I lingered near the edge of the courtyard, my breath fogging faintly in the cool morning air. My body ached from the strain of the night before, but my mind was sharper than it had been in weeks, restless with questions. I had barely slept; images of the creature from the trial clawed through my dreams, yet I refused to admit how shaken I still felt.
Aurelis and Fen stood a short distance away, cloaked in the shadows of the stone arches. They spoke low, too low for me to catch everything, but every so often their voices carried on the wind.
“…too soon…” Fen’s tone was a growl, restrained but edged with frustration.
“She proved herself,” Aurelis replied smoothly, unbothered. “You saw it as clearly as I did.”
A pause. Then Fen’s voice again, sharper this time. “…doesn’t understand what s
