Reya’s POV
Later that afternoon, after finishing my rounds and managing to avoid both Ashriel and whatever strange game Elder Cyrus was playing, I finally got a moment of peace in the garden behind the infirmary. The sun filtered softly through the canopy, painting patches of gold on the mossy stone path. I sat under the old cedar tree, breathing in the familiar scent of earth, flowers, and pine.
Just as I was starting to enjoy the silence, the iron gate creaked open.
“Aurelia?” came a familiar voice, light and cheerful.
I looked up and saw Leena—her wild red curls bouncing around her shoulders, a woven basket hanging from her arm.
“Leens,” I said, standing to greet her. “What a surprise.”
She hurried over with a smile, hugging me with a warmth only old friends could muster. “I figur
