Rain’s POV
The day passed in its usual quiet rhythm, if quiet meant trying to ignore the constant whispers that trailed behind me like an unwanted scent. I had learned to keep my head down, stick close to Maris when she wasn’t with her brother, and spend as much time as possible doing something, anything that kept me from thinking too much.
By midday, the sun was spilling gold through the high windows of the dining hall as the women gathered for lunch. I was helping set the table when Luna Amelia’s voice carried across the room, light but commanding as always.
“Ladies,” she began, her tone smooth and practiced. “I have an announcement.”
The room quieted instantly. Even Selene, who had been laughing loudly with her little circle, turned to listen.
“The men who left earlier this week to
