Marron sat in Marcus's study, her hands wrapped around a cup of tea that had long since gone cold. Dawn light filtered through the tall windows, painting everything in shades of gray and pale gold. She hadn't slept. Couldn't sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Lucy's terrified retreat, felt the Blade's joy singing through her veins.
Felt herself smiling.
Aldric sat across from her, his ledger open but blank. He'd been staring at the empty page for an hour, pen poised, unable to write the report that would document what had happened.
"I'm going to tell them," Marron said finally. Her voice was hoarse from disuse. "The Council. Edmund. All of it."
Aldric's pen stopped moving. "Marron—"
"I have to." She set down the tea cup, her hands steadier than she felt. "If I don't, if I hide this and something worse happens... I can't. I won't be another case Edmund has to document. Another wielder who thought they could handle it until they couldn't."
"They'll take the tools."
