The vaulted ceilings of the east wing echoed with silence, broken only by the soft shuffle of shoes and the click of a camera lens. Sunlight spilled through towering windows, casting long golden beams across the marble floor as the senior class trailed behind their history teacher.

“Now, as you’ll see here,” Mr. Hensley gestured toward a centuries-old tapestry, “this depicts the Treaty of Valmont—signed in this very palace…”

Luca hung back near the edge of the group, sketchbook in one hand, pencil tucked behind his ear. His hazel eyes flicked upward to trace the details of the arching ceiling, barely listening.

“...and despite the royal family's modern privacy, this wing is open to the public due to its historical—”

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The sound interrupted Mr. Hensley mid-sentence. Not footsteps—bounding. Unmistakably fast, frantic… animal? Luca straightened, and a few classmates turned toward the sound. Mr. Hensley paused, brows drawn, glancing toward the double doors at the far end of the hall. Then—

Bang!

The door burst open with a sharp slam. A small, scruffy dog skidded in on the polished floor, claws clicking wildly as it dashed straight into the room.

“…Is that—?”