Serena entered Hyran's wing, a part of the castle she had never stepped foot in before.
"Perks of being the Master Mage," Hyran remarked casually from behind her.
She jumped and let out a high-pitched yelp. She had been so lost in her thoughts about the ruined dress that she had barely registered how far she had wandered.
The ache was still there, tucked beneath her ribs. She shoved it down. There was work to do.
Hyran did not even blink.
"Come with me."
She followed him down the length of the corridor to a set of heavy double doors. He pushed them open without ceremony.
The room beyond was not what she expected.
There was a desk, yes. Books. Scrolls. Relics sealed behind glass. But those were almost afterthoughts.
The center of the room was a mini arena of some kind. A place built for testing magic rather than discussing it.
Twelve figures stood spaced around the perimeter. All members of the Brotherhood of the Hidden Flame.
