23
When I wake up the next morning, I feel like even the weather is being contrary.
It’s a beautiful day. The smell of roasting pork filters across the campus, slipping into the window while I get dressed. The day when my sister's fate is sealed should be gloomy.
Normally my magical uniform makes getting ready easy, but today I have to figure out the best way to hide the small, dense sword. Under my skirt, it hangs at my thigh, so heavy that I have to practice walking, adjusting my gait to allow for its weight.
It reminds me of Mavis trying to teach me how to walk in heels when I was fourteen, me fumbling and falling all over the place, Mavis laughing from her bed, ducking when I finally gave up and threw the shoes at her.
The memory pierces me like a knife.
I shake my head, trying t
