The morning after the signing dawned clear and cold, the kind of day that promised revelations and ruptures. I knew, without being told, that today would be the day. Kaelen had said within the week, but the northern knights moving through the Academy with new purpose, the whispered conversations that fell silent at my approach, the tension that crackled in the very air—all of it pointed to the same conclusion.
The announcement was coming.
Sir Edric arrived at midday, his face carved from the same stone as his lord's. "His Grace requests your presence in the Great Hall. Formal attire. The announcement will be made within the hour."
I dressed in the finest gown I had—a deep blue velvet that Elara had insisted I pack before leaving the Academy, though I had never found occasion to wear it. The colour complemented my pale complexion and made my eyes appear darker and more mysterious. I braided my hair with silver ribbons, a touch of northern style that felt like a declaration.
