The corridor outside Mia's chamber was quiet—almost too quiet—except for the faint murmur of guards stationed at the door. She had grown used to their presence over the past day, their armored boots thudding rhythmically whenever one shifted weight. But tonight, something was different. The tone of their voices carried a tension that pricked her senses.
She stood by the narrow window slit, half-hidden behind the curtain, and strained to hear.
"His Majesty said the seer will arrive before dusk tomorrow," one guard muttered, his voice hushed but clear. "He wants the girl examined the moment he gets here."
"Examined?" the other asked skeptically. "Is she sick?"
"You fool. Not like that. The King said the seer will test her aura—whatever that means. He doesn't trust her. Says there's something unnatural about her."
