Eleanor stood at the edge of the courtyard still.
The mist had long since faded into night air, the last lanterns flickering with soft psionic rhythm, but her thoughts had not quieted.
They were louder now. Sharper. Threaded with tension.
She hadn't meant to come here. Not originally. She had been returning to her quarters after a long day—paperwork, observation summaries, and more than forty individual practical exam evaluations. Her mind had been full. Focused on preparing recommendation drafts for placements, preparing the scoring curves, and cross-checking the scouts' access logs to ensure no one had overstepped.
But then—
That mana flare.
The first one had been bold. Refined. Impressive by technical standards, yes—but not alarming. The structure was complex, the framework elegant. Something designed for exact intent.
It had caught her attention.
But not her concern.
Until the second mana ripple.
She had felt it like a wire tightening around her ribcage.
