Evaline:
The chill of early morning was clinging to the air as I stepped outside the Academy gates at exactly eight.
A tall, broad-shouldered man in a crisp uniform was standing by a sleek black vehicle, arms crossed and posture like steel. The moment his eyes met mine, he nodded in acknowledgment.
"You are Ms. Evaline?" he asked curtly.
"Yes."
"Get in."
I didn't waste time with small talk. The moment I slid into the back seat, he started the engine, and we drove in silence through winding roads that cut through the thick forest and then opened up into a wide valley where a colossal stone structure was looming in the distance.
The Council Headquarters.
I had heard about it. It was a place of legends and power. The building looked like a fortress with towers stretching high into the clouds. The glass and the dark stone was giving it an aura of permanence and authority. I tried to steel myself as we drove through the main gates and parked in a large courtyard.
