Kali's POV
The courtyard was burning with light, blinding lights that burned like they took their job a little bit too seriously. The general use of light was to brighten or illuminate, and while that was obviously the goal here, I hated how it kind of made me stand out.
I wasn't one to shy away from attention, but right now, I hated how small and inadequate I felt underneath their gazes. It sounded stupid, but if I could, then best believe I would take the chance to go back to my room and hide till all of this was over.
Torches lined the walls like sentinels, their flames flickering against the marble as if whispering warnings only the wind could understand. The air was thick, too quiet, and too charged. Even the stars seemed to hold their breath.
We stood in a single line before
