The air crackled with tension as we gathered in the courtyard. Lady Amelia's arrival silenced the nervous chatter that had filled the space moments before. Her regal bearing and piercing gaze commanded attention, and I found myself straightening involuntarily as she approached.
Lady Amelia's voice cut through the silence like a knife, each word crisp and clear. "Contestants, gather 'round. Your next trial begins at sundown."
I pushed through the crowd, my mind already racing with possibilities. The fabric of my worn training outfit clung to my skin, damp with sweat from the day's earlier exercises. A night trial? This could be interesting. My fingers instinctively traced the hilt of the knife at my hip, a habit born of constant vigilance.
"You will face nature's fury," Lady Amelia conti
