The carriage rocked gently as it rolled down the moss-lined road, wheels creaking in rhythm with the clop of hooves. Outside, the forests of the Thorne Dominion loomed — ancient trees with bark like iron and leaves that whispered secrets in the wind.
Inside, Alessia sat cross-legged on the velvet seat, the Codex of Veiled Flame open in her lap. Her brow was furrowed, her tongue poking out slightly as she tried to trace the glowing script with her fingertip.
"'To summon a ward of starlight, one must first align the breath with the fifth pulse of the Veil,'" she read aloud. "Okay. Sure. That sounds… totally doable."
Lily, seated across from her with a dagger in one hand and a polishing cloth in the other, didn't look up. "You're holding it upside down."
Alessia flipped the book. "I knew that."
"Of course."
She tried again, this time whispering the incantation under her breath. The air shimmered faintly, a flicker of silver light dancing at her fingertips — and then promptly fizzled out with a sad little pop.
Alessia sighed. "I think the stars are ghosting me."
"Maybe they're just shy," Lily offered. "Or maybe they're waiting for you to stop insulting them."
"I'm not insulting them. I'm just… gently criticizing their communication skills."
Lily smirked. "Try again. Slower this time. And breathe."
Alessia took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and focused. She could feel it — a thread of something just out of reach, like a memory she couldn't quite catch. The runes on the page pulsed faintly, and for a moment, the air around her grew still.
Then the carriage lurched.
A jolt of energy burst from her hands, slamming into the roof and sending a shower of sparks across the velvet ceiling.
Lily didn't flinch. "Well. That's one way to redecorate."
Alessia stared at her hands. "I didn't mean to do that."
"No one ever does," Lily said, standing to inspect the scorch mark. "But it's a start."
Before Alessia could respond, the carriage slowed. The driver called out, "My lady — we've reached the outer camp."
Alessia peeked through the curtain. Rows of tents stretched across the valley, their canvas flapping in the wind. Soldiers moved like ants below, their armor glinting in the fading light. The air smelled of smoke, steel, and something darker — something wrong.
She swallowed. "This is really happening."
Lily stepped beside her. "Yes. But you're not alone."
The door opened, and a soldier bowed low. "We've been instructed to escort you to the command tent."
Alessia stepped down, her boots crunching on gravel. The wind tugged at her cloak, and she pulled it tighter around her shoulders.
As they walked through the camp, soldiers paused to stare. Some bowed. Others whispered.
"Is that her?"
"She's just a girl."
"She doesn't look like a Starborne."
"She's the one they sent?"
"We are going to die."
Alessia got teary,"Aaa... don't lose hope that easily."
They reached the command tent — a towering structure of black and silver, its entrance flanked by two guards in dark armor. One stepped aside and pulled back the flap.
Inside, a group of generals stood around a glowing map table, voices low and tense. At the center stood a figure in a long black cloak, his back to the entrance.
The moment Alessia stepped inside, he turned.
Lord Ravonn of Noctis.
He was tall, sharp, and cold as moonlight on steel. His eyes met hers, and for a heartbeat, something flickered there. Confusion. Recognition. Gone in an instant.
"You," Alessia said, blinking. "You're here."
He inclined his head. "Huhh..."
"You said you didn't believe I was Starborne."
"I still don't," he said. "But I believe the Dreadborn do. And that makes you a target."
Alessia crossed her arms. "You're very comforting, you know that?"
"I'm not here to comfort you."
"Clearly."
The generals exchanged glances, unsure whether to intervene.
Ravonn stepped closer, his voice low. "This is not a court game, Princess. This is war. If you falter, people die."
Alessia's breath caught. "I know that."
"Do you?" he asked, eyes narrowing. "Because I've seen what waits beyond the Rift. I've watched it devour cities. I've buried soldiers who thought their titles would protect them."
She didn't flinch. "I'm not here because I want to be. I'm here because I was sent."
"Then prove them wrong," he said. "Or die trying."
The room fell silent.
Alessia stared at him, her heart pounding. "You really know how to make a girl feel welcome."
Ravonn's expression didn't change. "I'm not here to welcome you either."
He turned away, his cloak sweeping behind him like a curtain of night.
Alessia stood frozen for a moment, then turned to Lily. "I think I liked him better when he was ignoring me."
Lily handed her the Codex. "Then you're going to love working together."