I didn't consider myself particularly observant when it came to social subtleties Riven reminded me of this repeatedly but even I couldn't miss the way Velka had been avoiding me since breakfast. She moved around me like I was cursed, her eyes skittering away whenever I tried to catch her gaze. It was maddening, mostly because I had absolutely no idea why she'd suddenly decided I was a plague.
We stood gathered around Master Thalos on the combat training field, an open expanse ringed by iron posts etched with defensive glyphs. A circle of protective runes glowed softly beneath our feet, and the air buzzed faintly with suppressed magical energy. The late afternoon sun cast amber streaks over the field, turning everything slightly golden.
