Evaline:
Once again... it was Saturday.
Two weeks had passed since the Alpha Gathering incident, and while the memory of it was still sitting somewhere in the corners of my mind, I had decided not to let it take up space in my heart.
I wasn't going to spend another moment recalling the horrors of that evening. I had other much important matters to focus on. I had a future to build, a child to look after, secrets to hide, and I refused to be the kind of girl who clung to shadows.
So I was actually feeling good - cheerful, even - as I left the dorms and headed toward the Academy gates. The late autumn wind tossed my scarf around my neck as I crossed the stone courtyard, and for once, I didn't mind the way the cold was making my cheeks pink.
Saturday meant another day at the Council headquarters. It meant focused work, neat files, and quiet corners where no one disturbed me.
