As I stood at the window of my room, watching the first light of dawn creep in.
I was still seated in the corner, wrapped in now soaked blankets. The snow had melted and the chill had gone almost like it was never there.
I felt an unfamiliar weight settle in my chest. Everything was prepared for my journey, maps spread across my desk, supplies packed, weapons sharpened…and yet, I found myself rooted to the spot, unable to take that final step.
My mind, usually so focused and determined, kept drifting back to Akari. Her face swam before my eyes, those beautiful blue orbs haunting me even in my dreams. I closed my eyes, hoping to stop the image, but it only seemed to grow stronger. Those eyes, filled with a mixture of defiance and despair, had bored into my soul during her trial.
Even n
