Ariana’s POV
The summons came at dawn, delivered with a kind of quiet authority that did not need urgency to be obeyed. A single knock echoed through Clara’s small house just as the sky began to pale, followed by the muted sound of boots shifting outside the door. I was already awake, having slept lightly the night before, and something in my chest tightened before Clara even reached the hallway.
She opened the door, accepted the sealed notice, and closed it again without a word. When she turned to face me, her expression told me everything I needed to know. This was not routine. This was not optional.
“They want all students and trainees present at the central training grounds,” she said after reading the message, her voice calm but edged with concern. “Mandatory assessment. Effecti
