"This is where you will come tomorrow," the teacher said, the word tomorrow landing in the air and holding its shape.
"You'll bring your packs. Dress to move, not to pose. No charms unless you made them yourself.
No luck unless you earn it. Carry water. Carry respect for the realm and for the people who keep it steady.
Pride will cut you on the first stone it finds. That isn't a threat. It's a law that existed before any of us."
They turned slightly, gaze lifting toward the shut gate as if listening through it. The quiet stretched long enough for every chest in the class to notice the breath it was taking.
Whatever they heard out there, it settled their shoulders and set their weight in a way that said they were done bending to anything that didn't deserve it.
"Last thing," they added, voice easing for a heartbeat without losing the edge inside it. "If fear finds you, tell your partner.
