Vivian
Sunrise arrived over the Northern Estate with a roar. Not a quiet morning. Not a soft awakening. It spilled across the hills like molten gold, sharp and unforgiving, exposing every shadow, every imperfection.
I stood at the window of my chamber, hands pressed to the glass, watching the wind whip through the estate's towering spires. The Veil of Claim began in less than an hour. The thought made my chest tighten. My pulse raced. And yet… I was ready. Or at least, I told myself I was.
Sebastian entered quietly, as if he had always belonged in the room — calm, controlled, his eyes locking on mine. "You look ready," he said, but it wasn't a question. It was recognition.
"I feel… exposed," I admitted. "Like the world can see everything I've tried to protect."
He stepped closer, brushing a strand of hair from my face. "Exposed," he repeated softly. "Yes. But not alone. We face it together."
