to see how any education can take place in the midst of all of this...nonsense! I respectfully request all those not affiliated with the Imperial Academy to exit the premises so that I may make an important announcement to the students." 

"Whatever you have to say, Tabitha, you can say to all of us. I'm sure Lessaenes is dying to be enlightened about the status of this most iconic school after the recent tragedies." 

Somehow, Levyn-Meyer had managed to get all the way to Atwater in the short time it took the principal to establish the crowd's attention. She stood beside her, a wide smile plastered across her face. Despite this obviously affected sign of pleasure, tension between the two women was evident. 

"Very well then, Macie," Dr. Atwater said in a strained tone, clearly uncomfortable addressing the slick Auraview personality by her first name. "Seeing as we have nothing to hide, I will say what must be said while all are present." 

"After much deliberation, myself and the rest of the faculty here at the IAYN have decided that maintaining our superior education and discipline standards at this particular time has become near impossible due to many external factors," she said these two words slowly and with great emphasis, glaring conspicuously at an innocent-looking Levyn-Meyer. "For this reason, we have unanimously elected to move the annual Autumn Holidays up a week. I believe all of our students would benefit from some time at home in order to restore their peace of mind after the passing of two of their peers." 

This news at any other time would've been met with cheers from all those assembled. Yet, now, a deathly silence settled over the crowd as we realized what this meant: the threat was significant enough to warrant an immediate removal of all students from the school. 

As usual, Nemesis was the only one oppositely affected by the news. She smirked excitedly, squeezing my wrist as she whispered softly into my ear. 

"Break tomorrow, Gateway tomorrow."