The council arrived under a sky painted red, like fire bleeding into night. I walked between them, my hands trembling slightly, though I tried to hide it. Every eye in the hall burned into me like they could smell destiny clinging to my skin. They were all looking at me like predators that I almost didn't know what to do. I swallowed hard and kept my gaze forward, trying not to let them see how small I felt under all that weight.

Gabriel stood on one side, like he was there to be a ...