Luna's magic granted me the first peaceful sleep I'd had in months. When I woke, sunlight filtered through the curtains of my bedroom, casting a warm glow that felt almost foreign after nearly a year in darkness. For a moment, I simply lay there, savoring the sensation of safety.
The peace was short-lived. A message awaited me downstairs—I'd been summoned to the Imperial Palace by the Empress herself.
"The Empress?" my father questioned, brow furrowed as he examined the formal imperial summons. "Not the Emperor?"
"This is unusual," my mother added, worry etching lines around her eyes. "What could Empress Adeline want with you specifically?"
I shook my head. "I'll find out when I get there."
My parents exchanged concerned glances. They couldn't accompany me—the summons was explicit about that. After my mysterious eleven-month absence, the thought of me disappearing into another powerful institution clearly unsettled them.
