The page arrived just before sunset, his face flushed from running.
"Lord Veyr commands your presence in the Old Yard," he said, not meeting Soren's eyes. "Now."
Soren set aside the practice blade he'd been polishing and rose from his bunk. The other recruits pretended not to watch, but their sudden silence betrayed their interest. He felt their stares on his back as he followed the page through the door.
"Which way?" he asked when they reached the main corridor.
The page pointed toward the eastern wing. "Past the armory, down the stone steps. The master is waiting." He hesitated, then added in a lower voice, "He doesn't like to be kept waiting."
