Evaline:
The next morning, I left the hotel early with the list Kieran had given me clutched tightly in my hand. The air was still crisp, the streets half-empty as the city slowly woke up. I kept my head low, mask snug over my face, hood up—just another face in the crowd. I wasn't here to draw attention. I had things to do, a life to prepare for.
Silver Moon Academy.
Even now, the name felt unreal.
I'd made it.
Top of the list. Privilege Award recipient. The one they'd all be whispering about when the semester began—not because of who I was, but because of what I had done.
I defeated one of their instructors.
I earned my place.
And yet… every step I took felt heavier than the last. My body moved with purpose, but my mind—it was somewhere else entirely.
Still, I got everything I needed.
