VALERIE’S POV

~A day to the ancient rites~

The courtyard was alive with the sound of clashing blades, heavy grunts, and the occasional barked instruction from the warriors leading the morning drills. This reminded me of my younger self when I would sneak out of the kitchen and come here with Caelan, training like our lives depended on it. We would train for hours and go to the woods in the evening to race. It's quite unfortunate those were just memories ...