Ariana's POV
The formal assembly convened at sunset, all candidates and healers gathered beneath the great hall's vaulted ceiling for what my father had described only as a required evening address. I sat near the front alongside the other leadership candidates, Adrian close enough that his shoulder brushed mine, a small steady comfort against the unease that had followed me since the trial against Damien three days prior.
My father rose to speak, his voice carrying easily across the hall without the need for volume. "Six weeks remain in this training," he said. "I trust each of you understands the weight of what you're being prepared for. Leadership is not granted. It is earned, tested, and proven beyond doubt."
He had barely finished the thought when Damien rose from his seat.
The ha
