The walk to the Duke's study was longer than Vane expected. The hallways of the Sol estate were not just corridors but galleries of power. Every twenty paces, Vane noticed a knight stationed in a recessed alcove. These were not the academy guards who spent their days breaking up student squabbles. These men were Sentinels and Sentries. Their mana was disciplined and tucked tightly into their marrow, but their focus was absolute. They did not blink as he passed. They stood like statues of iron and gold, their presence a reminder that this house was a fortress before it was a home.
Valerica walked with a rigid, practiced gait. Her violet hair caught the light of the mana-sconces as she moved. She did not look at the guards. To her, they were part of the furniture, but Vane could feel her pulse through the slight vibration in the floor. She was on edge. He could tell by the way her shoulders remained square, never dipping even an inch.
