“But we’ve spread all the leaflets. Now’s the time to speak up!” Jyx was still whispering, but it was a louder, more insistent whisper that Mina was sure could be heard at the next table.

Mina glanced over her shoulder at the table behind them and saw Kita looking at Jyx. Kita was a tall, dark-haired girl who’d been at Mytris three months longer than Mina and Jyx. Jyx said she cried when she read my essay, Mina remembered.

Jyx gave Kita a nod.

In a loud voice Kita said, “Yes, now is the time to speak up.” And Kita stepped onto her chair and then onto the table.

The students around her gasped.

Professor Werrin shifted her frown to Kita. “Sit down, please. Tables are for food, not feet.”

“Professor Werrin, please tell the prime minister that we reject her invitation,” Kita said in a ringing voice. “And we condemn the festival itself. It causes death and destruction!”

Students began to cheer.

Others shouted for her to sit down.

And then others shouted at them to shut up.

“The festival is an abomination, and it must be stopped!”

All around the dining room, students leaped to their feet, cheering and shouting. A few fights broke out, but they were quickly subdued. Still sitting, Mina marveled at what was happening around her.

We did this.

«You did this.»

Jyx grabbed her arm and hauled her onto her feet. Mina glanced around the room in wonder, and Professor Dano caught her eye. His expression didn’t change, but he gave her a brief, barely noticeable nod.

«I told you,» Pixit thought smugly. «This is what a spark can do.»

Stealing away in the aftermath of the chaos, the four of them and their beasts crammed again into Mina and Jyx’s room to plot more. Jyx perched on her pillow and tossed potatoes to Chauda, who caught them one after another. “Chauda wants to know what our next move is,” Jyx said.

All of them looked at Mina.

Mina flushed. Why are they all looking at me?

«Because you’re our leader,» Pixit said, and then he knocked Chauda sideways in order to nab the next potato that Jyx tossed.

Chauda knocked him back, and Pixit sprawled against the floor, but he still ate the potato.

I don’t want to be a leader! Jyx should lead.

“What should we do next, Mina?” Ferro asked.

Zek elbowed him. “She’s thinking. Give her a minute.”

“Looks more like she’s panicking,” Ferro noted.

That was close to accurate. They were all looking at her as if they expected answers. She opened her mouth to say that she didn’t know, that they should come up with the next idea, and that all she’d done was draw a few pictures and write a few words . . . which had led to Kita standing up on a table and leading a protest against Professor Werrin . . . which was rather amazing.