The sun hadn't come up yet.
A light mist clung to the grass outside Sapphire Manor, covering everything in a thin, silvery fog. Out back, past the stables, the training field sat quietly, old and a little forgotten. The wooden dummies were covered in moss, and the fencing posts leaned like they were tired of standing. Even the birds weren't up yet. It was like the whole world was just waiting.
And so was I.
I stood with my arms crossed, the blunt training sword tucked under one elbow, my breath showing in the cold morning air. I'd been up for a while, tossing and turning all night. I couldn't stop thinking about Cassie, about what she did last night. The way she moved… it wasn't just skill. It was something else. Sharp. Controlled. Confident. She didn't just swing a sword—she made it look like it was part of her.
A supposed maid did that.
And she was better than me.
