For reasons unknown to me, I wake up before sunrise. I glance out of the south-facing window and see the hills, not towering mountains but still impressive in their lushness. Dawn breaks quickly over the eastern horizon, and the soft golden light spreads across the top of the hill at the foot of Sul Alta. The city lies to the north of the mountain, and as I look up at the buildings' rooftops against the clear blue skies glowing with golden splendor, a surge of new optimism washes over the kingdom.
At that moment, two knocks on the door startle me from my half-slumber. I quickly open it, feeling a pang of pain in my eyes. Overthinking what might go wrong today has deprived me of a good night's sleep. This is the next challenge in Maia's mind games, and I'm not sure if I'm ready for it.
I
