The corridors of the academy were quiet as Lira made her way down toward the courtyard where the great stone dragon rested. The torches along the walls flickered as she passed, their flames bending slightly toward her, as though recognizing the fire within her that had been awakened and sharpened.
Her heart still pounded with the weight of what had happened in the ruins. The fire shard pulsed warmly inside her satchel, every beat of its glow echoing her own heartbeat. She had faced illusions, guardians, and burning trials, yet the shard had chosen her. Even Lady Thalyris had confirmed what she herself already felt—that she was walking a path meant for her alone.
