Alina.
I woke with that dull ache behind my ribs that meant the day had already started before I opened my eyes. The dorm was quiet in the heavy way it gets before morning bells. Rowan's coin clicked once and stopped. Kael's bed creaked as he sat up. Lucien closed a book without a sound. I rolled out of my sheets and stretched until the tightness loosened just enough to move.
The ward Elias had hidden in my boot had warmed overnight to the exact temperature of my skin. When I slid my foot in, I felt a soft center to the sole, a balance I hadn't had before he pressed the sigil into place. I tied the laces and tried not to smile at something no one could see.
